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Levelle: Fuel like a woman, run like a girl

Women have different nutritional needs from men.
Levelle: nutrition products designed to help female endurance athletes perform their best.

$20,786
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Project Description

Turns out the best sports nutrition
is not one-size-fits-all.

Here’s a quick example of how the sexes differ in our nutritional needs: women tend to oxidize—aka burn—more fat and rely less on carbohydrates than men when engaged in endurance sports. This means that given the same amount of complex carbs, men surf a wave of energy while many women spike then crash.

Add in different nutrient needs throughout our monthly cycle, during pregnancy and when entering menopause, and it quickly becomes apparent why food formulated for men just isn’t cutting it for women.

Quick definition. When we say “sports nutrition” think: bars, gels, waffles, protein powders, recovery drinks, electrolyte drinks, tabs. These are all things intended to help you endure through or recover from athletic activities. 

 

Less than 2.5% of sports nutrition
is targeted to women.

It’s not clear if all of those products are actually made for women or just repackaged and marketed to them. This is a result of a larger problem though. Only 3% of sports performance studies and 33% of sports medicine studies to date include female participants.

Why have women been left out of the research? 
The short answer: Early researchers thought men and women were the same. And, women of childbearing age were banned from medical trials from 1977-1993. Wait… what?! Yeah. For the long answer, check out our Q&As

What’s important is that we now know that women are unique on a cellular level. But, because of the lack of data on women, the majority of sports nutrition has been formulated for men. That would be fine if men were the only consumers of sports nutrition products, but when we look at the numbers that’s not what we see.

Women makeup 43% of marathon runners in the United States. We also make up 37% of swimmers and 26% of cyclists, and those numbers continue to grow as girls who grew up in the era of Title Nine increasingly run, bike and swim into adulthood.

Female athletes running, swimming and cross-training in a gym.

 

Our Solution

We are designing sports nutrition products with women’s physiology in mind from the start.

Whole food
Organic
Gluten-free
No sugar added
Science based
Ingredients you can pronounce
From women who’ve been there

Our products are not only formulated for women but made with whole food ingredients. Our interviews with almost 100 female athletes made it clear that many female athletes like to eat real whole foods. So why would we compromise that when on a run?

Our first product is a natural plant-based endurance jelle that uses low glycemic index carbohydrates to steadily fuel long runs. This formula allows for more effective absorption of carbohydrates within the gastrointestinal tract, eliminating the central cause of GI distress in female endurance athletes. The jelle is designed to be taken before and during long runs.

 

The market for sports nutrition is booming

Turns out our timing couldn’t be better. The global sports nutrition market was valued at $16.45B in 2020. It is anticipated to more than double in the next five years, reaching over $35.35B by 2026. Keep in mind that women continue to participate in sports more and more.

 

We need your help

With this first round of funding we will launch Levelle's first producta berry flavored energy jelle to power you through a long run. Your funds will go towards all of the necessary ingredients, research, packaging, manufacturing and commercial kitchen costs along with initial outreach to connect with female endurance athletes.

 

Our Team

Image of Linda Alvarez, CEO, Stephanie Schrauth, COO, and Ashley Christensen, CMO, of Levelle.

 

Our amazing team specializes in medicine, nutrition, product development, brand strategy and marketing communications. We are female led and as we grow we are developing partnerships with women- and minority-owned businesses that are equally mission-driven.

Linda Alvarez MD, MBA, co-founder and CEO, worked in the wellness space even before she became a doctor. She has over 10 years of experience in holistic wellness with a focus on nutrition and was recorded as one of the first students in the country to take a sabbatical during medical school to study complementary medicine, yoga and nutrition. Her medical training in family medicine only further prepared her to understand female athletes’ needs.

Stephanie Schrauth, MBA, co-founder COO, has been preparing to build a business that will improve the lives of women for most of her life. In a past life, she graduated summa cum laude from UCLA with a dual BA in Women's Studies and English. In her most recent role, she was responsible for leading a Siemens micro mobility company successfully through product development and innovation.

