Author: Geir Gunnar Markusson, Nutritionist MSc., Unbroken

For many athletes, recovery nutrition still begins after training. You finish the ride, then refuel. While post-exercise nutrition is important, modern exercise physiology shows that this approach leaves performance gains on the table. What plays a key part is not just what you consume, but when essential amino acids (EAAs) become available to working muscle - and how fast they get there.⁽¹⁾

Unbroken challenges the traditional recovery model by enabling recovery before, during, and after exercise, made possible by its defining feature: naturally derived, fully hydrolyzed amino acids from fresh salmon that are absorbed with minimal digestive effort.⁽²⁾

Why molecular weight matters

Unbroken’s amino acids in free-form and di- & tripeptides have an average molecular weight of ~374 Dalton, meaning they are already in absorbable form when ingested. In contrast, whole-food proteins such as chicken, beef, tuna, and beans, as well as conventional protein sources like whey, must first be broken down in the stomach and intestine before amino acids can enter circulation. This digestion step takes time and energy and can be the limiting factor when nutrition is taken close to hard efforts.⁽²⁾

By minimizing the need for digestion, Unbroken allows amino acids to appear in the bloodstream rapidly and with minimal gastrointestinal burden — a critical advantage when nutrition is consumed around exercise.

Faster absorption demonstrated in human research

The absorption characteristics of Unbroken’s protein base (Amizate® hydrolyzed salmon protein) are supported by a randomized, double-blind, cross-over human study conducted at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences (Oslo, Norway) by Professor Truls Raastad.

In this study, healthy young men ingested hydrolyzed salmon protein or whey protein (WPC-80), and blood amino acid responses were measured over time. The results showed that hydrolyzed salmon protein led to:

•    Earlier increases in circulating amino acids, including leucine
•    Earlier peak blood amino acid concentrations compared with whey protein
•    A faster overall absorption profile following ingestion

These findings support a straightforward conclusion: when amino acids are delivered in a fully hydrolyzed, low-molecular-weight form, they can become available in the bloodstream faster than intact protein sources.⁽²⁾

Timing: Pre-Workout Free-Form EAAs Deliver ~3× More Amino Acids to Muscle

Muscle protein synthesis depends on more than grams of protein. It depends also on amino acid uptake, often described as⁽³⁾:

Muscle blood flow × Arterial amino acid concentration = Amino acid uptake

This is why timing becomes decisive.

A landmark study published in the American Journal of Physiology – Endocrinology and Metabolism found that consuming essential amino acids (EAA in free-form, di-& tri-peptides) immediately before exercise resulted in approximately three-fold greater delivery of amino acids to muscle compared with post-exercise ingestion. The mechanism is physiological: during exercise, muscle blood flow is elevated, and when arterial EAA concentrations are high at that moment, delivery increases dramatically.⁽¹⁾

The same study also reported that ingesting EAA (in free-form, di-& tri-peptides) immediately before or after exercise produced a ~130% increase in arterial and muscle phenylalanine concentrations, a key indicator associated with activation of muscle protein synthesis. The authors concluded that timing of EAA administration in relation to exercise must be considered.⁽¹⁾

Why fully hydrolyzed aminos change the recovery model

Although research supports pre-exercise amino acid intake, many athletes struggle to apply it using traditional proteins. Whole foods and conventional protein shakes can feel heavy and are not always tolerated close to high intensity.

Because Unbroken is fully hydrolyzed and naturally derived from fresh Norwegian salmon, its amino acids are already in a form the body can absorb rapidly. This enables a practical, physiology-aligned recovery strategy:

•    Before exercise: prime muscle with readily available EAAs
•    During exercise: support ongoing repair while blood flow is elevated
•    After exercise: continue rapid replenishment without digestive delay
Instead of recovery being something that starts after training, recovery happens during the effort itself.⁽¹⁻²⁾

Low digestive load, high practical value

Because Unbroken requires minimal digestion, gastrointestinal burden is reduced and amino acid availability can be maintained even under high training intensity. For endurance athletes — where digestive tolerance frequently limits nutrition strategy — this combination of speed, efficiency, and comfort is particularly valuable.⁽²⁾

Conclusion

Unbroken is best described as a naturally derived, rapidly absorbed, full-spectrum amino acid solution containing all essential amino acids, built on a simple physiological principle: the faster essential amino acids become available in the bloodstream at the right time, the more effectively muscle repair processes can begin.⁽¹⁻²⁾

Its ultra-low molecular weight and fully hydrolyzed structure enable athletes to move beyond outdated recovery models and adopt a timing-based approach supported by human research — delivering amino acids when muscles are most receptive. ⁽¹⁻²⁾

For athletes who demand rapid recovery, reduced soreness, and readiness day after day, Unbroken offers a clear advantage: faster absorption, better muscle protein synthesis signaling, and recovery that starts before the ride is even finished.

References:
⁽¹⁾ Tipton, K. D., Rasmussen, B. B., Miller, S. L., et al. (2001). Timing of amino acid–carbohydrate ingestion alters anabolic response of muscle to resistance exercise. American Journal of Physiology – Endocrinology and Metabolism, 281(2), E197–E206. https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpendo.2001.281.2.E197

⁽²⁾ Raastad, T., Vagle, M., & Framroze, B. (2017). A randomized, double-blinded cross-over study comparing increase in blood leucine levels after ingestion of hydrolyzed salmon protein (Amizate® known as Unbroken) and whey protein in healthy young men. Nutrition and Food Technology: Open Access, 3(2). https://doi.org/10.16966/2470-6086.142

⁽³⁾ Wolfe, R. R., & Chinkes, D. L. (2005). Isotope Tracers in Metabolic Research: Principles and Practice of Kinetic Analysis (2nd ed.). Wiley-Liss.