As the practice of yoga has become more and more popular, various lines of yoga specialty products have become available. One of these products is a special supplement formulation from YogaEarth that includes two versions of nutritional supplements: BALANCE for pre-practice and VITALITY for post-practice.

YogaEarth has designed the world’s first ever yoga-aligned supplements. These come in two versions, one to be taken before yoga practice and one after yoga practice. These were created by and for yoga practitioners, being co-founded and designed by 250 yoga teachers nationwide. YogaEarth prides themselves on leadership in the yoga industry and uncompromising quality.

The supplements are rich in protein, some vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. The ingredients are USP and GRAS, as well as feature some organic components. YogaEarth claims to adhere to strict standards of purity that include: no processing, no glutens, no dairy, no animal or seafood products, no wheat, no common allergens, no additives, no excipients, no high fructose corn syrup or synthetic sweeteners.

The supplements are in powdered form and come in 15g stick-like packages. One package is to be reconstituted with about 6oz of water or a drink or food of your choice, and taken at least 90 minutes before practice for the pre, and no more than 90 minutes after practice for the post.

The Balance pre-practice is claimed to “balance the yogi mind and body for optimal practice and healthy living.” Its features are:

  • Optimizes nutritional balance, digestion and intestinal flora
  • Promotes absorption and assimilation of nutrients for stamina and endurance
  • Enhances cognitive clarity, oxygen/blood circulation and calms brain
  • Supports transfer of fluids and regulation of minerals to prevent cramping and muscle weakness during practice

The Vitality post-practice is claimed to “synergize with prana to produce sustainable cellular energy and restore core nutrients.” Its features are:

  • Synergizes with yogic breathing to produce sustainable cellular energy
  • Promotes fat metabolism post-workout
  • Reintegrates nutrients following practice, including joint strengtheners and electrolytes

So how did I like them?

I am not a big fan of any supplements, but having been doing hot yoga and some regular yoga for the past 6 months and seeing the ingredients, I was very intrigued to try these. I reconstituted both in just under a cup of water, to get a feel for the product in its most natural form.

The Balance pre-practice turned the solution a raspberry red when reconstituted with water. It was a good thing that the colors are all natural, as it would make one wonder as to the bright color. The taste was fruity and quite pleasant for me.

The Vitality post-practice turned the solution an olive green. Here the color may be a turn off for other reasons, but as long as it is natural, I personally don’t mind the color. The taste was on the verge of lemony, but also had a fruit feel to it that I did not mind

In terms of results, I tried these several times as prescribed before and after my yoga practice and as much as I would love to say that I noticed some amazing benefits or differences in my yoga practice or recovery, I didn’t. Perhaps they would prove better if taken regularly for a longer period of time.

Based on the ingredients, I would imagine that the formulations do have internal benefits, but these were not ones that I could feel as external results.

I had about 5 other teachers try the product at the yoga studio I attend, and comments varied from likes and dislikes in taste and texture, as well as no outwardly differences in their practice or recovery.

The big downside of these products are that they do not seem to fully dissolve in the water, and one ends up drinking some of the undissolved powder at the end, or just missing out on part of the product.

The product can also be considered pricy, as one stick costs around $2 -$3, and if used as directed pre and post practice it adds an extra $6 to every yoga practice, which can already be a pricy ordeal for some.

The big upside to these products is that the ingredients are all natural and provide beneficial nutrients. This is especially valuable I think for people like me who do the hot yoga, sweat immensely and lose a lot of their electrolytes and other nutrients during practice.

In the end, I recommend them for those, who would like to include some extra nutrition in a convenient form to their day, and are interested in trying this new product to see what benefits it can offer them. However, for the average person, I would not go out of my way to get them, as with a natural and plant-rich diet, one can obtain many of these benefits in a much less costly and natural way. For more information on the product, check out YogaEarth.com.

Ingredients (Balance pre-practice)

  • Lecithin
  • Organic Beet Juice
  • DMAE Bitartrate
  • Hibiscus flower
  • A-Glycerol Phosphoryl Choline
  • Organic Cordyceps (fungus used in Chinese medicine)
  • Enzymes with Bromelain
  • CoQ10
  • Probiotics (Lactobacillus acidophilus, bifidus, bulgaricus)
  • Organic Ginger root
  • Lactobacillus sporogenes
  • Amino Acids:
    L-glycine
    L-glutamine
    L-Asparagine Hydrate
    L-Carnitine
    L-Tartrate
  • Flavored with:
    Organic apple juice
    Fructose from natural fruit
    Organic lemon
    Acai berry

Nutritional Information (Balance pre-practice)

  • 60 Calories
  • 0 g Fat (0g Saturated Fat)
  • 6 g Protein
  • 7 g Carbohydrate (6g Sugar)
  • 10 mg Sodium
  • 0 mg Cholesterol

Vitamins & Minerals (Balance pre-practice)

  • 100,000% Vitamin B12
  • 13% Phophorus
  • 15% Magnesium
  • 9% Potassium
  • 2% Iron

Ingredients (Vitality post-practice)

  • D-Ribose
  • Lecithin
  • Bee Pollen
  • CoQ10
  • L-Alanine
  • Royal Jelly
  • Organic Japanese Green Teea
  • Organic Cordyceps (fungus used in Chinese medicine)
  • Organic Wheatgrass Juice
  • Fructoborate (Boron supplement)
  • Organic Pomegranate
  • Irish Moss
  • Amalaki (Ayurvedic Herb)
  • Citric Acid
  • High potency Resveratrol
  • Flavored with:
    Kiwi Juice
    Fructose from natural fruit
    Green Tea
    Acai Berry

Nutritional Information (Vitality post-practice)

  • 50 Calories
  • 0 g Fat (0g Saturated Fat)
  • 2 g Protein
  • 10 g Carbohydrate (3g Sugar)
  • 25 mg Sodium
  • 0 mg Cholesterol

Vitamins & Minerals (Vitality post-practice)

  • 4% Vitamin A
  • 190% Vitamin C
  • 90% Vitamin B3 – Niacin
  • 225% Folic Acid
  • 1800% Vitamin B5
  • 4% Calcium
  • 8% Iron
  • 18% Phosphorus
  • 20% Magnesium
  • 14% Potassium

Packaging

The supplements come individually packaged in foil/plastic-like long, thin sleeves. Each packet contains 1 serving or 15g. If buying the month supply, the stick packets come in a very nice looking soft cardboard box, that is easily reusable for refills, or recycled when product is all done.

Price (as of this posting)

  • $59.99 US for 30 servings (introductory price – regular $84.99)
  • $14.99 US for 7 servings (introductory price – regular $18.50)

Availability

  • Currently only available from YogaEarth.com with free shipping in the US
  • At about 20 yoga studios and gyms in NYC and LA, including Reebok Sportsclub, Exhale, Clay Spa and Virayoga

The Good

  • Enhance daily nutrition
  • Can provide various benefits to an active yoga lifestyle
  • Flavor can be considered pleasant
  • Natural Ingredients
  • Excipient free
  • Gluten free
  • Wheat free
  • Dairy free
  • Animal and seafood product free
  • Vegetarian friendly
  • No common allergens
  • No artificial colors
  • No artificial flavors
  • No artificial preservatives
  • No artificial sweeteners

The Bad

  • Flavors may not be well liked
  • Contents of packets do not fully dissolve in water
  • Not widely available yet
  • No obvious/outwardly benefits may be noticed
  • Pricey