Let's talk supplements

PB Forum :: Fitness, Training and Health
Let's talk supplements
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flag sidekicksjn
Posted: Apr 5, 2020 at 15:29 Quote
Was wondering what people take before, after, during rides to help with energy levels and recovery. Also does this change for race days?
flag R-M-R
Posted: Apr 5, 2020 at 16:28 Quote
There's a nearly infinite number of supplements; most are "diminishing returns" at best and gimmicks at worst. The biggest ones are your macronutrients, quality of diet, timing of eating, and sleep quality and quantity. Your diet would have to be a disaster for sleep to not be the biggest factor. Everything beyond these is a waste of money and a distraction from where you can get the most return on your efforts.

• Get the right balance of carbs, lipids, and proteins and eat the right amounts at the right times. Everyone tends to eat more than enough carbs and fats, so be sure to get plenty of protein, especially immediately before and after activity.
• A healthy diet of modestly processed foods should cover your vitamin and mineral needs. You might take a multivitamin if your diet isn't great. Ensure you get plenty of iron and B vitamins during frequent, hard training.
• The most potent legal performance enhancement is caffeine, though many people dislike the associated anxiety. Peak effectiveness is about an hour after taking it and it stays in your system for many hours, so take it a little while before the activity, not at the start.
flag lauribelcher-nutrition
Posted: Apr 22, 2020 at 22:00 Quote
RIDING NUTRITION

# Priority 1: Improve Recovery
# Priority 2: Improve Performance


P R E - R I D E

Eat protein before riding:
Help maintain or even increase your muscle size to improve health & performance.
Reduce markers of muscle damage (myoglobin, creatine kinase, and myofibrillar protein degradation) or at least prevent them from getting worse and the better you adapt to your exercise over the long term.
Floods your bloodstream with amino acids just when your body needs them most. This boosts your muscle-building capabilities. (preventing damage & increasing muscle size)

Fats before exercise:
Don’t improve nor diminish sport performance / don’t fuel performance — that’s what carbs are for.
Do help to slow digestion, which maintains blood glucose and insulin levels and keeps you on an even keel.


I N T R A - R I D E

All nutrients are important. But for most athletes, carbohydrates can be a “make or break” factor. Blood sugar levels can dictate how well an athlete feels during the ride.

If blood sugar is too low, fatigue will set in faster (mentally and physically) this will feel like you have “less gas in the tank”

If blood sugar stays consistent, you will feel like you have adequate energy. This will help you feel mentally “sharp” and emotionally “tough”

Activity creates a demand for glucose; stress and adrenaline can eventually deplete sugar stores. If these are not replenished, and the body runs at a deficit over a period of time: you will start to incur muscle loss, increase injury risk, unbalanced hormones, and compromise recovery.


P O S T - R I D E

Providing adequate hydration;
- Ensuring a steady supply of fuel & nutrients to working bodies (so that those bodies don’t have to break down - valuable lean tissue);
- Reducing muscle soreness;
- Managing inflammation;
- Improving immune function
- Increasing protein synthesis while inhibiting protein breakdown;
- Optimizing body composition (i.e. building strong, dense muscle, bone, and connective tissues while keeping body fat down)

Fundamentally, good nutrition helps mtb athletes replenish and re-build.
* for optimal recovery, replenish glycogen with carbohydrates during (aim for 40-60g per hour) and / after.


Why training and post-ride nutrition is important?

When we ride intensely, we damage tissues at the microlevel, and we use fuel. Protein is not the only concern, however. During intense training sessions or on race day, stored carbohydrates can be substantially depleted.
Thus, during the post period, we require protein and carbohydrates as a priority.

