Nature created it. Research validates it.
Unbroken starts with fresh Norwegian salmon and a unique enzymatic hydrolysis process that transforms proteins into free-form amino acids and short peptides before you consume them.
The result is a nutritional profile designed for rapid availability, minimal digestive effort and flexible nutrient timing.
Research on Unbroken and the broader fields of amino acid nutrition, hydrolyzed proteins and sports recovery helps explain why this matters.
In this section, you'll discover:
The science
How Unbroken's natural enzymatic process creates free-form amino acids and short peptides.
Rapid availability
Why molecular weight, hydrolysis and free-form amino acids support faster nutrient availability.
Research findings
Human studies on amino acid delivery, absorption and endurance performance.
Real Time Recovery
Why nutrient timing may help support recovery, performance and readiness for what's next.
Nature does the work
From fresh Norwegian salmon to Real Time Recovery
Fresh Norwegian salmon
Fresh Norwegian salmon naturally contains a complete amino acid profile, including all 9 Essential Amino Acids (EAAs), collagen peptides, Vitamin B12, Zinc and Selenium.
These nutrients provide the building blocks required for muscle maintenance, recovery and overall wellbeing.
Naturally hydrolyzed
Unbroken uses a unique enzymatic hydrolysis process. The salmon's proteins are broken down into smaller nutritional building blocks through a natural process inspired by digestion itself.
Unlike traditional proteins, this creates a high concentration of free-form amino acids and short peptides before consumption.
Compact nutrition
The result is a unique nutritional profile containing:
✓60% free-form amino acids
✓40% di- & tri-peptides
✓ Average molecular weight: 374 Dalton
✓ All 9 Essential Amino Acids
✓ Collagen peptides
This allows nutrients to become available with minimal digestive effort.
High bioavailability
Because Unbroken is already broken down into free-form amino acids and short peptides, nutrients become available much sooner than with traditional protein sources.
This is why Unbroken can be used before, during or after activity as part of a Real Time Recovery strategy.
Traditional protein
Activity → Protein intake → Digestion → Amino Acids → Recovery
Unbroken
Unbroken → Amino Acids Available → Activity → Recovery on the Go
Why molecular weight matters
Smaller molecules. Less digestion. Faster availability.
Traditional dietary proteins are made up of large protein structures. Before their amino acids can become available to the body, these proteins must first be digested and broken down into smaller peptides and amino acids - a process that takes time.
Unbroken has already done much of that work.
Through our natural enzymatic process, salmon protein is broken down into 60%+ free-form amino acids and 40% short di- & tri-peptides, with an exceptionally low average molecular weight of just 374 Daltons.
Because these nutrients are already in small, readily available forms, they require minimal digestion - making amino acids rapidly available when your body needs them.
What that means for you:
✓ Less muscle soreness
✓ Faster recovery
✓ Supports muscle health and maintenance
✓ Ready before, during or after activity
✓ Ready for what’s next
That’s Real Time Recovery.
The importance of nutrient timing
Recovery starts before the start line
Traditionally, recovery nutrition focuses on what you consume after exercise. But why wait until you finish?
Exercise places demands on muscle from the moment you start. For nutrition to support your muscles, amino acids need to be available - not still waiting to be digested.
Unbroken provides 60%+ free-form amino acids and 40% short di- & tri-peptides, requiring minimal digestion and making them readily available to the body.
Research has shown that consuming free-form essential amino acids before exercise can increase amino-acid delivery to working muscle compared with consuming them after exercise.
Why wait for post-exercise recovery?
✓ Start with amino acids already readily available
✓ Support your muscles while you're active
✓ Help reduce muscle soreness
✓ Support faster recovery
✓ Stay ready for what's next
Take Unbroken before you start. Recovery doesn't have to wait until you finish.
Making amino acids available before activity help support muscle recovery, reduced soreness and improved readiness for the next session.
Research highlights
AMINO ACID DELIVERY BEFORE EXERCISE : Up to 3× greater amino acid delivery to muscle tissue when free-form essential amino acids were consumed before exercise.
FASTER AMINO ACID AVAILABILITY: Peak amino acid availability was reached approximately 23 minutes earlier compared with whey protein.
ENDURANCE AND RECOVERY: Marathon runners demonstrated improvements in endurance, running performance and recovery markers during a demanding 60-day training program.
THE SCIENCE BEHIND REAL TIME RECOVERY: Research supports a simple principle: making amino acids readily available when the body needs them most.
Research: Why taking amino acids before exercise matters
Research has shown that consuming free-form Essential Amino Acids before exercise can increase amino acid delivery to muscle tissue by up to 3x compared with consuming amino acids at rest.
Research highlight:
Up to 3x greater amino acid delivery to muscle tissue when free-form Essential Amino Acids were consumed before exercise.
Why this matters:
Muscles begin breaking down from the first minutes of exercise.
By making Essential Amino Acids available before activity begins, the body has access to key building blocks needed to support muscle protein synthesis and repair while exercise is still taking place.
This may help support recovery, reduce soreness and improve readiness for the next training session.
Research reference:
Tipton KD, Rasmussen BB, Miller SL, et al. Timing of amino acid-carbohydrate ingestion alters anabolic response of muscle to resistance exercise. American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2001;281(2). DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.2001.281.2.E197.
Research: Faster amino acid availability than whey protein
Traditional proteins must first be digested before their amino acids become available. Unbroken is fully hydrolyzed, providing free-form amino acids and short peptides that require minimal digestion.
In a human absorption study conducted by the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Unbroken's fully hydrolyzed salmon protein was compared with whey protein concentrate (WPC-80) and whey protein hydrolysate.
Unbroken produced a faster rise in circulating amino acids, with peak amino acid concentrations reached approximately 23 minutes earlier than with whey protein.
