Natural Factors Natural Factors - CurcuminRich Muscle Recovery & Growth Optimizer, 156 grams
Natural Factors CurcuminRich Muscle Recovery & Growth Optimizer - A highly absorbable formula that combines Theracurmin, the most bioavailable form of curcumin available, with micronized L-glutamine. Together, Theracurmin and L-glutamine work to support the body’s recovery from physical stress by exerting powerful antioxidant activity and supporting a healthy inflammatory response. It encourages muscle cell repair and growth, especially following strenuous exercise, and supports immune and digestive system health to help protect against infections following prolonged or intense exercise. This flavourless powdered drink mix makes a convenient post-exercise recovery aid and is ideal for athletes looking to accelerate muscle recovery and growth naturally.
Price
Regular Canadian retail price: $25.98 CAD. Price Vault members pay below retail on this product. Member pricing is private and shown after a free opt-in, with no membership fee, no minimum order and no subscription.
In stock. Free shipping across Canada on orders over $89, flat $9.95 under that. 30 days to request a return, with return shipping paid by the customer. Ships from Victoria, BC.
Why people keep reordering it
- Cartilage and connective tissue
- Supports the structures that keep joints moving comfortably.
- Mobility and recovery
- For active bodies and everyday wear alike.
- Skin, hair and nails too
- Collagen support that shows beyond the joints.
Best suited to: training hard and wants gut and immune support, wants a flavourless powder for an existing shake, prefers powder to swallowing capsules.
What the research supports
A 5.2 g scoop of micronized L-glutamine (5 g) with 30 mg of Theracurmin curcumin. One scoop a day; 156 g is a 30-day tub.
Trials use about 5 g of glutamine a day for gut recovery.
- Gut recovery (evidence: moderate, from randomized controlled trial)
- Hard training and heat stress can loosen the gut lining, letting more through than it should. Around 5 g of glutamine a day, what one scoop provides, has reduced that leakiness in trained athletes.
- Muscle soreness (evidence: moderate, from randomized controlled trial)
- Curcumin blunts the inflammatory response that peaks after hard exercise, and trials use 150 to 1500 mg a day for that. The 30 mg in one scoop is far below.
- Muscle growth (evidence: mixed, from randomized controlled trial, meta-analysis)
- Glutamine is a minor building block for muscle protein, but the amino acids that actually drive growth are the essential ones. Most trials in trained adults find no added strength or size from it.
Read the literature: Gut recovery on PubMed, Muscle soreness on PubMed, Muscle growth on PubMed.
Is it right for you
Worth it if
- Training hard and wants gut and immune support
- That is where glutamine's better human evidence sits, in athletes under sustained heavy training loads rather than in muscle building.
- Wants a flavourless powder for an existing shake
- No sweetener, no flavouring and no colour, so 5.2 g disappears into whatever you already drink.
- Prefers powder to swallowing capsules
- Getting 5 g of glutamine from capsules means eight or more of them, where this is one scoop.
Look elsewhere if
- Buying it to build muscle
- The controlled trials do not support glutamine for strength or lean mass in people already eating enough protein. Creatine monohydrate at 5 g a day is the powder with that evidence behind it.
- Wants curcumin for post-exercise soreness
- 30 mg is far below what the soreness trials used. A dedicated curcumin at 180 mg a day of this same absorption-enhanced form is what does that job.
- Already eating plenty of protein
- Dietary protein supplies glutamine in quantity, so this adds little. Spend the money on total daily protein intake first.
What to expect
Glutamine is not something you feel. If it does anything for you it shows up as fewer digestive complaints and less run-down feeling across a heavy training block over several weeks, never as a better session tomorrow. The powder is genuinely flavourless and mixes clear.
How it compares
- Compared with plain bulk L-glutamine powder
- Adds 30 mg of a high-absorption curcumin and comes pre-portioned at a standard 5 g scoop. The tradeoff: Bulk glutamine costs a small fraction per 5 g serving, and the curcumin included here is well below the amount its own research used, so the premium buys a token amount.
Product details
- Active ingredient
- L-glutamine (micronized)
- Ingredient form
- grams
- Suggested use
- 1 serving daily or as directed by a health care practitioner. Mix product well in 1–2 cups of liquid (water, juice, etc.) immediately before consumption.
- Country of manufacture
- Canada
- Independent testing
- ISURA
- Certifications
- Non-GMO, Made in Canada
- Storage
- Store in a cool, dry place
- Brand
- Natural Factors
How to take it
1 serving daily or as directed by a health care practitioner. Mix product well in 1–2 cups of liquid (water, juice, etc.) immediately before consumption.
- Store in a cool, dry place away from direct light.
- Keep out of reach of children.
- Consult a practitioner if you are pregnant, nursing or on medication.
Ingredients
Each serving (5.2 g) contains
- L-glutamine (micronized)
- 5 g
- Theracurmin® curcumin† from turmeric (Curcuma longa) (rhizome)
- 30 mg
A highly bioavailable form of curcumin – the most active curcuminoid in turmeric
Free from
Contains no artificial colours, preservatives, or sweeteners; no dairy, starch, wheat, gluten, yeast, soy, egg, fish, shellfish, animal products, salt, tree nuts, or GMOs. Suitable for vegetarians/vegans.
Interactions and cautions
- Medications
- May interact with certain prescription medications. Review with your pharmacist if you take daily medication.
- Timing
- Separate from medications by 2 to 4 hours unless directed otherwise by a healthcare practitioner.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Consult a healthcare practitioner before use if pregnant or breastfeeding.
- General
- Use only as directed. Discontinue and consult a practitioner if you experience an adverse reaction.
This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. Consult a healthcare practitioner before use. Free certified advisors are available at 1-888-386-1211, Mon to Fri, 9am to 5pm PT.
Questions about Natural Factors - CurcuminRich Muscle Recovery & Growth Optimizer
- Is this the genuine, authentic product?
- Yes. It is identical to what you would pay full price for anywhere else, sourced through our authorized supplier relationships.
- How is the price below retail?
- We buy direct, with nobody in the middle taking a cut, and we sell it for close to what we paid. You see the price privately because you have unlocked the Vault.
- How fast does it ship?
- Orders placed before 12pm PT are processed the same day and ship within two business days. Shipping is free over $89, and a flat $9.95 under that.
- Can I return it?
- You have 30 days after it arrives to request a return. Product must be unused, in its original packaging, with proof of purchase, and return shipping is paid by you. Find it cheaper anywhere in Canada and we will match the price.