NFL legends Brian Dawkins, Patrick Willis using Nirvana Super's innovative beverages to stay fit post-career
For many former pro athletes, fitness remains a key component of their daily lives.
NFL legends Brian Dawkins and Patrick Willis continue working out and training because it's in their nature to stay active, even if they don't have to hit players every week.
Wear and tear from their time playing in the NFL, and the rigorous training they continue to put themselves through, can take a toll on the body.
Both former All-Pros have found a beverage brand that has changed the way athletes take care of their bodies, whether they're still playing or not.
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Nirvana Super, a wellness beverage company run by CEO David Vanderveen, originates from 30-plus years of work with Dr. Naji Abumrad, who discovered HMB (hydroxymethylbutyrate).
Abumrad found that HMB is naturally produced when the amino acid, leucine, metabolizes. Leucine is an essential amino acid found in protein, and HMB works as the "muscle guardian" that helps reduce muscle breakdown while promoting growth and enhancing recovery.
His research and Vanderveen's experience in the energy drink market as CEO of XS Energy, which produced the first sugar-free energy drink, led to Nirvana Super's HMB-infused beverages.
They range from water bottles to seltzers to small shots that athletes like Dawkins, Willis, the Miami Heat's Kyle Lowry and others trust to help with their fitness goals.
"I was blessed by someone a long time ago, my rookie year, that allowed me to see this topic through a completely different lens," Dawkins told Fox News Digital. "At the time I was a rookie, he was in his 12th year in the league and still making Pro Bowls and still has football in him. He had come through a very turbulent part of his life and then turned his life around. I’m talking about Irving Fryar.
"So, Irving Fryar said this to me as we were passing each other as we were going to the restroom to mouthwash and all that stuff. He said, ‘If you take care of your body now, it will take care of you later, Rook.’ When I heard that, it hit me different and hit me in a way to think about a lot of the things I was doing in my life."
Dawkins, the former Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos standout safety who was already focused on everything he did physically, was one of the first to try Nirvana Super before the formula was perfected.
As a player, Dawkins was a "huge cramper," getting full-body cramps during games. He didn't realize at the time how much hydration and nutrients he lacked while playing. Nirvana Super has helped him keep replenished and ready to go the next day.
"Being introduced to Nirvana, to not only have the science to help you stay hydrated and hydrate your body better, but also to help you build and maintain muscle as you get more seasoned in life," Dawkins said. "I don’t say older, I say more seasoned in life.
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"To me, it was a match made in heaven. Me taking the product myself, I never tell anybody to do anything or take anything that I have not already done. So, I took it, I put myself through strenuous workouts. … It helped me recover, the soreness was not what it once was prior to me taking those things. So, I bought in."
Willis was introduced to the product through former teammate Donte Whitner, who is also part of the brand's athlete portfolio.
Willis is 38 years, and Dawkins is 50, and the San Francisco 49ers legend will tell you firsthand the impact football can have in retirement.
While remaining active, he tried the beverages and quickly saw a difference.
"I just noticed since working out, since training, it’s been a big part of my workout," he told Fox News Digital. "I feel like it does a great job in my recovery.
"And one of the things I like most about it is it works with your metabolism, which is good because when you get older, it tends to slow down a little bit. It has vitamin D and the B-3 complexes. It has great ingredients and is just good for the body."
Willis also pointed out the 100 milligrams of caffeine in the beverage, which is equivalent to about one to two cups of coffee, depending on an individual's tolerance. It isn't loaded with caffeine like other drinks. Its primary focus is on helping muscles during and after workouts.
"I almost feel as good as I did when I was playing," Willis said. "I can’t say I don’t feel any pain at all, but I feel pretty good, and I think Nirvana is a part of that."