NEW YORK, NY– Amino Vital^®, one of the most popular lines of sports nutrition products on the market, today announced it has signed an agreement to become an Official Supporter of the 2006 and 2008 U.S. Olympic Teams and the 2007 U.S. Pan American Team, and an Official Sponsor of the 2006 and 2008 U.S. Paralympic Teams.

As an Official Supporter of the U.S. Olympic and Pan American Teams through 2008, Amino Vital^® is entitled to use the U.S. Olympic supplier logos in all advertising and marketing efforts. In addition, the company is authorized to use all U.S. Paralympic logos in print and electronic collateral.

Amino Vital^® comes to the USOC after a long relationship with the Japanese Olympic Committee and the Japan Anti-Doping Agency. Amino Vital^® produces products that provide athletes with readily available amino acids that enhance their normal daily diet.

“Amino Vital^® is honored to support America’s athletes training to compete in the 2006 and 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games, in addition to those training for the 2007 Pan American Games. This is an excellent opportunity for Amino Vital^® to support Olympic and Paralympic athletes in their quest to achieve their goals,” said Mitsuru “Mitch” Nishikawa, Vice President and General Manager of Ajinomoto USA’s Amino Acid Nutraceuticals Division.

"The United States Olympic Committee is proud to welcome Amino Vital^® and the Ajinomoto Group to the growing family of U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Team Official Sponsors and Suppliers," said USOC Chief Executive Officer Jim Scherr. "The USOC and Amino Vital^® share a common goal of supporting athletes as they pursue excellence in a manner consistent with the Olympic Ideals of honor, integrity and fair play."

Amino Vital^® will provide financial support for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams, and will lead the charge in offering amino acid-based nutritional products to assure that the U.S. athletes are getting the most out of their training and aid in their recovery after strenuous workouts.

Triathlete Hunter Kemper counts on Amino Vital^® to supply the amino power he needs for endurance when competing in the multi-sport event of triathlon. “I’m really excited to have Amino Vital^® on my team as an amino acid nutritional supporter as I train for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China,” said Kemper, a two-time Olympian and the current No. 1 triathlete in the World Cup rankings. “Since incorporating Amino Vital^® into my nutrition plan, I have noticed that I feel more energized during my workouts and recover a lot faster after exercise.”

The USOC and Amino Vital^® will develop a testing program to certify compliance of the products covered under this agreement with the World Anti-Doping Code. Specific information on the testing program will be announced at a future date.

ABOUT AMINO VITAL^®
A line of scientifically advanced amino acid sports nutritional products that energize and revitalize before, during and after exertion, Amino Vital^® was first introduced by the Ajinomoto Group, the global leader in amino acid research and development, in 1995 in Japan. In the U.S., sport science experts have hailed Amino Vital^® as the first sports nutritional product of its kind. Amino Vital^® helps in the overall health and conditioning of top athletes so they can perform at their best. Containing only the purest amino acids, Amino Vital^® has also been embraced by serious athletes as a means of improving recovery.

Visit www.amino-vital.com to learn more about amino science and the full line of Amino Vital^® products.

For more information, please contact the USOC’s Media & Public Relations Division at (719) 866-4529 or Genevieve Marrin, LaForce+Stevens for Amino Vital, (212) 242-9353 ext.191, ( gmarrin@laforce-stevens.com).