Recovery Drinks

mfin

hypster wrote:

Camcycle1974 wrote:

mfin wrote:

Before Recovery Drinks, people could only ride for 10 miles.

Lol, it is funny how all us amateur riders suddenly feel like pros by consuming recovery drinks etc. What's wrong with a pint of milk which supplies all the nutrients you need to "recover" from a training ride?

I think you're both missing the point somewhat, a recovery drink which supplies the right amount of nutrients for a faster recovery allows you to train harder, more often. No one is actually disputing the fact that we can recover without any sort dedicated recovery formula. It's just that modern research shows that the right blend of nutrients consumed within an hour of strenuous exercise definitely helps rehydration, glycogen replenishment and muscle repair faster.

That fact that the pros do it doesn't make me feel or perform like a pro, it just helps me to be the best I can.

I use recovery drinks

mfin

Even though it's obvious, the best recovery drink if you feel truly awful is probably a Bloody Mary. You get the alcohol you need plus I'm pretty sure the tomato juice has some nutrients in it your body might benefit from. Personally, I think adding a slice of lemon, plenty of worcester sauce, pepper, a tiny drop of tabasco and some ice makes for a good one. There's no way I would bother having one unless I'd put in a serious effort the day before though, it would be pointless.

team47b

Cup of tea and a cheese sandwich made with one slice of brown bread (complex carbs) and one slice of white bread (simple carbs) 4:1 protein to carbs and good mix of fast and slow acting carbs

DurhamishDC

I put electrolyte tablets in each one of my water bottles and sip throughout which helps with cramping - especially if you are a sweaty bar steward like me. As for recovery I stick with straight forward Impact Whey from MyProtein with milk which does the job and a cheaper alternative to ready mixed shakes.

hypster

DurhamishDC wrote:

I put electrolyte tablets in each one of my water bottles and sip throughout which helps with cramping - especially if you are a sweaty bar steward like me. As for recovery I stick with straight forward Impact Whey from MyProtein with milk which does the job and a cheaper alternative to ready mixed shakes.

I have done a lot of reading around the subject of cramping of late and there is no evidence either way that electrolyte supplements prevent it. The reason why our sweat is so salty is because we consume an excess of it in our diet and it is our body's way of getting rid of it.

Two changes I have made in the last few months after reading "Waterlogged" by Dr Tim Noakes is I am drinking a lot less fluid than I normally would on a ride and add no electrolytes at all to my drink. I have had not instance of cramp on 80 plus mile rides and am finishing a ride feeling a lot better. It also takes me much less time than previously to recover.

overlord2

Grill wrote:

Overlord2 wrote:

Grill wrote:

Whey increases protein synthesis and casein (milk) stops protein breakdown.

Have you got evidence that cows milk increases protein synthesis? Think its a load of bull tbh

Cow's milk is roughly 20% whey and 80% casein, so yes (but not as much as a proper recovery drink which has a higher whey percentage).
http://jap.physiology.org/content/107/3/987

You do know what protein synthesis is? A mixture of amino acids digesting its own will not stimulate muscle growth any old protein will do it. Add a bit of growth hormone or testosterone I might believe it.

meanredspider

hypster wrote:

DurhamishDC wrote:

I put electrolyte tablets in each one of my water bottles and sip throughout which helps with cramping - especially if you are a sweaty bar steward like me. As for recovery I stick with straight forward Impact Whey from MyProtein with milk which does the job and a cheaper alternative to ready mixed shakes.

I have done a lot of reading around the subject of cramping of late and there is no evidence either way that electrolyte supplements prevent it. The reason why our sweat is so salty is because we consume an excess of it in our diet and it is our body's way of getting rid of it.

Two changes I have made in the last few months after reading "Waterlogged" by Dr Tim Noakes is I am drinking a lot less fluid than I normally would on a ride and add no electrolytes at all to my drink. I have had not instance of cramp on 80 plus mile rides and am finishing a ride feeling a lot better. It also takes me much less time than previously to recover.

And I know I cramp a lot more if I don't take electrolytes in my drinks. Everyone is different which is why we never agree on any of this stuff.

Mart74

Can I ask a newbie question!

Why is a chocolate milkshake so good after a ride?

markynulty

An asian guy at work (non cyclist) said I should try a cup of milk with half tea spoon of turmeric and a teaspoon of honey after a workout. Apparently it is a herbal recipe to boost the immune system and stop muscle soreness / aid recovery.

