Are some supplements a must?

Tom85

Hi, im new to mtb'ing allthough i used to be a keen gym goer so the mass amount of supplements on offer is not really a suprise i just have no idea what i should be using.
I have a protein shake after riding or any type of excercise for that matter as it seems to help reduce my aches n pains the next day. just wondering if anything else is a must, is it ok to just drink juice while out riding or should i have some sort of magic powder added?

nicklouse

Beer and Cake does most things.

this may be better asked in the Health, Fitness & Training section.

joshtp

I like Vit B, but that's not for cycling, more just for general. You only need one capsule a day... it's really good for your energy levels, it helps you to burn your carbs.

blablablacksheep

normal healthy diet is pretty much a key if you want to get good performance.

just dont overdo junk food ect the useal stuff that you probaly allready know.

Multi vits are allways good but exspencive if you want to keep using them.

shm_uk

Multi vits are allways good but exspencive if you want to keep using them.

And depending which propoganda you choose to believe, if you're eating a balanced diet then vitamin supplements are a complete waste of money...

From my experience, I used to use a load of energy powders, gels, protein powders, recovery drinks, multi-vitamins, bla bla bla

Cost a fortune.

Now, I just make sure I eat properly, use bananas & soreen as mid-ride snacks, make my own 'energy drink' from water, OJ & a little salt, make my own 'recovery drink' with milk, bananas, whey protein & cocoa powder. Stopped taking the vitamin pills altogether.

Still ride the same as I ever did before.

My conclusion is, all the energy/recovery stuff I thought I 'needed' was a waste of money for the average joe like myself.

If you're a highly trained athlete at their peak, then perhaps there's an advantage.

I'm more inclined to think most of it's just marketing hype.

bennett_346

I agree with shm, pretty much everything you need is found in large enough quantities in everyday foods, so a balanced diet will be cheaper and more beneficial as you're eating healthier in general.

Alex

Top Tip for Today:

Only put water in your camelbak, this keeps the nasty black mould away for much longer meaning you spend more time riding and less time cleaning manky hoses.

Ian43

Top tip for camelbaks, instead of buying their expensive bladdder cleaning tabs go and buy a pack of steredent denture tablets from Tesco or wherever and fill your bladder up and pop one in after every three or four rides and leave overnight, tip out next morning job done.

concorde

Tuna sarnies :-) Full of protein and nice and eatable after a long ride. Washed down with a pint of lager! Then start on the haribos and some pork scratchings!

concorde

shm_uk wrote:

Multi vits are allways good but exspencive if you want to keep using them.

And depending which propoganda you choose to believe, if you're eating a balanced diet then vitamin supplements are a complete waste of money...

From my experience, I used to use a load of energy powders, gels, protein powders, recovery drinks, multi-vitamins, bla bla bla

Cost a fortune.

Now, I just make sure I eat properly, use bananas & soreen as mid-ride snacks, make my own 'energy drink' from water, OJ & a little salt, make my own 'recovery drink' with milk, bananas, whey protein & cocoa powder. Stopped taking the vitamin pills altogether.

Still ride the same as I ever did before.

My conclusion is, all the energy/recovery stuff I thought I 'needed' was a waste of money for the average joe like myself.

If you're a highly trained athlete at their peak, then perhaps there's an advantage.

I'm more inclined to think most of it's just marketing hype.

Doesn't have to be expensive ,yprotein.co.uk is cheaper than buying tuna or chicken that's for sure. Vitamins on the other hand, don't bother. The research that there is involving vitamins shows them to have a slightly negative effect on health! Nobody will believe that, but it does!

Tom85

Cheers for all the advice guys, what should i be drinking while on the bike do i need an electrolyte drink or just good old water.

Slack

Top CamelBack Tip - don't worry about the black mould, I'm still alive after using a mouldy bladder for years.

With regard to the snake oil products, it really depends on how long you're out riding for, and how often. As a rule of thumb, a ride longer than 2 hours, you may benefit from a carb energy drink with electrolytes - not only will it help keep the energy levels up, it will also help with reduce post ride depletion, ergo quicker recovery.

I only consume a recovery drink after a 4+ hour ride, or a mid week eye popping chaingang ride.

As mentioned before, just make sure you get plenty of regular nutrients via fruit and veg.

bentes

Just water and banana / muesly bar!

In the summer when it's really hot (35 ºC +) I usually take a bottle of Isostar, powerade or aquarius.
It replaces the minerals lost in the sweat and reduces the chances of migranes or cramps.

IMHO mtb is not meant to build on muscle and get bigger wich sometimes leads to people taking stuff just to grow quicker or beyond the body's natural limit.
It's about having fun and achieving goals naturally.

The more you ride, the fitter and healthier you'll become. And this "natural" fitness will stay with you longer and be more beneficial than the "artificial" one.

hoojammyflip

have a look for a book by anita bean on sports nutrition....simply brilliant, with recipes and no nonsense advice

Frodo1095

Nothing is compulsary, do what you feel.

If you are training really hard for a race you might need something, if not just have carrot cake, its a cake made with veggies what could be better

specialeyes

Frodo1095 wrote:

if not just have carrot cake, its a cake made with veggies what could be better

Bacon cake!

