In 2016, our Founder and CEO Nick Zecchino was a Senior in High School and in the best shape of his life, until everything drastically changed. What started as subtle discomfort quickly turned into a terrifying reality: blood in his stool, rapid weight loss, and a body in crisis. The diagnosis of Ulcerative Colitis felt like a death sentence to his athletic dreams and the life he once knew. Within a 90 day span, Nick lost 55 pounds and almost all of his strength.
Over the next two years, Nick endured countless hospital stays, three major surgeries in a 6 month timeframe and the emotional toll that comes with watching life move on without you. He experienced what every IBD and UC patient knows all too well. The fatigue, the pain, the fear, and the loneliness that often accompanies chronic illness. But even in his lowest moments, Nick held onto one thing: a vision of getting better.
That vision became his turning point. Through relentless determination, discipline, and faith in his body's ability to heal, Nick began to R3BU1LD, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Less than 9 months after his final surgery, he wasn't just back on the football field, he was starting every single game for four straight seasons at Purdue University. Nick turned pain into purpose, proving that with the right nutritional support, your body can heal, energize, and grow stronger.
Nick's story isn't just about survival, it's about transformation. It's proof that a diagnosis doesn't have to define your destiny. His journey became the foundation for Carna Nutrition, born from his belief that true wellness starts in the gut and that healing is possible when science, nutrition, and mindset align.
Today, Nick's mission is simple: to help others restore balance, rebuild strength, and thrive from the inside out.
But beyond supplements, our goal is to create a community of athletes, health enthusiasts, and everyday people who share the journey of building a healthier, stronger life together.
At Carna Nutrition, every detail has meaning. Our flagship product, Gut R3BU1LD, is uniquely named to honor Nick's journey and the number that shaped it. It's a reflection of his own journey of rebuilding from the inside out. The "31" in R3BU1LD represents the number he wore throughout his college football career.
Carna Nutrition is more than just a brand-it's a movement!