Ashley Christensen, CMO, identified as an “athlete” from an early age. A future-focused brand builder, she has over a decade of marketing experience across both the agency (DentsuMB) and business (Google) sides. By blending brand strategy, communications, copywriting, graphic design, and digital marketing she builds and scales brands.

Run with us.

Four women running on a trail.

The Campaign FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions:

Why were women left out of medical trials from 1977-1993? 
There was an early misconception that men and women were the same. We now know that this is false; men and women are unique on a cellular level. Because of this, they react to drugs and medical therapies differently and are more prone to different sports injuries.

Unaware of these differences, early researchers preferred working with male test subjects for two major reasons:

  1. Hormonal shifts. Men experience fewer hormonal fluctuations than the average menstruating woman. Women’s hormones shift monthly, when they get pregnant and when they enter menopause. Ironically, even though researchers thought men and women were the same, they worried that women’s bodies change too often for consistency in clinical trial results. So, like other variations that can’t be controlled, female bodies were excluded.
  2. Fear. It was taboo to run tests on a pregnant woman. However, rather than excluding only pregnant women, researchers usually excluded any women that could potentially get pregnant during the clinical trial. In other words: if you had your period, you were out. Think about that for a minute. Women were excluded from medical trials through 1993!

How do I use LevelleSet?
LevelleSet is designed to be used before a long run. Taken before your run, our jelle is designed to give you a slow release of energy to carry you through the next hour so you can focus on running, swimming, cycling, rowing, dancing… you get the idea.

What comes after LevelleSet?

We have big plans, which we’re not entirely ready to share with the public just yet. However, we can tell you this: our first plan of action is to expand our flavors. We know that flavors are personal and can get monotonous, so we want to give our users options right away. Once we mix things up there, we’re looking at adding a caffeinated line for our runners looking for a boost.

When will I receive my reward?

About 4 weeks after our campaign closes. To reduce waste, we are making these once we know how many of each size we need. These are custom items that we’re making exclusively for you.

Please contact us with any other questions at: [email protected]

Alicia Alvarez
11/12/2021
Monetary Contribution
$300
Mike Gaertner
11/12/2021
Monetary Contribution
$100
Willie Wheat
11/12/2021
Monetary Contribution
$50
Trinidad
11/12/2021
Walk
$25
Margaret B. Alvarez
11/12/2021
Monetary Contribution
$300
MAEGAN NICOLE KENNEY
11/12/2021
10K Run
$150
MAEGAN NICOLE KENNEY
11/12/2021
5K Run
$100
Blisse Ufomata
11/12/2021
Monetary Contribution
$50
Tennyson M Wilson
11/12/2021
Monetary Contribution
$100
Matthew Gore
11/12/2021
Walk
$25
Monetary Contribution

The amount is your choice. 

Funding of any amount is appreciated, and every contribution will help us at Levelle reach our goal.

🙌 ❤️ 🙌

45 Supporters
Select this reward
25.00 USD
Walk

We will shout your name from the top of Levelle's Socials.

Our gratitude runs deep.

35 Supporters
Select this reward
50.00 USD
EARLY SUPPORTER - Taste Tester

Calling all taste testers! 

Well... the first 10. Be among the very first to try Levelle Set before it’s available to the public.

Receive 3 jelles in early 2022 and get early access to pre-launch sales.

We welcome your feedback and want to hear your thoughts on future flavors.

10 Supporters
None available
75.00 USD
NEW - Recipe Booklet

Stay healthy this holiday season with our mini fight-off-the-flu recipe booklet written by our resident doctor, recipe maker and CEO: Dr. Linda Alvarez.

+

Get a limited edition Levelle sticker.

4 Supporters
Select this reward
100.00 USD
5K Run

Exclusive Levelle "Early Supporter" women's T-shirt. Only available during our crowdfunding campaign.

2 Left
33 Supporters
Select this reward
150.00 USD
10K Run

Exclusive Levelle "Early Supporter" unisex long-sleeved T-shirt. Only available during our crowdfunding campaign.

3 Left
17 Supporters
Select this reward
200.00 USD
Half Marathon

20% discount on online run coaching with Kyniska Running (up to $400+ in savings)
Kyniska Running provides female runners with cutting-edge, scientific coaching based on women’s unique physiology.