Contact me on instagram for more specific information
https://www.instagram.com/lauribelcher_nutrition/
flag 605endurbro
Posted: May 1, 2020 at 12:12 Quote
I am nowhere near as knowledge as the answers above (thanks Lauri for the helpful guidelines and reasoning!), but I do know what has worked for me. I don't go crazy with supplements, I pretty much stick to those during long hard rides. For my long rides (about 30 miles or more maybe?) I have had really good luck with Heed from Hammer Nutrition for a carbohydrate and electrolyte supplement. I feel like my legs just have a good amount of energy and that feeling stays with me for longer. I usually do a gel an hours to go with that. I like the basic Gu gels. This combination was pretty easy on my stomach, however I have been known to have a pretty strong stomach. However, when my dad uses the Heed he loads it up pretty heavy which made me feel really full, light is right (as in, the recommended serving)!

Currently trying out the Skratch labs electrolyte drink mix and their energy chews.
flag sidekicksjn
Posted: May 2, 2020 at 2:42 Quote
Thanks for the replys especially Lauri. Will definitely make sure to get some protein before I ride. I've been using the sis energy gels when I'm out and definitely feel they help. Will have a look at Heed it sounds similar to what I was looking at.
flag Cspringsrider
Posted: May 17, 2020 at 15:34 Quote
I use hammer nutrition products used by usa Olympians they have many supplements that help but proper diet is a must
flag Kieran-ApexDelta
Posted: May 18, 2020 at 4:31 Quote
Other than the in-depth response above, if you want more information on specific supplements then I'd check out https://examine.com

Its a reputable and non-biased (All supplement companies will tell you how great their product is obviously!) reviews and advice.

Unfortunately, 90% of supplements simply don't work anywhere nearly as effectively as they are suggested to. and he 10% that do work, don't do a lot!

Youll get much more benefit from well-structred training, proper recovery/sleep and having well-balanced nutrition based on you and your goals.
flag R-M-R
Posted: May 18, 2020 at 11:43 Quote
Solid points. The appeal of supplements - and so many other "upgrades" - is the idea of an instant boost in fitness without additional hard work or discipline. As you said, the fundamentals are fundamentals for a reason, with supplements and gadgets making a tiny difference to those who are already elite.

• Sleep lots, and well.
• Train lots, and well.
• Eat a balanced diet with a minimum of junk.
• Ensure your equipment fits you well and is in good condition.

Those four points are all a person really needs to know. Anything beyond that is like putting sprinkles on your sundae: a nice touch, but only the tiniest improvement.
flag Kieran-ApexDelta
Posted: May 19, 2020 at 4:35 Quote
Yeah absolutely. You can train like a pro or take all the supplements you want but if you don't have:

- The same equipment
- A large support team
- Training that is actually appropriate for your abilities rather than a generic or far to advanced program
- The perfect genetics
- Enough sleep
- Dialled in recovery protocols
- The right nutrition/stress-management/lifestyle to support your training

You won't ever reach your own potential, let alone reach an elite/pro level.

Everyone wants the quick fix without sorting out or wanting to do the other 99% of the stuff that will help them improve.
flag trailmindandbody
Posted: May 20, 2020 at 13:39 Quote
Supplements are just that - not a replacement, but a quick fix. Like a text could never supplant a phone call, but it gets the job done... kind of, right?

I use CBD and Arnica as a part of my recovery regiment, because it allows my body to relax, which allows my body to heal itself. Our busy lives and go-go-go approach to training and excelling at whatever we're getting into disallows the quiet time your body NEEDS in order to repair. It has all the power to do it by itself, it only we give it the time. That's why I love my CBD arnica bath bombs because it forces you to sit still and take that needed time for yourself. Paired with arnica, epsom and lavender they all work together to speed the recovery process. I usually wake up after a bath the next day feeling like I'm back from a week long vacation.

I drink an isolate drink powder on rides to help keep some cbd in my system, it makes for a great sports drink. I also make bug repellent, sun block, and bruise creams that ALL have CBD and arnica in them, and the natural plant waxes help keep your skin's microbiome safe from harsh rides.

I make my own CBD products out of Fall City, Wa, and offer them to the mountain bike community over at trailmindandbody.com , if you're dealing with an injury I'd love to hear about it, maybe reach out on IG @trailmindandbody so I can throw you a sample or two. I'm all about helping riders recover faster, because I love the MTB community and want to help everyone stay on the bike for as long as possible.
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