The PricePlow Podcast

In Episode 140 of the PricePlow Podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Barrie Tan, founder of American River Nutrition, for an in-depth discussion about the powerful nutrient geranylgeraniol (GG, sold as GG-Gold) and its wide-ranging health benefits – especially with respect to muscle. Dr. Tan, a renowned expert in the field of phytonutrients and the world’s authority on vitamin E, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table, sharing insights from his extensive research on GG and other critical compounds. This episode offers listeners a sound understanding of GG’s role in human biochemistry, highlighting its importance as a building block for various biological processes and hormones. The conversation begins with a brief introduction of Dr. Tan’s education and early research, followed by his career transition from academia to entrepreneurship — but he never stopped conducting and publishing research. It all began when he was studying the giant marigold flower (for eye health), which serendipitously led to the discovery of the annatto plant and its unique compounds, including tocotrienol, a lesser-known but potent form of vitamin E — and eventually, GG. The critical functions of geranylgeraniol (GG) in the human body Throughout the episode, Dr. Tan explores the critical functions of GG in the body, emphasizing its role in the synthesis of essential compounds such as CoQ10 and vitamin K2. He explains how GG supports muscle synthesis by aiding in the formation of skeletal muscle proteins and underscores the importance of maintaining adequate GG levels, especially as we age. The discussion also touches on the impact of statin drugs on GG production and the subsequent effects on muscle health and energy levels, highlighting the potential benefits of GG supplementation in mitigating these side effects. As the conversation progresses, Dr. Tan explains the practical applications of GG supplementation, including its synergistic effects when combined with other nutrients like CoQ10 and Vitamin K2. He provides valuable insights into recommended dosages and the holistic benefits of using natural, endogenous nutrients to support overall health. The episode concludes with a surprising hot take on a certain mineral that he thinks we may get too much of. Whether you’re a health enthusiast, an athlete, or simply curious about the latest advancements in nutritional science, this episode is full of valuable information and practical advice, and Dr. Tan is simply a fun speaker to listen to. This one’s best watched on YouTube (below), as Dr. Tan shows a few examples, but you can also listen on iTunes, Spotify, or any RSS-enabled podcast app. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/barrie-tan-gg-gold-muscle-140 Video: Watch Dr. Barrie Tan Discuss GG-Gold https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zjra-NPHKkA Show Notes with Dr. Barrie Tan – GG-Gold for Muscle! (0:00) – Introduction and Dr. Barrie Tan’s Background (5:00) – Discovering Geranylgeraniol (GG) (10:00) – GG’s Role in Plants and Humans (15:00) – How Geranylgeraniol Supports Muscle Protein Synthesis (20:00) – The Impact of Aging and Statins on GG Levels (25:00) – GG Supplementation and Its Benefits (30:00) – GG and Testosterone Production (35:00) – The Role of MK4 and Bone Health (40:00) – Practical Ap… Read more on the PricePlow Blog