  • Customized training program
  • Race planning, with pace and strategy analysis
  • Continuous coaching over email, phone and text throughout your training and racing journey

Choose between 6 or 12 month packages.

2 Left
3 Supporters
Select this reward
500.00 USD
Marathon

Levelle Super Bundle
Your name on Levellenutrition.com as an Early Supporter
+ Sticker
+ Women's T-shirt OR Unisex long sleeved shirt

5 Left
5 Supporters
Select this reward
1,500.00 USD
Ultra

Wellness Event: 45 Minute Yoga Session followed by a 10 minute Meditation for you and up to 10 friends with Linda! 

  • Aromatherapy sensory bags for you and your participants
  • Smoothie recipe tailored to your dietary preferences
  • A private Zoom yoga & meditation session

Linda taught yoga in NYC for many years after completing her 200-hour Teacher Training.

5 Left
0 Supporters
Select this reward
5,000.00 USD
Can't stop, won't stop

Get featured on Levellenutrition.com for a year!

We’ll send a professional sports photographer to capture you in all your athletic glory. To all our male allies, we see you. Don’t count this option out, just bring your mom, sister, wife, daughter, and/or friend to the shoot. Running buddies are the best!

1 Left
0 Supporters
Select this reward

About the Entrepreneur

Poughkeepsie, NY
Created 2 Campaigns
Health + Science

Rewards

Monetary Contribution

The amount is your choice. 

Funding of any amount is appreciated, and every contribution will help us at Levelle reach our goal.

🙌 ❤️ 🙌

45 Supporters
Select this reward
25.00 USD
Walk

We will shout your name from the top of Levelle's Socials.

Our gratitude runs deep.

35 Supporters
Select this reward
50.00 USD
EARLY SUPPORTER - Taste Tester

Calling all taste testers! 

Well... the first 10. Be among the very first to try Levelle Set before it’s available to the public.

Receive 3 jelles in early 2022 and get early access to pre-launch sales.

We welcome your feedback and want to hear your thoughts on future flavors.

10 Supporters
None available
75.00 USD
NEW - Recipe Booklet

Stay healthy this holiday season with our mini fight-off-the-flu recipe booklet written by our resident doctor, recipe maker and CEO: Dr. Linda Alvarez.

+

Get a limited edition Levelle sticker.

4 Supporters
Select this reward
100.00 USD
5K Run

Exclusive Levelle "Early Supporter" women's T-shirt. Only available during our crowdfunding campaign.

2 Left
33 Supporters
Select this reward
150.00 USD
10K Run

Exclusive Levelle "Early Supporter" unisex long-sleeved T-shirt. Only available during our crowdfunding campaign.

3 Left
17 Supporters
Select this reward
200.00 USD
Half Marathon

20% discount on online run coaching with Kyniska Running (up to $400+ in savings)
Kyniska Running provides female runners with cutting-edge, scientific coaching based on women’s unique physiology.

  • Customized training program
  • Race planning, with pace and strategy analysis
  • Continuous coaching over email, phone and text throughout your training and racing journey

Choose between 6 or 12 month packages.

2 Left
3 Supporters
Select this reward
500.00 USD
Marathon

Levelle Super Bundle
Your name on Levellenutrition.com as an Early Supporter
+ Sticker
+ Women's T-shirt OR Unisex long sleeved shirt

5 Left
5 Supporters
Select this reward
1,500.00 USD
Ultra

Wellness Event: 45 Minute Yoga Session followed by a 10 minute Meditation for you and up to 10 friends with Linda! 

  • Aromatherapy sensory bags for you and your participants
  • Smoothie recipe tailored to your dietary preferences
  • A private Zoom yoga & meditation session

Linda taught yoga in NYC for many years after completing her 200-hour Teacher Training.

5 Left
0 Supporters
Select this reward
5,000.00 USD
Can't stop, won't stop

Get featured on Levellenutrition.com for a year!

We’ll send a professional sports photographer to capture you in all your athletic glory. To all our male allies, we see you. Don’t count this option out, just bring your mom, sister, wife, daughter, and/or friend to the shoot. Running buddies are the best!

1 Left
0 Supporters
Select this reward