WisePranker

The only supplement I use is Glucosamine tablets. I've had problems with my knees for years so I figured that it's not going to do me any harm.
Since starting to ride again last year, I've never had any knee problems so this is good enough reason for me

Other that that, I just stick with a reasonably sensible diet and don't bother with vitamin tablets and the likes.

When I'm out for a ride, I take good old Robinsons squash in the Camelbak as I don't like water! If I'm out for a long ride I'll try and take a flapjack or cereal bar with me for halfway round. Post ride I usually have a banana in the car on my way home then have a chocolate milk drink when I get home. The main reason for the chocolate milk is that I like it but there's also some suggestions that it's a good recovery drink which is the excuse I use

Alex

Slack wrote:

Top CamelBack Tip - don't worry about the black mould, I'm still alive after using a mouldy bladder for years.

Eww. :?

Anonymous

you don't need suplements. But if you insist, then copious amounts of bacon and cake are all you will ever need.

welshkev

yeehaamcgee wrote:

you don't need suplements. But if you insist, then copious amounts of bacon and cake are all you will ever need.

yep bacon and cake have your 5 a day covered there

t0pc4t

normally I stick with fags and coffee, strong coffee though mind.

PapaLazar0u

Bacon, Sausage and Tomato Sarnie followed by a chocolate and caramel slice accompanied by a nice cup of tea.....legendary

diy

It really depends on what level of fitness and what type of riding. I'm just back from a 60 mile ride and tried for the first time an isotonic powder in the water. I have to say the difference was noticeable. No cramps and a higher avg heart rate. Not all down to the sugar and salt solution, as a dry trail is easier to ride, but certainly felt it was keeping me going.

generally speaking you want, carbs before sugars and carbs, every hour at least and then protein after to repair the damage.

Daz555

Supplements - bacon & beer.

Camel bak mould - keep it in the freezer and it never goes mouldy. Use, rinse, freeze. Easy.

nozzac

I'm not totally convinced by the argument that if you eat a reasonable diet you're getting all you need. I think you need to be eating a very healthy diet indeed to get all the levels of vits and minerals that are recommended. Also it's worth noting that other countries disagree with the UK levels and some are higher than ours.

Most people are not getting enough EPA/DHA from oils in their diet so fish oil supplements (or fish or course!) would not be a bad thing.

Vitamin D deficiency has been in the media quite recently, especially in children. Supposedly this is mostly down to the idiotic over-application of sun-creams and UV protecting face-creams that many people wear all year. If you're black and live in the UK you might be struggling to get enough D from sunlight.

I'd like to see some figures on vitamin and mineral levels taken from the general public before I'm sure that my diet gives me all I'm supposed to be getting.

Mental Mickey

Whether I go for a long run or cycle, I find bananas, snickers or mars bars, jelly babies, perfectly adequate, I take salted peanuts sometimes too to help retain water.

I mainly just take a banana or two though or sometimes a choccy bar along with a banana.

evo3ben

Having a healthy diet is definitely key to good health and fitness but unfortunately in the world that we live in that’s not always possible. Rushed hectic life styles, convenience and not to mention the cost of healthy food. This country bangs on about obese people and the need to eat healthier but yet the price of healthy foods is higher than the cost of non healthy quick cook food that’s in our supermarkets today
During exercise it is scientifically proven that isotonic drinks, energy drinks and gels make a difference in performance and training levels and helps the body absorbed what it needs quicker that water on its own. Also isotonic has all the nutrients needed to replace whats lost for hydration and energy drinks and gels fuel the body to allow you to continue giving it your maximum. Yes you can make your own potion but once again convenience comes into it which can then add time to which you don’t have. Paying the price for isotonic drinks, energy drinks etc is more expensive that making your own but when you add into the equation the convenience and ease of the ready made iso and energy drinks it can balance out.

If you are a weekend rider and fitness levels are not a major factor then the anything will do attitude is no problem. But, if fitness is you thing and like to do marathons, racing etc then you need to think a bit more about what your chucking down your neck before, during and after your ride
Flapjack is tasty and has good energy levels but how long does it take for you body to break it down to make that energy considering that during exercise allot of blood from your stomach goes to your muscles and the food you have just eaten will sit and break down slowly. Energy drinks and energy gels are more or less instant as the body starts to absorb them as soon as it touches the sides of your mouth. The body can break these down far easier than solid food. If you’re hungry on a 2-3 hour ride then bottom line is you didn’t eat correctly before you started exercise. Gels, isotonic and energy drinks don’t fill you up but they will fuel your body sufficiently during exercise so you can perform best as possible. If these products didn’t work then why would athletes use them?
At the end of the day, if you want to compete in races, marathons etc then these products are worth there wait in gold. If you just get out and enjoy mtb'ing for what it is then do what ever makes you happy

diy

I'm doing a 60K Enduro this weekend on the Southdowns with trailbreaks. I have done some of their rides before and they can be quite tough particularly if the course is muddy.

I'll be doing:
porridge with syrup for breakfast - about 1.5 hours before.
couple of Bananas 20 mins before we set off
snack and oat bars every hour and maybe a couple of 'nanas if there is room.
Isotonic drink powder in the water bag.