The crew is back in Washington DC for the 2024 NPA Fly-In Day, held on May 22, 2024! This podcast was filmed the night before, featuring a star-studded cast that includes: Jim Emme, CEO of NOW Foods Kyle Turk, Natural Products Association Rick Collins, the one and only Mike DiMaggio, Chief Legal Officer at NutraBolt Mark LeDoux, founder and CEO of NAI (CarnoSyn) Dan Fabricant, Natural Products Association And it features Joey Savage as an added interviewer. Unfortunately, our opening with Dan Fabricant and a bit of the beginning of Jim Emme’s interview was lost due to a corrupted memory card. Regardless, this is a knockout series of discussions ranging from the ongoing political issues in DC and at the states level to the incredible background and history of Rick, Mike, and Mark’s respective careers. Get ready for a fantastic 2-hour conversation, and be sure to see the NPA’s Take Action page and join the organization at NPANational.org. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/npa-dc-fly-in-day-2024 Video: Join the Fly-In Day Pre-Party https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4R9TWp4Cq4 Detailed Show Notes: Jim Emme, Kyle Turk, Rick Collins, Mike DiMaggio, Mark LeDoux, and Dan Fabricant (0:00) – Introducing Jim Emme and Joey (6:30) – The FDA’s inaction (11:45) – Economic harm and deceptive practices (16:27) – Quality and transparency initiatives by NOW (19:00) – Part 2: Kyle Turk from NPA (24:00) – Organizing the fly-in day (27:15) – Engaging with legislators (31:45) – The need for widespread participation (36:56) – The importance of following up (40:45) – Part 3: Rick Collins and Mike DiMaggio (49:45) – Mike’s story (56:04) – Contamination (1:02:15) – Ramifications of youth-oriented legislation (1:09:00) – A fragmented regulatory framework (1:15:39) – Highlighting benefits of the industry (1:23:15) – Pt. 4: Mark LeDoux (1:27:20) – The origin of NAI (Creators of CarnoSyn) (1:30:30) – Exploring natural health solutions (1:40:00) – The development of beta-alanine (1:45:30) – Building trust and relationships (1:48:45) – Localized efforts (1:52:30) – Ongoing, proactive engagement (1:55:00) – Closing out with Dan Fabricant Important Links NPANational.org NPA’s Take Action Page NPA on LinkedIn Dan Fabricant on LinkedIn Listen to Episode #100 with Dan Fabricant Thanks to Dan Fabricant and the NPA for hosting us. We met incredible people in the industry and are honored to represent the supplement industry in front of our congressmen. Return to the PricePlow Podcast and don’t forget to subscribe on the platform of your choice.

Gary Millet, Co-founder of Axcess Global and Ketone Labs, discusses the future applications of BHB research. He emphasizes using BHB as an energy source for cognitive support and performance, highlighting its benefits when combined with a carbohydrate-based diet. The episode explores the efficiency of BHB as a clean fuel source, the exploration of ketone isomers and exogenous ketones, and the potential of BHB consumption in sports nutrition.

It’s an episode we’ve been wanting to do for years: the legendary Jose Antonio, co-founder of ISSN, the International Society of Sports Nutrition. Jose, better known as Joey, has been in the game since the very beginning, and gives us his background in an incredibly entertaining and informative podcast episode. ISSN and the Industry Battle for Creatine One of the recurring themes in the PricePlow Podcast is the insanity surrounding creatine, the naturally-found ATP booster that has hundreds of studies behind it, and an impeccable safety status. Since Joey was there from the start, we asked for his take, and got some incredible stories in the process. ISSN 2024 is Coming! Each year, ISSN hosts a conference where sports nutrition researchers, scientists, and related parties can come and present their latest work and findings. This year’s conference is in Bonita Springs, Florida, coming a bit more than a month after the airing of this podcast. Joey explains how this is the best and most unique conference, and why interested parties should join and get involved. Watch the video YouTube, listen on Spotify, or find PricePlow on iTunes or any RSS-based podcast app. This podcast has been sponsored by one of ISSN’s and PricePlow’s mutual partners, Cognizin® Citicoline. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/jose-antono-issn-137 Video: Join Team PricePlow with Jose Antonio https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjWPgLVkCCM Detailed Show Notes with Jose Antonio (0:00) – Introductions (10:15) – Times Have Changed (20:15) – ISSN at the Front (26:45) – The Value of Supplementation (31:15) – ISSN’s Flexibility (34:30) – Submitting Presentations as a Civilian? (39:45) – Publishing a Sports Nutrition Journal (44:30) – Broader Health Topics (48:30) – Interesting Ingredients (52:30) – Jose’s Routine (57:45) – Wrap-Up Where to Find Jose Antonio and ISSN ISSN Website: SportsNutritionSociety.org ISSN Journal: https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/rssn20 ISSN Instagram: @the_issn Jose Antonio Instagram: @SupPHd Jose Antonio Twitter: @JoseAntonioPhD Thanks to Joey for joining us and bringing the entire industry up with you – we wouldn’t be here without you (seriously). Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and see our article on Cognizin, the sponsors of this Podcast. Leave some great reviews on iTunes and Spotify!

