By Jeff Rocco, M.D.

Bob Seebohar has discussed the importance of Post-Workout Nutrition in an earlier Coaches’ Corner. The discussion of post-workout nutrition continues with a breakdown of the components of 7 popular recovery drinks and some key points to consider when choosing your recovery drink.

Recovery Drink Comparison Chart

Athletes train with the purpose of improving performance.  Training sessions are designed to stress the body beyond its baseline homeostatic condition.  The specific adaptations that occur because of training depend on the type of training, the intensity of training, the individual and the pre/during and post workout nutrition. [See Energy and Electrolyte Drink Comparison for nutritional considerations during training.} Work is done during training, and almost every system in the body is involved with that work.  Aside from the obvious muscular, circulatory, and respiratory systems, the nervous system, skeletal system, integumentary system, and digestive systems are all hard at work during training.  Calories are consumed, heat is generated, fluids and electrolytes are lost, free-radical oxidative stress is generated, and tissues are broken down.  All of these systems need to be restored before the next training session.  If training continues without adequate recovery, then overtraining results and the athlete’s performance begins to decline.  The length of time it takes to recover properly can be minimized if the appropriate nutritional building blocks are consumed immediately following a training session (within 30 minutes has been supported as the optimal timeframe by the literature). Nutritional deficiencies may even prevent recovery from ever happening, and thereby an optimal performance is never attained.

Beverages are ideal for recovery nutrition because gastric emptying and intestinal absorption of nutrients is faster for liquids than for solids.   The fluid component of the beverage will also facilitate rehydration.

Carbohydrates are a key component for energy AND recovery. Carbohydrates are stored in the muscles and the liver as glycogen.  Exercise (both aerobic AND anaerobic) consumes glycogen.  As indicated above, the optimal time for repletion of glycogen is immediately following exercise.  During the first 30 minutes following exercise consumed carbohydrates are more readily stored as muscle glycogen, as opposed to being stored as fat.  Muscle glycogen is replenished more effectively when carbohydrates are consumed in conjunction with protein.  High glycemic index carbohydrates are absorbed quickly and prompt an insulin response, which also plays a role in muscle building and recovery. 

Glycemic index relative scale:

Maltose>Glucose or glucose polymers (maltodextrin)> Sucrose>Honey>Lactose>Galactose>Fructose

Look for a dose of 50-100g per serving of high glycemic index carbohydrate in a recovery beverage. Bottom line- carbs are GOOD!

Proteins are the building blocks of every tissue in our bodies. Protein is critical to repair damaged tissue.  Athletes need more protein to repair damage done by hard training and to build and maintain more lean muscle.  Whey protein is a common protein source in most supplements.  Whey protein isolate and whey protein hydrolysate are more readily absorbed and bio-available than whey protein concentrate.  Again, rapid absorption is critical for better recovery.  Look for a dose of 10-20g per serving of protein.

Amino Acids are the building blocks of proteins.  Glutamine is an amino acid found throughout the body and is critical to athletes. Glutamine aids in recovery, glycogen storage, and supports the immune system. During stressful training intramuscular glutamine stores can become depleted by 40%.  Look for a dose of 6g per serving of glutamine.  Branched-chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) are essential amino acids and cannot be made by the body.  If an athlete’s diet is deficient in branched chain amino acids the body will break down muscular tissue in order to acquire them.  Branched chain amino acid supplementation has also been shown to improve exercise endurance.   Look for a dose of 4g per serving of branched chain amino acids.

Electrolytes are critical to every cell in the body.  Electrolytes are lost primarily through sweat during exercise.  See Shawn Dolan’s article for “The Complete Electrolyte Story”.  The electrolyte story is more than just Sodium and Chloride.  A recovery beverage should also contain significant amounts of Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium.

Antioxidants  counter the damaging effects of intense exercise and the resultant free radicals. Athletes experience more oxidative stress than sedentary individuals.  Oxidation from free radicals causes damage not only to cellular membranes and DNA, but may also impair aerobic metabolism.  Vitamins C and E are good dietary sources of antioxidants.  400 mg of vitamin C and 400 international units (IU) of vitamin E are good doses to have a significant antioxidant effect.

As you can see, recovery is a complex process.  Choosing your recovery drink carefully will maximize your training and speed you along on your way to the podium.