FRS Energy Finds Fans in US Cycling Team, But Are Claims Legit?

Foster City, CAIn spite of an ongoing debate over the safety and effectiveness of its products in terms of providing benefit to athletes, FRS energy continues to move forward with promotional efforts designed to grow its market. To that end FRS signed, earlier this fall, Team TIBCO to its roster of spokespersons.

Team TIBCO is a women's cycling team that rose to prominence last year as North America's top cycling team. By incorporating the FRS energy drink and other FRS products—including FRS chews—into its training and race schedules, the company is hoping to benefit from any well-earned successes enjoyed by the team.

There is little doubt that TIBCO is excited by the opportunity and enamored with FRS healthy energy.

"I am so excited to be working with FRS," said Meredith Miller, Team TIBCO member and 2009 US Road National Champion, in comments appearing September 24th in GlobalNewswire. "Their products are truly amazing, and they reflect our shared commitment to health and fitness. FRS gives you the energy, stamina and endurance over a sustained period without the jitters. It simply makes you feel focused and alert.

"FRS is the ideal product to keep me going not only through my training, but through my hard, hectic days in general!"

However, marketing efforts aside, there continues to be debate with regard to quercetin benefits—quercetin being the active ingredient that is said to enhance athletic performance. Detractors have said that quercetin, found naturally in foods such as apples, grapes, onions and teas, does little to enhance actual performance beyond helping an athlete to recover more quickly.

That begs the question: does a faster recovery time translate to increased athletic performance? Or are they two separate things?

The foregoing is above and beyond the questions raised recently with regard to the aggravated effects of cancer found in rats exposed to quercetin and ferulic acid. While researchers have been quick to point out that quercetin and ferulic acid did not cause the cancer in lab rats, the substances nonetheless aggravated those pre-existing conditions.

All agree that more study is needed to conclusively verify—or disprove—claims made by FRS Energy as they relate to enhanced athletic performance.

Going forward, it seems that the onus is on the consumer to self-educate and regulate themselves accordingly when it comes to buying into enhanced marketing claims. Are the claims legitimate? Or is it nothing more than an FRS energy scam? Given that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has no jurisdiction over dietary supplements, the consumer is left to form their own conclusions.