For our final installment of Podcasts held at the 2024 Vitamin Shoppe Brand Summit, we hosted Chris Gronkowski of Ice Shaker for a fun 20 minute discussion to get the story on how he started the growing business, which was first introduced to the world on the hit TV show, Shark Tank. From the NFL to Shark Tank to the NFL: Chris Gronkowski’s Ice Shaker Story In this episode, Chris details how he leveraged some success from his wife’s Etsy business — which was making more money than his NFL salary — into the most innovative shaker cup company in the entire space. We learn about his experience on Shark Tank, and then get into some of the nuts and bolts of the various versions of Ice Shaker, and how he got it to where it is. We also get to learn about the numerous collaborations they have, which includes DragonBall Z and the NFL. Watch on YouTube below, listen on Spotify, or find PricePlow on iTunes or any RSS-enabled podcast app. And of course, don’t forget to sign up for our Ice Shaker news alerts. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/chris-gronkowski-ice-shaker-136 Video: Better Shaker Cups with Chris Gronkowski https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl-J5gbp4Ug Show Notes with Chris Gronkowski (0:00) – Introduction (8:00) – Collaborations (12:00) – Design Considerations (16:00) – The Future of Ice Shaker (19:15) – Variety and Use Cases Where to Find Chris Gronkowski and Ice Shaker Ice Shaker Instagram: @IceShaker Chris Gronkowski Instagram: @ChrisGronkowski Chris Gronkowski LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chrisgronkowski/ Ice Shaker on PricePlow Thanks to Chris for joining us and leveling up the shaker cup industry! Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for our Ice Shaker news alerts on PricePlow. Leave some great reviews on iTunes and Spotify!

Quite a bit has happened since Episode #068 with Matt Karich, the enterprising founder of Soul Performance Nutrition. He’s gotten deeper into ultra-endurance sports, and has dropped a few incredible new supplements. So we brought Matt back on to talk about his latest endeavors, getting the official catch-up from over two years of progress. The two major product launches covered so far this year are Soul Performance Nutrition’s Nova Immune Renewal and Nexus Peptide Complex. This brings us to talk about three specific ingredients, colostrum and lactoferrin (which make up Nova) and PeptiStrong (which stands alone in Nexus). Peptides, Milk Proteins, and Simple Sugar are Back in Style Along the way, we also get into our returning love for a simple ingredient known as sucrose, but also talk about the joys of other carbohydrate sources like honey. As Matt trains for his next 100 mile race in Northeast Ohio, he’s going to need those carbs and far more. We also talk about his incredibly-designed magazine issues that you can find on Soul’s website, linked below. Watch on YouTube, listen on Spotify, or find PricePlow on iTunes or any RSS-enabled podcast app. And of course, don’t forget to sign up for our Soul Performance Nutrition news alerts. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/matt-karich-soul-performance-nutrition-135 Video: Matt Karich Returns to the Show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJQdHUq1Psc Detailed Show Notes (0:00) – Introductions (4:00) – Lactoferrin (10:30) – Colostrum (16:30) – Preparation for Burning River 100 (23:30) – The Meditation of the Run (29:15) – Reconnect with Real (39:00) – Carb Sources for Endurance (42:15) – Work / Life Balance (48:15) – Formulation (58:00) – Soul Magazine! (1:04:45) – Certifications (1:13:45) – Glass Over Plastic Where to Find Matt and Soul Performance Nutrition Soul Performance Nutrition Instagram: @soulperformancenutrition Soul Performance Nutrition on PricePlow Thanks to Matt for joining us and putting some incredible products into glass bottles! Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your preferred platform and sign up for our Soul Performance Nutrition news alerts on PricePlow. Don’t forget to leave those great reviews on iTunes and Spotify!

