LactiGo Review: Topical Performance Sports Gel
2024 LactiGo PR Update
Coming back with a few updates on my LactiGo usage for big VO2max efforts.
VO2Max with Hard Finish
The first was actually from the summer of 2023 where I was targeting a local KOM on the Blue Ridge Parkway that was just over 8 minutes in duration.
It's a relatively smooth 6% grade uphill that I knew I would need to have around 6w/kg for the 8 minute effort (around 460-480W +- )
I used 2 layers of LactiGo on the arms, legs, and core to ensure no muscle went untouched!
I had some great pacing and when I could see myself within reach of the KOM, I gave everything that I had! This is another huge benefit that I've noticed with LactiGo: even after riding at VO2Max for over 7 minutes, I could STILL finish the effort off strong with 35 seconds at 670W!
VO2Max TTE with Hard Start
The second PR update that I'm really proud of was a VO2Max workout that I use from time to time that is a bit more Fartlek in nature....just go hard above my Maximal Aerobic Power until I can't any longer.
At this point in time I was targeting more than 480W.
Same scenario, using a double layer of LactiGo (always for the big days!) and pacing it a bit differently. A much harder start this time with the first 90 seconds at 545W, then settling in to the next 3.5 minutes at 487W, and hanging on for dear life at an average of 440W for the remainder...
I actually hit a stop light which happily brought the effort to an end, but I think I could have held these watts a bit longer -- and if I was on a hill, it would have helped a lot! Or, maybe I would have gone too hard. Impossible to know, but nice to think about!
LactiGo really buffers the hydrogen ions from that hard start in a way that no other product can. Truly amazing for performance!!
Both efforts were paced differently, and highlights how incredible LactiGo is. My LactiGo review continues to get better and better: LactiGo works like nothing else!!! The fact that it is 100% guaranteed is another reason you have to try it!
Topical Performance Sports Gel
LactiGo reached out to me after they read our supplement cycling blog, watched some of my videos, and knew that we are big on beta alanine for sports performance.
What is LactiGo
Lactigo is a topical gel that contains carnosine that will help you go harder during very hard efforts, as well as recover faster. You muscles fatigue less with LactiGo, and they are able to put out higher watts over and over again. Other ingredients that help your muscles include magnesium and menthol.
What is in LactiGo?
Menthol, Ethoxdiglycol, Glycerine, L-Carnosine, Magnesium Sulphate, Phenoxyethanol, Water, Xanthan Gum.
(The L-Carnosine is the magic!)
Does LactiGo Work?
Let me cut to the chase: Does Lactigo work? LACTIGO IS LEGIT. It is nothing like AMP PR Lotion. In a test of Lactigo vs PR Lotion, LactiGo will win every time! More on that, and the science why LactiGo is better than PR lotion, below.
LactiGo is highly effective on your very first application without a loading phase, like beta alanine. We’ll get into this below, and yes, there’s a LactiGo Discount Code: Brendan
LactiGo Cycling Results: I set a 3 minute season PR at 577W and definitely undershot that effort. I was thinking “OMG I’M GOING SO HARD!!!” How do I know I undershot it? My second effort was at 560W; there was such a small amount of power reduction. Update: I just hit 870W for 1 minute doing anaerobic intervals for cycling.
I’ll get into the details of this effort down below, but let’s review why we’re taking beta alanine for cycling performance.
LactiGo is a human athletic performance-altering and recovery gel used by professional athletes and proven to increase performance by up to 15% after only one application.
See Also: How To Increase Anaerobic Capacity
Why Take Beta Alanine For Sports Performance?
Our body uses beta alanine and the essential amino acid L-histidine to produce carnosine, which in turn regulates acidity levels in our muscles. (There’s a full beta alanine blog here.)
In short, we are taking Beta Alanine in order to produce Carnosine in the muscle.
Why don’t we just directly consume carnosine? Because it gets broken down in the GI tract and is rendered useless, so you need to take Beta Alanine, which then combines with L-Histidine to produce Carnosine in your body.
See Also: Caffeine Intake for Cycling — The Complete Guide to Increase Your Performance
Why Does LactiGo Improve Your Cycling Performance?
LactiGo has been shown to improve aerobic and anaerobic athletic performance, eliminating the need to use beta alanine!
You can produce more work at a similar metabolic load, and this higher workload will provide you with more adaptation at the workload. Do more work, get stronger on the bike.
Carnosine will improve not only your anaerobic power (sprinting, hard 1 minute max efforts, bridging gaps, etc), but also your aerobic power at VO2Max, Functional Threshold Power (FTP), and endurance for long rides. You will fatigue slower and increase your Time To Exhaustion.
