How Näak’s new Boost Energy line powered Jazmine Lowther’s comeback

For many long-distance runners, finding the right fuel can be just as important as the training itself. Enter Canadian nutrition brand Näak, and their latest innovation, Boost Energy™—a high-carb and sustainable sports nutrition line to fuel intense efforts. Launching in April across Europe and North America, Boost Energy™ drink mixes and gels cater to athletes looking to go the distance—something Canadian trail runner Jazmine Lowther does frequently.

Lowther, one of Canada’s top ultra-trail runners, had a key role in the development of Näak’s new product and now uses it regularly in her daily training. When Näak first introduced Boost Energy™ in prototype form last summer, it underwent multiple iterations with Lowther providing direct feedback. “It felt so novel at the time,” she says, testing three different versions before the final formula was locked in.

Boost Energy™ marked a full-circle moment for Lowther. In 2022, she burst onto the ultra-running scene with a win at the Canyons 100K, a race that changed her career. A year later, she was sidelined by a bone stress injury and Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs)—a surprisingly common condition caused by an imbalance between energy intake and energy expended. The setback forced her to take a prolonged break to regain her health and strength.

“It’s always fascinating to look back on recovery,” she reflects. “There were moments when I questioned if I would continue my career.”

The road back wasn’t easy. During Lowther’s recovery, she had to completely rethink her relationship with running and find new ways to stay connected. For her, it was coaching and writing about her experiences for Strava and Ultrarunning magazine, and even crewing for friends at races. “At first, I thought [doing these things] wouldn’t help me [with recovery] mentally,” she admits. “I was surprised how much I enjoyed it.”

With RED(s), it’s difficult for athletes to gauge when their bodies are ready to return to training. Lowther recalls the slow process of getting herself back to full strength. “My hormones took a while to recover. RED(s) was a puzzle, and the issue was that I neglected it for the longest time.”

As Lowther eased back into running, she needed to prioritize nutrition and recovery, ensuring she was fuelled for every effort. That’s where Näak Boost Energy™  became essential. 

Built around Näak’s key scientific principles, Boost Energy™ gels and drink mixes have simple and complex carbs to prevent sudden crashes while maintaining energy levels, and are formulated with a 2:1 glucose-to-fructose ratio, which optimizes the carbohydrate absorption for sustained energy. For Lowther, this product was a game-changer. “You need to tell your body it has energy in the bloodstream to reduce bonks and overtraining,” she explains. “Coming from RED(s), I learned how [the stress hormone] cortisol is affected by fuelling. If you don’t fuel, it just shoots up for the rest of the day.”

Instead of using the nutrition industry-standard corn-based maltodextrin, Boost Energy™ drinks mixes use tapioca maltodextrin, which cuts Näak’s carbon footprint in half. They also incorporate Palatinose™, a beet-derived sugar that uses 10 times less water than traditional fructose. Both ingredients are a part of the brand’s commitment to performance and sustainability.

Lowther first put Boost Energy™ to the test at the Speedgoat 50K in July 2024–and came away with the win. She was particularly impressed by the rapid energy uptake provided by the pure-carb formula. “When you’re racing a 50K at high intensity, you need fast-absorbing fuel, and the fructose-glucose mix in Boost makes digestion effortless,” she says.

Beyond race day, Lowther finds Boost Energy™ especially useful in training, and typically pairs the gels with the drink mix to maintain hydration and endurance over long efforts. “On big training days, I need something I can take in quickly,” she says. “The melt-in-your-mouth texture and neutral taste make it easy to consume over and over again.”

The shift toward high-carb fuelling strategies has been evident in track and field and road racing, where athletes are taking in 100-120 grams of carbs per hour. In the trail scene, Lowther believes this approach is still in its early stages: “We used to think 60-80 grams per hour was the norm, but now we’re seeing runners try to absorb much more.”

To keep energy levels at their peak, you can find Boost Energy™ products online at naak.com or visit one of the brand’s partner retailers using the store locator.

As Lowther gears up for her return to Canyons 100K in April, the race that catapulted her career, she is focused on staying strong, durable and injury-free. Beyond that, she reveals she has no concrete plans, but has her sights set on being at some of trail running’s most prestigious events—UTMB Mont Blanc, Western States or the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Spain in September.