Seems kosher on the net. Anyone tried it?

hypster

meanredspider wrote:

hypster wrote:

DurhamishDC wrote:

I put electrolyte tablets in each one of my water bottles and sip throughout which helps with cramping - especially if you are a sweaty bar steward like me. As for recovery I stick with straight forward Impact Whey from MyProtein with milk which does the job and a cheaper alternative to ready mixed shakes.

I have done a lot of reading around the subject of cramping of late and there is no evidence either way that electrolyte supplements prevent it. The reason why our sweat is so salty is because we consume an excess of it in our diet and it is our body's way of getting rid of it.

Two changes I have made in the last few months after reading "Waterlogged" by Dr Tim Noakes is I am drinking a lot less fluid than I normally would on a ride and add no electrolytes at all to my drink. I have had not instance of cramp on 80 plus mile rides and am finishing a ride feeling a lot better. It also takes me much less time than previously to recover.

And I know I cramp a lot more if I don't take electrolytes in my drinks. Everyone is different which is why we never agree on any of this stuff.

I was going to add a caveat to my comment because I know everyone is different and we have discussed this point before. You have to go with what works for you from experience. I have experienced severe cramps on some long rides in the past but not on others. Thinking back though two of the worst rides I had for cramp were almost certainly caused by over hydration including plenty of electrolytes in my drink. After many years of following the "hydrate", "hydrate", "hydrate" mantra, I can only say that now that I am drinking considerably less than I normally would and no electrolytes, I am feeling definite benefits.

It's early days yet though and I know and I haven't been in 30 degree plus heat in the Alps yet where I know I'm going to need more fluid. I'm perfectly prepared to acknowledge that I might need some electrolytes too but I'll reserve judgement for that.

I'm in the Marmotte this year and spending a week in the Alps doing some of the other classic climbs as well. If I do find that my hydration strategy is not working I will come back and let you know!

Equally though if it does work out, you may find me banging the "Waterlogged" drum louder than ever!

meanredspider

Mart74 wrote:

Can I ask a newbie question!

Why is a chocolate milkshake so good after a ride?

Because it has the right ratio of carbs to protein. And is relatively cheap, easy to source and tastes nice.

meanredspider

hypster wrote:

Equally though if it does work out, you may find me banging the "Waterlogged" drum louder than ever!

I hope you don't bang it too hard because I think it's a non-issue for most people. You might have been over-hydrating but generally I don't think people do. If you're stopping every hour to refill two bidons, then you might be, but the practicalities of riding mean that refilling that often is unlikely to happen. For running events where water stations are frequent, I suppose it's possible that people were taking too much on.

Mart74

meanredspider wrote:

Mart74 wrote:

Can I ask a newbie question!

Why is a chocolate milkshake so good after a ride?

Because it has the right ratio of carbs to protein. And is relatively cheap, easy to source and tastes nice.

Cheers, I thought it must be something like that. Is the preferred ratio 4:1 , protein to carbs?

meanredspider

Mart74 wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

Mart74 wrote:

Can I ask a newbie question!

Why is a chocolate milkshake so good after a ride?

Because it has the right ratio of carbs to protein. And is relatively cheap, easy to source and tastes nice.

Cheers, I thought it must be something like that. Is the preferred ratio 4:1 , protein to carbs?

3-4 carbs to 1 protein (your body can't store protein so there's a limit to how much you can use at any one time)

hypster

meanredspider wrote:

hypster wrote:

Equally though if it does work out, you may find me banging the "Waterlogged" drum louder than ever!

I hope you don't bang it too hard because I think it's a non-issue for most people. You might have been over-hydrating but generally I don't think people do. If you're stopping every hour to refill two bidons, then you might be, but the practicalities of riding mean that refilling that often is unlikely to happen. For running events where water stations are frequent, I suppose it's possible that people were taking too much on.

Yeah, point taken, but I do think the jury is still out on what actually causes cramps even amongst experts. I think you should also be prepared to accept that your assertion that electrolytes stops cramps for you may just be a placebo effect. The actual cause could equally be something else such as mild dehydration that you are alleviating by drinking slightly more because you think you need more electrolytes.

meanredspider

hypster wrote:

Yeah, point taken, but I do think the jury is still out on what actually causes cramps even amongst experts. I think you should also be prepared to accept that your assertion that electrolytes stops cramps for you may just be a placebo effect. The actual cause could equally be something else such as mild dehydration that you are alleviating by drinking slightly more because you think you need more electrolytes.

Ah - for sure. Through I'm happy with the placebo effect if it works I've read quite a bit about cramp because I used to suffer with it quite badly. I do know that it does work for me though whatever the mechanics of it.

buckmulligan

Actually if you look at the cost of recovery drinks, it's not actually that expensive compared to the common alternatives.