LactiGO goes to work just 45 minutes after applying it to the muscle, so you no longer need to go through the 8 week loading phase with Beta Alanine.
Related Post: Complete Guide to Cycling Recovery
Why You Need To Use Lactigo
On your first application, you can maintain your peak performance for longer, and recover faster.
LactiGo has been shown to increase aerobic and anaerobic work capacity.
With LactiGo, you can increase your work volume, which will continue to add up over time, allowing you to reach new performance heights. The more you train at higher intensities, the harder you’ll be able to train.
Don’t take my word for it. Try it today with a 100% Money Back Guarantee and Discount Code Brendan20.
See Also: Nutrition and Cycling Performance
Top 9 Reasons To Use LactiGo
1. LactiGo is an effective, fast-acting, topical gel with carnosine that helps athletes maximize their athletic performance. More workload —> more stimulus —> greater adaptations
2. It is more effective than sodium bicarbonate products like AMP Pr Lotion (read more on that below), so in a test of Lactigo vs AMP Human, LactiGo wins every time
3. LactiGo helps athletes recover faster and sooner, so you can go hard again. Your back to back weekend rides will be stronger and faster.
4. LactiGo is a topical gel. Nothing to ingest.
5. LactiGo is Informed-sport certified. It’s been banned substance tested for athletes’ assurance
6. There’s zero risk in trying it! 100% Money Back Guarantee.
7. It’s not messy. The gel absorbs quickly, leaves no mess on your legs, and just sets you up for an amazing performance. One big issue with AMP PR Lotion is that it’s a mess!
8. It’s a natural product that is based on what our own biology produces. This is certified by Informed Choice and Informed Sport, and is 100% legal.
9. You have a discount code! LactiGo Discount Code Brendan20
See Also: The Science of Cycling
What is AMP Human PR Lotion?
AMP Human PR Lotion is another type of topical that can assist with cycling performance; however, it is inferior to LactiGo because of the fact that it does not attack the hydrogen ions until they are already in your blood stream, utilizing sodium bicarbonate.
LactiGo attacks the hydrogen ions directly in the cell, before it gets into your blood stream. There is a HUGE difference.
LactiGo vs PR Lotion
If you aren’t convinced by the science yet, you should do a Lactigo vs PR Lotion side by side test. It’s pretty remarkable!
Summary: LactiGo goes to work on reducing the burning feeling well before AMP PR Lotion does. You feel less burn with Lactigo and the muscles can work harder.
LactiGo gel absorbs and dries on your skin within minutes. No thick paste on your legs. It’s so much cleaner and easier to use than other products on the market.
Topical Carnosine vs Sodium Bicarbonate
When we go hard, we undergo glycolysis to produce energy. One of the big byproducts of this process is the production of hydrogen ions which creates acidity in our bodies (that burn when you’re dropping the hammer!) This burn is the hydrogen ions, not lactic acid.
Said differently, if you’re wondering how to prevent lactic acid or lactic acid build up, you’re really wanting to understand the reduction of hydrogen ions in the bloodstream.
Sodium bicarbonate is used to buffer hydrogen ions in the blood.
Carnosine is a sponge that soaks up free hydrogen ions and binds them. Carnosine buffers hydrogen ions in the cells, meaning it actually has a greater effect at reducing the burning sensation that we feel.
Carnosine is one of the first thing that balances the acid, and this happens in the cells, before it is in the bloodstream. Once it’s in the bloodstream, sodium bicarbonate can go to work.
Why Would A Cyclist Use Lactigo vs. AMP Human PR Lotion?
Which Works Better for Cycling?
The main reason that LactiGo works better for cycling is that it is more effective at buffering the hydrogen ions in the cell, before they get into your blood stream. AMP Human PR Lotion cannot do this, and tries to eliminate the hydrogen ions once they are in your blood stream.
Which Helps During Races?
LactiGo helps during races because you are able to go harder, producing more watts, since the hydrogen is getting buffered. Your legs will recover faster and be less fatigued between efforts, again, letting you put out more watts, more often! Lactigo should be an essential part of your race prep routine.
Which Helps During Recovery?
LactiGo helps a huge amount for recovery. I use it after every ride and after every gym session. It eliminates the muscle soreness, and also eliminates any dead-leg feeling from those long endurance rides.
If you ever have a little tweak or something that feels off from lifting, LactiGo is amazing for that. I have used LactiGo on my back many times, and it relieves all the aches and pains.