Following Episode 133 with Lee Wright, CEO of The Vitamin Shoppe, we head back to the company’s 2024 Brand Summit in Dallas, TX to take a look behind the scenes with some key leaders on the formulation and regulatory side of the company. Inside the Vitamin Shoppe Brands Episode 134 of the PricePlow Podcast is a double feature — first, we talk to Senior Brand Manager, Tabitha Daley, and Director of Scientific and Regulatory Affairs, Brian Tanzer. After that, we patch in a conversation with Dustin Elliott, who was also Senior Brand Manager at the time of recording. In this episode, you’ll understand how The Vitamin Shoppe approaches formulation within their house brands, manages relationships with their third parties, and deals with regulatory concerns regarding dietary supplement ingredients. We learn a bit about PLNT, BodyTech Elite, and VThrive, three major parts of the Vitamin Shoppe’s strategy — these aren’t just traditional white label brands! https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/vitamin-shoppe-brands-134 Video: An Inside Look at The Vitamin Shoppe’s Brands https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikO8FwxmngY Detailed Show Notes (0:00) – Introductions (3:00) – Vitamin Shoppe Summit (7:00) – New Ingredients (11:15) – PLNT (14:30) – Employee Insights (18:10) – Education (24:30) – Ozempic and the Supplement Industry (27:45) – Dustin Introduction (33:45) – Testosterone-Boosting Supplements (41:45) – Other Products (45:45) – Private Label Where to Find Brian, Tabitha, and The Vitamin Shoppe The Vitamin Shoppe Instagram: @VitaminShoppe LinkedIn: Brian Tanzer, Tabitha Daley Thanks again to The Vitamin Shoppe for hosting the 2024 Brand Summit, and for everybody’s time we were allowed to take up! Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your platform of choice, sign up for our Vitamin Shoppe blog alerts below, and leave us reviews on iTunes and Spotify!

Our coverage of the 2024 Vitamin Shoppe Brand Summit continues, following up with special guest Jocko Willink on episode #132. To get a better background on what the Brand Summit is all about, and the direction of The Vitamin Shoppe itself, we went straight to the source — the CEO himself: A Quick Discussion with Lee Wright, The Vitamin Shoppe CEO Lee Wright, CEO of The Vitamin Shoppe, has very quickly gained a tremendous amount of respect both within the company and in the dietary supplement industry at large. Reason being, he leads from the front and practices what he preaches. Prior to this podcast, Lee, who’s normally a modest and private man, gave a speech to the company detailing his own weight loss journey, and how The Vitamin Shoppe’s own products and employees have given him an edge. There may not be another major retail CEO who’s visited more stores in such a short amount of time, and he’s been able to figure out what the stores really need. A big part of it is continued education and training. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/lee-wright-vitamin-shoppe-133 Video: Lee Wright, The Vitamin Shoppe CEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wggd5rRQevc Detailed Show Notes (0:00) – Introductions (1:30) – The Vitamin Shoppe Brand Summit (2:30) – Lessons Learned from Lee’s Trips to Stores (6:15) – Is it Just “Widgets” in this Industry? (7:15) – Regulatory Concerns: Will Lee be Fighting in Washington DC? (9:00) – Learning the Brands and Getting into the Supplement Industry (12:00) – In-House Brand Development (14:00) – Closing out Show Notes to be continued… Where to Find Lee Wright and The Vitamin Shoppe LinkedIn: Lee Wright The Vitamin Shoppe Instagram: @VitaminShoppe Thanks again to Lee for your valuable time, especially with all of the other employees in town. We’re looking forward to the next meeting. You can subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform, sign up for our Vitamin Shoppe blog alerts below, and leave us a great review on iTunes and Spotify!

