What Run Oregon is Trying: Voke Superfood

Your mood is kind of a big deal. Getting each day started on the right foot (or the left) can sometimes be a challenge. As runners, much of our positivity often comes from the plans we make regarding a run, a race, connecting with friends, or even getting new running gear. Another place we find positivity is in our diets, which can include the taking of supplements. This is where Voke Superfood tablets come in.

Voke offers a chewable tablet that is designed to be taken twice, daily. The tablets are made from natural ingredients, and boast to improve your Mental Focus, give you an Upbeat Mood, and provide you with Clear Thinking. Additionally, Voke tablets are gluten-free, dairy-free, and are made in the US.

Recently, I was asked to review Voke tablets, and received 30 tablets that are packaged 2 to a packet, for the ease of taking 2 per day, as instructed. A quick note about me; I am an avid coffee drinker, and typically have about 2-3 cups per day, usually before 9am. Each Voke tablet has 75mg of caffeine, thanks to the addition of natural green tea leaves. This amount of caffeine is nearly equal to a single cup of coffee. When I started taking Voke, about 2 weeks ago, I kept my coffee consumption at its normal rate. But after a few days, I found I was a little jittery by mid-morning. I found another review online that suggested taking only half a tablet in the morning, to offset the caffeine. Instead, I chose to cut my coffee consumption down to about 1-1/2 cups and that seemed to do the trick.

As for improving focus, mood, and thinking, I‘d like to add that I am typically a fairly upbeat person, able to focus and maintain clear thought. With that said, I’m also easily distracted by thoughts of new running shoes, so I didn’t hesitate when asked to try this supplement. The straight skinny is, this stuff works, but let me break it down for you from the perspective of a runner, or at least, this runner.

I typically run 60-80 miles per week, often with lots of elevation gain, and most of it on trail. My diet is a big deal, especially as I train at higher altitudes in order to increase lung capacity, manage my heart rate, and seek to constantly strengthen my endurance and stamina. In the last 2 years, I have jumped into the ultra distances, which have had a profound effect on what I put in my body, but also upon my mental game. Keeping a positive attitude whilst shaking off the soreness of a long run can be a daunting trick, and up until a couple weeks ago, I was like a lot of runners who find themselves all but smoked by the end of the week. When I started using Voke, I admittedly didn’t give it much of a chance. But 1 week in I was finding myself more upbeat than usual, and full of some new found energy, even amidst an increase in training.

Voke’s big deal is their natural ingredients, which include guarana seed, beet root, and acerola cherry, among others. For centuries, guarana has been shown to increase stamina while boosting energy. Beet root is a super food all by itself, providing anti-inflammatory properties, while also being high in iron, which is an essential nutrient for long-distance runners. And acerola cherry has been shown to boost immunity, thanks in large part to be super high in vitamin C. Add it all up and I can see why I’m reacting the way I am after 2 weeks.

As for the taste of the tablet, I’ve read elsewhere that some people don’t like it very much, but it’s not terrible. The tablet has a berry flavor, which is probably attributed to the cherry. If you find yourself trying Voke, and not being a fan of the taste, I suggest washing it down with a fruit smoothie or some juice. Regardless, I would definitely recommend Voke tablets. They are fairly affordable, compared to other supplements, are all natural, and are easy on the gut.

Where to buy: Online at Voke. Cost is $25.49 for 30 tablets (as tested). Many other buying options exist, including a 6 tablet sample pack for $6.99, which is an excellent way to try them out.

 

Thank you Voke for providing us with samples. Please read our transparency page for info on how we do our reviews.