Don’t take my word for it though, seriously. Try it. It’s 100% guaranteed, so there’s no risk. If you don’t like it, tell them, and they will immediately refund your money.
AMP PR Lotion Review
For an AMP Pr Lotion Review, this study just came out in June 2020 that shows that sodium bicarbonate does not work, which isn’t a great start. I’m guessing they would argue that the buffering occurs locally and doesn’t make it into blood substantially, so it’s harder to argue against no performance improvement.
My personal review of AMP: mixed. Some days it felt like like a little benefit, other days, none.
I’ve used it on some really hard intervals, and didn’t have an increase in watts or feel any better than if I didn’t use AMP.
The consistency of AMP Human PR Lotion is also somewhat annoying to deal with. I’m kneading the bottle to try and make sure it’s all mixed up, and sometimes you just get too much sodium bicarbonate, sometimes it’s too much of the liquid carrier.
One you put it on, well, you’re hands are a mess. Hopefully you have a towel nearby or a sink to wash your hands.
When you’re riding, you’ll see the sodium bicarbonate runs down your legs sometimes. Just picking up more road junk as we smash.
IDK, not a huge fan of AMP Human PR Lotion. If you’ve used sodium bicarbonate products, you know how messy, thick, and gunky they are.
See Also: Training for a Mountain Bike Race
Lactigo Discount Code
Is there a discount code for LactiGo? Of course! Your Lactigo Discount Code is Brendan.
Where To Buy LactiGo?
You can purchase it directly from their site. Your first purchase will have a discount code included from this link, so make sure you buy a few bottles on the first go, to maximize your discount! It’s 100% guaranteed, so there’s no rish.
How To Apply LactiGo
For cycling, I use 10 pumps total, covering my ankles, calves, quads, hamstrings, and glutes.
If I am going for KOMs that day or a race, I put it on my entire body, including upper body. There have been 2-3 minute hill climb type efforts and Strava KOMs where I only put LactiGo on my lower limbs, and I could feel my arms fatiguing during the hill climb efforts long before the legs!
How do you use LactiGo? Apply LactiGo directly to the desired muscles 45 minutes before your activity, workout, or competition. I try to put it on one hour before.
Apply another round of LactiGo after your activity to further aid in muscle recovery.
How Long Does One LactiGo Bottle Last?
One LactiGo bottle covers around 10 full-body applications.
My Personal Experience With LactiGo, PR FEST!
I went out to try a 3m max effort. I was relatively well rested and ready to really crush it.
I was going to try two methods: a paced version and a hard start (higher watts initially, then fading).
3 minutes at 577W, a PR for the season and the best watts I’ve seen in YEARS!
Second effort, hard start….
A few things about the hard start.
I was amazed at how GREAT I felt as I started the effort. I almost wanted to go all in and crush a 1m effort!
After 25 seconds (!!!) I’m thinking, “Okay I better let off the gas a bit or I’ll explode” so I sat down and you can see the next surge, the legs just ripping the pedals off.
I settled into a really nice rhythm and hit 560W!!! I beat my season PR again on the second try!
The fatigue resistance that LactiGo provided was incredible!
I went for a 3rd effort and hit 510W! I expected that drop off after the first one.
Then snagged a 10 minute Strava KOM and rolled back home at a solid 300W pace.
Latest Update: I just hit 870W for 1 minute and I’m NOT fresh. I just came off a 1230 TSS week, 470 miles, ended it with a weekend of 12,000kj. Took a day of rest then crushed this effort. Lactigo is the real deal.
LactiGo For Recovery
I wasn’t sure how this product would work for recovery, even though this is a big selling point for the product.
The fact that it dries so quickly is amazing! I used it after my big 140 mile ride, and felt ready to rock the next day for 120+!
LactiGo is spot on for cycling recovery and should definitely be in your bag!
Who Should Use LactiGo or Performance Lotions?
LactiGo is amazing for another that participates in a sport with repeats efforts. Obviously, this is a cycling blog, so other endurance sports apply: cycling, running, rowing, triathlon, nordic skiing, etc.
I’ve had a big benefit from beta alanine in the gym, where it helps to dig deep for those last few reps with big weight, and MMA athletes have been using LactiGo for a while now.
You want to use LactiGo for your events, but also for training, because this is when you’re really pushing the limits and trying to get those performance adaptation. You will be able to train harder, signal a greater stimulus to your body, and reap bigger benefits!
Is Lactigo Banned?
LactiGo is completely legal to use, and is actually tested to ensure that there are no illegal substances in the product!
LactiGo is Informed Sport Tested and Informed Choice Tested.