The difference lies in the degree of hydrolysis. Unbroken is fully hydrolyzed, while the whey proteins tested were intact or only partially hydrolyzed. This makes Unbroken's amino acids readily available when timing matters - before, during or after activity.
Fully hydrolyzed. Rapidly available. Real Time Recovery.
Human absorption study performed by the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Oslo, Norway. Principal Investigator: Professor Truls Raastad.
Research: Recovery that supports endurance
More distance. Higher speed. Lower heart rate. Less soreness.
Competitive marathon runners supplemented with Unbroken during a demanding 60-day training program showed improvements in endurance, running performance and recovery compared with baseline measurements and placebo.
Recovery doesn’t happen after one workout - it happens between every workout. For endurance athletes, recovering effectively can support training consistency, readiness and long-term performance.
Study overview
In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, competitive marathon runners preparing for the New York Marathon followed a demanding 60-day training program including:
✓ 30–40 km runs three times per week
✓ Additional endurance training
✓ Regular fitness and strength training
Participants received either Unbroken or placebo and were monitored throughout the training period.
Research findings
Compared with baseline measurements and placebo, athletes taking Unbroken demonstrated:
✓ Higher running speed
✓ Lower resting heart rate
✓ Greater endurance distance
✓ Improved muscle strength
✓ Less muscle soreness
✓ Improved sleep quality
✓ Improved overall wellbeing
What changed?
Athletes supplementing with Unbroken improved running speed by 5.8%, while also demonstrating improvements in endurance and recovery measures.
They also reported less muscle soreness and improved sleep quality throughout the training period.
Why this matters
The goal isn’t one great workout. It’s being ready to train again tomorrow.
Effective recovery supports the consistency that endurance training demands - helping athletes maintain training quality and continue progressing over time.
Less soreness. Faster recovery. Ready for what’s next.
Human performance study of competitive marathon runners preparing for the New York Marathon. Performed by Dr. Wudeneh Letchamo, Research Scientist at Rutgers University.
Science behind free-form essential amino acids
In 2023, the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) published a comprehensive Position Stand examining the effects of essential amino acid (EAA) supplementation on exercise, muscle health and performance.
The research highlights the important role of free-form EAAs in stimulating muscle protein synthesis and supporting muscle function.
“The idea is to show EAA supplementation has a great deal of research behind it and demonstrate the efficacy of EAAs in the maintenance of muscle and body protein.” — Dr. Arny Ferrando, lead author
Highlights from the research:
- All 9 EAAs matter – significant and sustained stimulation of muscle protein synthesis requires all nine essential amino acids.
- Rapidly available – free-form EAAs produce a rapid rise in circulating amino acids and their transport into skeletal muscle.
- EAAs + exercise – exercise and EAAs work together to enhance the anabolic response in muscle.
- Timing matters – one study found approximately 3× greater amino acid delivery when EAAs were consumed immediately before resistance exercise versus immediately after.
- Healthy ageing – EAA supplementation has been associated with improvements in muscle function, strength and physical performance in older populations.
- Caloric deficit – EAA requirements increase when energy intake is restricted, making adequate EAA availability particularly important for maintaining muscle.
Where Unbroken fits
Unbroken naturally provides all nine essential amino acids as part of our hydrolyzed Norwegian salmon protein, including free-form amino acids and short peptides.
Our natural enzymatic process breaks down the salmon protein before you drink it, creating compact nutrition that requires minimal digestion and is readily available to the body.
Take it before, during or after activity – whenever recovery fits your day.
Nature first. Science guided. Real Time Recovery.
Research: Fish protein hydrolysates and healthy ageing
Supporting muscle mass, strength and physical function
Maintaining skeletal muscle becomes increasingly important with age. Research is investigating how marine and fish protein hydrolysates, with their readily available amino acids and peptides, may support muscle health, body composition and physical function.
MARINE PROTEIN HYDROLYSATES & PHYSICAL FUNCTION
A randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial was designed to evaluate marine protein hydrolysate supplementation in 100 adults aged 65 years and older, including measures of hand-grip strength, gait speed and physical performance.
Dale et al. Nutrition and physical performance in older people—effects of marine protein hydrolysates to prevent decline in physical performance: a randomized controlled trial protocol. BMJ Open. 2018;8:e023845.
FISH PROTEIN HYDROLYSATE & BODY COMPOSITION
Clinical research into fish protein hydrolysate supplementation has examined effects on body weight, body composition and metabolic responses, supporting continued investigation into the potential role of fish-derived peptides in nutrition and muscle health.
Vikøren et al. Supplementation with a fish protein hydrolysate: effects on body weight, body composition, and CCK/GLP-1 secretion. Food & Nutrition Research. 2016;60:29857.
FISH PROTEIN HYDROLYSATES & AGEING MUSCLE
A published scientific review examined the potential role of fish-derived protein hydrolysates in metabolic health, skeletal muscle mass and function in ageing, highlighting their amino acid and peptide composition and their potential relevance to healthy ageing.
The Potential Role of Fish-Derived Protein Hydrolysates on Metabolic Health, Skeletal Muscle Mass and Function in Ageing. Nutrients. 2020;12(8):2434.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Age-related loss of muscle can affect strength, mobility and independence. Readily available amino acids and peptides are therefore an important area of research in nutritional strategies designed to support muscle health throughout life.
Maintain muscle. Maintain strength. Stay active for longer.
One formula. Four benefits.
Same formula. Different formats.
Whether you choose tablets or stick packs, the active nutritional foundation remains the same. Effervescent tablets offer everyday convenience, while portable single-serve stick packs are made for training, racing and travel. Choose the format that works best for your routine.
