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The Training Blog

Why are Elite Athletes Taking Broccoli Shots?

  • 10 hours ago
  • 3 min read

Your favorite pro runners’ go-to endurance supplement is Nomio, a Swedish broccoli extract that claims to lower lactate levels.


The first time I ever heard of Nomio, a Swedish supplement made from broccoli sprouts, was when Olympic medalist Evan Jager joined the brand after announcing his retirement from professional track and field. There’s a reason why influencer marketing is so valuable — the concept of broccoli shots sounded a little bit wacky, but if Jager — the American record holder and seven-time national champion in the steeplechase — was on board, then, hey, maybe it’s more legit than it sounds.


What is a “broccoli shot”?


Nomio is a 60ml shot made of 80% organic broccoli sprouts, 15% lemon juice, and 5% sugar, and promises to lower lactate buildup during intense physical activity. You may recall that the lactate buffering effect is similar to the super popular sodium bicarbonate (“bicarb”) product sold by Maurten, although astute Reddit users point out that Nomio doesn’t cause bicarb’s dreaded gastrointestinal stress. (That said… world champion cyclist Mads Pedersen claims to drink a pre-race concoction of Nomio, sodium bicarbonate and Monster energy drink).


How does Nomio work?


The product also purports to lower oxidative stress and inflammation, enhance training response to create more mitochondria and accelerate post-exercise recovery. If you’re wondering why broccoli, the superfood is one of several cruciferous vegetables along with kale and cabbage that contain isothiocyanates, or ITCs, which studies have shown boosts Nrf2 — a protein which regulates cellular antioxidant response and acts as a defense against oxidative stress, inflammation and toxins. 


To back up these claims, the Nomio website references three key studies in its Science section (along with a lengthy associated research section), two of which were conducted by founder Filip Larsen and his team. In one study, volunteers took a shot of Nomio twice a day for a seven-day training cycle while completing intense interval workouts. The effect? Lower oxidative stress, significant reduction in hypoglycemia and 12% reduction in blood lactate levels compared to placebo.


The other study from Larsen’s camp is currently awaiting peer review and publication, but a preprint shows that a single dose of ITC ingested three hours before exercise significantly reduced blood lactate during a sub-maximal workout. 


A third independent study involved stimulating individual muscle fibers in a test tube to simulate exercise while being exposed to ITCs, which seemed to increase training response, leading to lower oxidative stress and the creation of more mitochondria.


ITCs also have benefits that extend beyond elite performance, including preventing muscle atrophy in aging, protecting against liver damage from alcohol consumption and helping detoxify airborne pollutants.


Nomio is pro-oxidative, rather than an antioxidant 


An interesting point to note is that some oxidative stress is necessary to adapt to training and get stronger. Research shows that taking too many antioxidants can blunt the benefits of training, increase muscle fatigue and delay recovery. 


In a story for Outside, Larsen told journalist Alex Hutchinson that the ITCs are closer to pro-oxidants than antioxidants. 


“In both cases, generating a small amount of oxidative stress causes the body’s own antioxidant defenses, controlled by Nrf2, to kick into higher gear. So instead of eliminating training’s adaptive signal with an antioxidant, Nomio is trying to amplify that signal. Still, Larsen says, that means it’s really only useful if you’re training reasonably hard. ‘We also recommend that athletes only take it before hard sessions or during tougher training blocks,’ Larsen says, ‘not before easy sessions or on rest days.’


The recommended use is two shots on hard workouts days: one shot three hours before the main workout, and one shot before bed. 


From an outside perspective, taking an extra shot of vegetables seems a little on the extreme end of supplementation (not to mention expensive at $28 for four doses).


Recreational and amateur runners are probably better off building a diet of whole foods and balanced plates, with plenty of cruciferous greens. But if you have extra wellness budget from your office job to blow and you’re willing to go the extra mile in pursuit of your next PR, Nomio has some solid endorsements from the likes of Cole Hocker, Andreas Almgren, and Conner Mantz, as well as unaffiliated runners Clayton Young, Sara Hall and Graham Blanks (according to Outside).


Have you tried Nomio? What do you think? Stay tuned for the official Running Explained taste and workout test… 


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