Take chocolate milk as a popular example, 1 litre cartons in Tesco are 2 for £2.00, so £1 per litre. Not too bad.

Another a popular example, SIS Rapid Recovery Drink is £19.00 for 1.6 kg. The guidelines say 30 to 100g per 500 ml serving depending on level of training, so let's say 50g, since that's what the sachets are and what the nutritional info is stated in. That's 32x 500 ml servings @ £1.19 per litre.

It's hardly breaking the bank is it?!

Edited to add: actually looking at the nutritional content of each, perhaps an equivalent serving of SIS Rapid Recovery would be ~80g, so ~£1.90 per litre. A bit more of a difference but not astronomical.

FWIW I've only used recovery drinks when I've been given them free at events (one guy in Brighton wouldn't bloody shut up about his hot chocolate 'recovery drink' nonsense), but I guess I'm an interested observer.

buckmulligan

markynulty wrote:

An asian guy at work (non cyclist) said I should try a cup of milk with half tea spoon of turmeric and a teaspoon of honey after a workout. Apparently it is a herbal recipe to boost the immune system and stop muscle soreness / aid recovery.

Seems kosher on the net. Anyone tried it?

That sounds disgusting.

Some natural/herbal remedies I can get behind (like beetroot smoothies) but I can't see how the turmeric is going to do you any good other than make it taste odd and 'exotic'. Stick with the milk and honey!

hypster

meanredspider wrote:

hypster wrote:

Yeah, point taken, but I do think the jury is still out on what actually causes cramps even amongst experts. I think you should also be prepared to accept that your assertion that electrolytes stops cramps for you may just be a placebo effect. The actual cause could equally be something else such as mild dehydration that you are alleviating by drinking slightly more because you think you need more electrolytes.

Ah - for sure. Through I'm happy with the placebo effect if it works I've read quite a bit about cramp because I used to suffer with it quite badly. I do know that it does work for me though whatever the mechanics of it.

Placebo effect or not, the fact that you have found a cure is good. It may well be that there is something else about your diet and/or lifestyle which might explain why it works for you and maybe not others. There are so many variables involved it's a pity that research can't pin down a definitive cause and cure for everyone. There could be one particular factor involved or more likely a combination of several.

markynulty

BuckMulligan wrote:

markynulty wrote:

An asian guy at work (non cyclist) said I should try a cup of milk with half tea spoon of turmeric and a teaspoon of honey after a workout. Apparently it is a herbal recipe to boost the immune system and stop muscle soreness / aid recovery.

Seems kosher on the net. Anyone tried it?

That sounds disgusting.

Some natural/herbal remedies I can get behind (like beetroot smoothies) but I can't see how the turmeric is going to do you any good other than make it taste odd and 'exotic'. Stick with the milk and honey!

Tumeric contains curcumin, which I read is the ingredient which reduces soreness and aids recovery.

Might just be a load of crap, and after trying it last night, I agree that it is disgusting lol!

meanredspider

hypster wrote:

Placebo effect or not, the fact that you have found a cure is good. It may well be that there is something else about your diet and/or lifestyle which might explain why it works for you and maybe not others. There are so many variables involved it's a pity that research can't pin down a definitive cause and cure for everyone. There could be one particular factor involved or more likely a combination of several.

Yes - having worked the last 8 years in blood glucose monitoring, I've learned just how complex blood is and how much it varies from individual to individual. If the rest of the body has half as much variability, it's no wonder training, fitness, nutrition, hydration etc differs from person to person. Find what works and stick with it but don't fall into the trap that it's the answer for everybody else (or be surprised if something that works for someone else doesn't work for you)

mfin

markynulty wrote:

Tumeric contains curcumin, which I read is the ingredient which reduces soreness and aids recovery.

So best steer clear of it if you've got a nasty aids.

earth

markynulty wrote:

An asian guy at work (non cyclist) said I should try a cup of milk with half tea spoon of turmeric and a teaspoon of honey after a workout. Apparently it is a herbal recipe to boost the immune system and stop muscle soreness / aid recovery.

Seems kosher on the net. Anyone tried it?

I haven't tried it but I read turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties and this might be good for your muscles after a workout. But it might not be or it might make no difference at all depending on what else you read.

I have tried drinking beetroot juice. It's supposed to increase stamina. All this week my legs have felt like lead on the ride home except on the days where I didn't drink any the day before.

Placebo is the silver bullet though. It does everything!