RELOAD!
Better
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Optimal
muscle preservation and glycogen repletion
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Enhances repair and recovery
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Enhanced
Performance
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Incredible Berry
Flavored Taste
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Science Based
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Contains Anabolism
Substrates for Better Lean Body Mass development
I formulated RELOAD
based on years of study, trial and error, and consultation with
sports scientists. I'll share some of the scientific foundation
of this exceptional post-exercise recovery aid.
First
Vital Concern: Glycogen
If
you exercise intensely, and you eat a balance of protein and
carbs throughout the day, you are efficiently storing and releasing
glycogen which might simply be called "muscle fuel." Glycogen
is to muscle as gasoline is to your car. Where does the stored
glycogen come from? From the carbohydrates that you ingest.
After those carbs are broken down into their simplest form,
glucose, they can either be used for immediate fuel, or if all
fuel needs are being met, can be stored as glycogen to be used
for future movement and activity. When it's time for a workout,
your physiology changes in such a way that you move into a state,
not of glycogen storage, but of enhanced glycogen release. Your
body accesses that stored fuel in order to meet the heightened
energy demand. It's amazing how the human body is designed to
maintain balance (homeostasis). Immediately after an intense
workout, when glycogen stores are depleted, production of the
enzymes that convert glucose into glycogen is increased offering
an ideal opportunity to replenish fuel supply. The enzyme levels
only remain elevated for about 30-45 minutes, allowing you a
unique opportunity to consume sugar (glucose) and rush it into
muscles to be used as fuel.
Second
Vital Concern: Water
Glycogen
repletion is only one primary concern post workout. The second
would be re-hydrating. During exercise, you sweat and of course
lose water. For optimal performance and recovery that water
needs to be replaced. The newest guidelines put out by sports
training coaches and physiologists suggest that in the 6 hours
following exercise, 24 ounces of fluid should be consumed for
every pound lost during exercise. An endurance athlete who loses
five pounds during a workout would therefore need to consume
120 ounces of fluid. Bottled water is most often sold in 20-ounce
bottles to give you a sense of the amount of water that is.
Of course, most recreational exercisers will not lose five pounds,
but might lose 1-2 requiring 24-48 ounces of liquid over the
next six hours.
Third
Vital Concern: Minerals
The
third primary concern would be replenishing the electrolytes,
sodium and potassium, minerals heavily involved in energy production
and lost during periods of fluid release (sweating). Ingesting
sodium and potassium immediately post workout facilitates faster
and more complete re-hydration.
Water
is not "best"
Since,
in looking at the entire picture, re-hydration is just a piece
of the overall recovery puzzle, water is not the best recovery
drink immediately post workout. Yes, water can be sipped throughout
the exercise session, and yes, over the next six hours it is
important that you consume enough water to re-hydrate, but that
30-45 minute post-exercise window of opportunity is a rare period
that you should take advantage of. Blood flow to muscles is
greatly increased. The body needs to replenish glycogen, water,
and electrolytes, thus, the most valuable post-exercise recovery
aid would be a dilute liquid containing the necessary electrolytes
and simple sugars. Gatorade was developed on that premise, but
we now know we can do even better. There are some other ingredients
that would optimize your post-workout concoction. While these
are not as vital as the first three concerns, they can all contribute
to getting the most rewarding outcome from your intense exercise
sessions.
Fructose
While
glucose is preferentially rushed back into muscles in the post
workout state, fructose has a tendency to work its way into
replenishing liver glycogen stores. The liver, when called upon,
acts as a "glucose pump," releasing glycogen for conversion
into glucose to meet blood sugar needs. Fructose, therefore,
should also be included in the post-workout drink (Note:
this does NOT refer to high fructose corn syrup. HFCS is manufactured,
chemically altered, and may have negative impact upon triglyceride
levels and appetite).
L-Glutamine
Athletes
placing their bodies under greater stress than the average person
incurs, will have greater need for L-Glutamine. Glutamine is
the most abundant amino acid in muscle and in the bloodstream.
If we seek to build muscle, or retain muscle under periods of
stress (exercise is a stress), Glutamine becomes one of the
most vital amino acids. In addition to its role in muscle, Glutamine
is also called upon to meet intestinal stress and immune system
function. If you're harboring a cold, you're under emotional
stress at work, or your worries are causing an "upset" stomach,
you run the risk of the body "robbing" L-Glutamine needed for
muscle maintenance. Since we know muscle's all-important role
in maintaining or improving metabolism, supplemental L-Glutamine
moves to the top of the "valuable supplements for athletes and
exercisers" list. Here's the challenge. L-Glutamine, in substantial
amounts, can in itself lead to stomach upset. Secondly, when
stomach acids meet L-Glutamine, much of it is destroyed. This
process is slowed when L-Glutamine is ingested as a component
of food, but in supplemental form, you'll get better transport
with Glutamine Peptides.
Creatine
If
muscle strength or increase is a goal, creatine monohydrate
can indisputably play a role. Sodium and glucose are involved
in creatine transport, thus, if you are consuming a post-workout
drink with sugars and electrolytes, you have a rare opportunity
to expedite creatine transport.
So,
when considering an optimal post workout formula, you should
seek out or create a liquid mix of glucose and fructose, sodium
and potassium, L-glutamine (or glutamine peptides) and creatine
monohydrate. You can add L-glutamine and creatine to a post-workout
Gatorade or Powerade and you'd be on the right track . . . .
but there's more.
During
exercise, cortisol production is increased. Cortisol facilitates
muscle breakdown, thus, during exercise, you are breaking down
muscle tissue. In order to repair and replace the muscle, now
broken down into amino acids by cortisol, you must take in a
complete array of essential amino acids. Complete proteins are
not going to be ideal post workout. They'll take too long to
work their way through the digestive tract, and since amino
acids can be transported into the bloodstream along with glucose,
you'll miss out on the enhanced transport post-workout opportunity.
Amino
Acids
Amino
acids are absorbed in chains. Small chains. Proteins are broken
down by digestive enzymes into di and tri-peptides (chains of
two and three amino acids). That's the form in which they're
ultimately absorbed. If part of the goal is to build muscle,
than this rare post workout opportunity can be even more enhanced
by including a complete array of amino acids in the form of
protein hydrolyzed (broken down) into di and tri-peptides. Add
amino acids into the liquid glucose, fructose, electrolyte,
glutamine, creatine mix and you've assembled a valuable product.
At
this point, to benefit from this information, you must become
one of two things. You must become either a label-reading detective,
or a mad scientist. Why a mad scientist? Well that's what I
felt like when I used to concoct my own post-workout formulas.
I'd mix a glucose-fructose drink with liquid predigested amino
acids (yuck), some powdered L-glutamine, creatine monohydrate,
and a couple of multi mineral caps. You can concoct your own
formula by buying a combination of products, or you can explore
the labels, see through the claims, and find a product that
really stands up to the science. Will this require a little
effort? Sure, but what gratifying rewards have you ever achieved
without a bit of effort? With a foundation of science, a bit
of effort, and a consistent willingness to train, eat, and supplement
supportively, attaining the edge you seek is in your control.
Of
course, if you opt not to study "mad science," and
you choose not to drive yourself crazy reading label after label
trying to make sense out of sixteen-syllable words that only
Einstein's offshoots can pronounce, you can trust that I've
considered everything herein and more in creating what I've
found to be the most amazing nutritional recovery aid for exercisers,
my RELOAD! formula.
