• 285+

    banned substances tested per batch

  • 15+ years

    of clinical research

  • 0mg

    stimulants
 

HOW IT WORKS

It comes down to blood flow. 

That deep purple skin isn't decoration, it's where the active compounds live. Blackcurrant is a natural vasodilator: it helps your blood vessels widen and relax, so more oxygen and nutrient-rich blood reaches working muscles, and waste like lactic acid clears out faster. 

Take it 30-60 minutes before you train and it primes your circulation and switches on your body's own antioxidant and recovery systems, so you're ready from the first rep instead of playing catch-up afterwards. 

PRO-OXIDANT

Delphinidins

Switch on your body's own antioxidant defences before you even start training, priming the system ahead of the session rather than reacting after. 

ANTIOXIDANT

Cyanidins

On their own, antioxidants don't move the needle much for performance. Paired with the pro-oxidant effect above, they unlock a response neither compound produces alone, which is what makes this berry's combination hard to replicate. 

WHAT BLACKCURRANT DOES

 The benefits don't stop when your workout does.

  • More blood in, more waste out

    More oxygen-rich blood reaches working muscles, and waste products like lactic acid clear out faster. 

  • Faster recovery

    Blackcurrant helps modulate the 
    inflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-10) that determine how fast your body 
    moves from damage to repair. 

  • Sharper focus

    The same blood flow increase that helps your legs also reaches your brain, showing up as less mental fatigue and better decision-making.

  • Stronger immune defence 

    Increases circulating neutrophils and 
    preserves their ability to fight infectious bacteria after hard training runs your 
    defences down. 

  • Eye health

    Your eyes rely on tiny blood vessels to function at their best. Blackcurrant has been studied for decades for its role in supporting eye health, long before it became known as a pre-workout.

  • Zero crash 

    No stimulants means no jitters and nothing to come down from. The effect is your own physiology working better, not a borrowed spike.

BLACKCURRANT VS BEETS

Beets are a popular choice... Here's why we'd argue blackcurrant does more.

Beets promote healthy blood flow, just like blackcurrant. But studies show blackcurrant also supports performance, recovery, immunity and inflammation management, and it tastes better too.

Blackcurrants
Beets
Boosts athletic performance ⚡⚡⚡ ⚡⚡
Improves recovery after exercise
Supports immunity
Promotes healthy blood flow
Manages inflammation for tissue repair

GROWN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD

Harsh sun makes a tougher berry.

New Zealand sits under some of the most intense UV exposure on earth: thin ozone, clean air, long summer days. That’s hard on the plant, which is exactly the point. It defends itself by pumping pigment into its skin, and that dark purple skin is where the anthocyanins live.

Our founders were part of the research team that first worked out why these berries do what they do, at the Plant & Food Research Institute. We didn’t find a supplier and write a story. We started from the science and went looking for the fruit.

  • Grown

    Under NZ’s high-UV summer sun, where the berry builds its own defences.

  • Harvested

    Picked at peak ripeness, when the skins are at their darkest.

  • Freeze-dried

    Locked in cold, not heat, so what’s in the berry is what’s in your sachet.

TESTED SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY

Informed Sport certified

Supplements aren’t required to prove what’s actually in them, and contamination is the main reason athletes fail drug tests they didn’t see coming. Informed Sport closes that gap: an independent programme, run by LGC, that screens every batch against the WADA prohibited list before it’s cleared for sale.

For 2before, that means every single batch is tested for over 285 banned substances, not just the formula on paper. You can look up 2before directly on the Informed Sport database yourself.

  • Independently verifiable, batch by batch, not a self-issued claim
  • Built for competing athletes, but the same peace of mind for coaches and parents
  • Nothing ships until it’s cleared the WADA prohibited substance screen

QUALITY YOU CAN VERIFY

Not just claims. Tested.

  • 2before products carry the Adaptive™ quality assurance mark guaranteeing 3rd Party testing

    Adaptive New Zealand Blackcurrants 

    Third-party testing guarantees our blackcurrant is genuine and at concentrations scientifically validated to have a biological effect. 

    Visit Adaptive

  • Informed Sport certified

    Covered in detail above - every batch tested for over 285 banned substances before it reaches you. 

    Visit Informed Sport

FAQ

Common questions

What are the benefits of blackcurrants for exercise?

Blackcurrant may support blood flow, recovery, and immune function after training. New Zealand blackcurrants, specifically, have been studied for their effects on circulation and inflammation management. These include creatine kinase and lactate, both linked to exercise-induced fatigue. Research published in Frontiers in Nutrition studied five weeks of daily blackcurrant extract use and found it supported the management of oxidative stress and inflammation. Another study found it may also support motivation during exercise. Whether you're lifting, running, or training at high intensity, blackcurrants work with your body to support performance and recovery across different types of exercise.

How do anthocyanins improve athletic performance?

Anthocyanins may help improve athletic performance by priming the body's own antioxidant and recovery systems, even before exercise begins. These natural compounds give blackcurrants their deep purple color. They come in two key types. Delphinidins have pro-oxidant properties that may activate your body's antioxidant pathways, while cyanidins provide direct antioxidant support. This combination may assist recovery from oxidative stress while supporting your immune system. Research presented at the American College of Sports Medicine observed improved blood flow and muscular endurance with blackcurrant extract.

What does the research say about blackcurrant pre-workout?

Peer-reviewed research suggests that blackcurrant extract taken before exercise may support recovery, immune function, and blood flow. Randomized control trials show that New Zealand blackcurrants consumed before exercise may assist recovery from oxidative stress. It also supports immune cell function. Daily use over five weeks helped manage inflammation and enhanced recovery. Additional studies have found benefits for circulation and reduced muscle damage, all through non-stimulant pathways.

REFERENCES

Sources & Citations

Barnes, Matthew J.1; Perry, Blake G.2; Hurst, Roger D.3; Lomiwes, Dominic3. Effects Of Blackcurrant Extract On Peripheral Blood Flow And Muscular Endurance: 2914 Board #197 June 1 3. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 50(5S):p 720, May 2018.
https://doi.org/10.1249/01.mss.0000538374.17437.0b

Hurst RD, Lyall KA, Wells RW, Sawyer GM, Lomiwes D, Ngametua N and Hurst SM (2020) Daily Consumption of an Anthocyanin-Rich Extract Made From New Zealand Blackcurrants for 5 Weeks Supports Exercise Recovery Through the Management of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation: A Randomized Placebo Controlled Pilot Study. Front. Nutr. 7:16.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2020.00016

Lomiwes, D., Ha, B., Ngametua, N. et al. Timed consumption of a New Zealand blackcurrant juice support positive affective responses during a self-motivated moderate walking exercise in healthy sedentary adults. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 16, 33 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-019-0300-0

Hunt JEA, Coelho MOC, Buxton S, Butcher R, Foran D, Rowland D, Gurton W, Macrae H, Jones L, Gapper KS, Manders RJF, King DG. Consumption of New Zealand Blackcurrant Extract Improves Recovery from Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage in Non-Resistance Trained Men and Women: A Double-Blind Randomised Trial. Nutrients. 2021 Aug 21;13(8):2875.
https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13082875