While at the 2024 Vitamin Shoppe Brand Summit, we were honored to have none other than Jocko Willink of Jocko Fuel on the PricePlow Podcast for Episode 132. Jocko Willink: Founding Jocko Fuel and Jocko’s Supplement Stack We had a quick discussion about the founding of Jocko Fuel, how they strive to do the right thing and formulate supplements in the safest way possible, and we get to hear Jocko’s entire supplement stack from start to finish. We also talk about some of the ongoing regulatory activities, and learn that Jocko is very well aware of some of the challenges that the industry faces. This is a great continuation from Episode #111 with Brian Littlefield, Jocko Fuel’s co-founder and formulator who hosted us in Maine late last summer. At 23 minutes, this is a short but powerful episode — you can understand the ethos of Jocko Fuel in just a few minutes of him talking. Just like Jocko himself, Jocko Fuel is the real deal. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/jocko-willink-132 Video: At The Vitamin Shoppe with Jocko Willink https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLh1EmjoJaE Detailed Show Notes with Jocko (0:00) – Hot Mic! (0:20) – Introduction (1:00) – Being a Leader in Sports and Active Nutrition (1:15) – The founding of Jocko Fuel with Brian Littlefield (6:00) – Formulating Beyond Jocko’s Use (7:30) – No artificial sweeteners! (12:15) – Jocko Fuel Living in its Own World (14:45) – Jocko Fuel getting involved in regulatory challenges (17:00) – Jocko’s Supplement Stack (22:00) – Jocko Magnesium! (22:15) – Caffeine Before Jiu-Jitsu? Where to Find Jocko Willink and Jocko Fuel Jocko Willink Instagram: @JockoWillink Jocko Fuel Instagram: @JockoFuel Jocko Fuel on PricePlow: PricePlow.com/jocko-fuel Thanks again to Jocko for your valuable time. It was a pleasure talking with you both on and off camera! You can subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform, sign up for our Jocko Fuel news alerts on PricePlow, and leave us a great review on iTunes and Spotify!

For Episode #131 of the PricePlow Podcast, we sat down with Rob Rogers from Axcess Global, the parent company of Ketone Labs, Real Ketones, Vault, and many others. Ketone Labs is best known for selling goBHB, the patented exogenous BHB dietary supplement ingredient — which is the main topic of this podcast. Rob and his business partner Gary Millet recently marked their 10th anniversary working together. This was filmed on a morning before the doors of Expo West started, and Rob brings a strong message: goBHB is back on the Market! After a wild few years in the late 2010s, where BHB supplements were seemingly everywhere, things shifted with the new decade. This conversation dovetails into the end of Episode #106 with Mike McCandless, who had a BHB-based supplement company heading into pharmacies that was devastated in spring of 2020. Ketone Labs was forced to pull back on the sales of goBHB, taking this time to remove infringing products from the market. They never stopped conducting research, however, and sold BHB-based products in their Real Ketones brand. The big announcement here and at Expo West 2024 is that Ketone Labs has brought goBHB back into the market for other brands, and some incredible new applications outside of weight loss. Rob, Mike, and Ben get into Rob’s background, his sports career, the genesis story, and then talk about the incredible ways goBHB can be used in supplements for performance, nootropics, mood/stress relief, concussion prevention, and even sleep. We also learn a few things about the L-BHB isomer that is oft-neglected lately! https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/rob-rogers-131 Video: Talking BHB, Baseball, and Business with Rob Rogers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KIEfaXbRPc Detailed Show Notes (0:00) – Introductions (7:15) – Startup Challenges: How to Harness BHB Before Keto Goes Big (13:45) – Brand Protection (21:30) – Ketone Mafia? (31:15) – Ketones Beyond Keto (38:00) – The Science Behind BHB (46:45) – Introduction to BHB (52:45) – BHB in an RTD (1:00:00) – BHB as Medicine and the Untapped L-Isomer?! (1:12:00) – Wrap Up Update: A follow-up episode on the research is live – listen to Episode #138 with Gary Millet! Where to Find Ketone Labs and Rob Rogers LinkedIn: Rob Rogers Ketone Labs Instagram: @KetoneLabs Real Ketones on PricePlow: https://www.priceplow.com/real-ketones Vault Energy on PricePlow: https://www.priceplow.com/vault Thanks for heading to our BNB and joining us early, Rob! Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on any platform, sign up for our Ketones Labs news alerts on PricePlow, and leave us a great review on iTunes and Spotify!