Supplements for Elites

[kspangler]

Racers who train hard, race fast and need to recover quckly...what do you take?


No comments about doping please, but if you fit the description above, I am trying to open a string that lists and debates the benefits of some of the supplements heralded beneficial by some cycling books and other manufacturers in the market. My latest research leads me to the following:


Multivitamins Strong in B's - General vits and minerals
Calcium and Magnesium - to prevent cramping
HMB and Tonalin - Lean muscle mass strength and support
Endurox R4 and Glutamine Peptides - Recovery
Whey Protein Shakes - recovery


but there are some other products such as,

Optigen - Oxygen intake booster
Ribose - sugar for training?
CMTs

....any good word on these?


Any fellow racers willing to discuss their "magic potions", lets here the good and bad experiences you have or had with supplements.



Tired of claims and looking for some good feedback,


CatSpin


PS - You either believe in taking supplement or you don't. If you don't please reserve your "no comments" to allow for room for an open discussion for athletes who feel that their performance will benefit with supplements.

PPS - Colnago posted a similar thread a couple of months ago but got no responses...hoping for better luck here.

I rely on http://www.accelerade.com/index2.php for my rides. I really think it does something for the motor during a ride and after. I switched from drinking just water to accelerade two and a half years ago and haven't turned back. I know some people don't like the taste, but I haven't really found this. I'm still learning a lot about the nutritional side of the sport so I'm not an expert, but all I can tell you is that accerlerade seems to give me that second breath - or better yet - gives my muscles the extra breath and helps them recovery when the day is over.

I've also been searching for a good energy bar which has lead me to the Hooah bar http://www.hooahbar.com/order_online.php. My trainer didn't think it was that great, but it travels well and seems to go down easier than my other choice - Cliff. I'd love to hear some opinions on this side of things.

Thanks for listening.

 

[Felt_Rider]

Elite athletes also need to consider "contamination" of supplements by banned subsatances - quite a few athletes have suffered this prob - hence ACSM and BOA (British Olympic Committee) recommendation to avoid supps.

Case in point.

A Brazillian diet supplement containing Prozac.

People ask how an athlete doesn't know that there was a banned drug within a supplement and it is quite possible. Pro hormones and other ingredients that can show positive on drug tests and yet hidden away from the ingredient list. These supplement companies like Balco Labs had a demented perception for providing beneficial products to the public.

 

[athletekitch]

All my athletes avoid supps that claim to be miracle workers because they know how how much work they have been through to get to olympic level. its not an overnight miracle pill that many "shortcutters" believe will - in the UK get them Lottery Funding - get them money/medals. Its the physical and mental hard work they undertake (over many years) to achieve their peak performance that matters. Sound Nutrition is a byproduct of the training. 1 of my athletes nears the ultimate in sport and still he asks my advice - as a backup/assurance to not testing pos. This is the ultimate in sports nutrition,an athlete at his/her peak who asks your advice after 10 yrs.

 

[vggcyc]

Flax

 

[cyclightning]

For a long ride 2 hrs+, a water bottle with some potassium/sodium salts and a good 1-2 grams of salts after the ride. Immediately eat a small carbohydrate meal after the ride and also preferably during the ride.

 

[WillemJM]

Being in the large producer mass production food and pharma industry for 24 years, personally I am very weary of supplements. The industry is less controlled and less safe than the can of food you buy in the Supermarket. Great revenue generator, with a lot of fad. I am always surprised that the FDA is so lenient towards this industry, compared to the rest of us.

With a healthy diet, most of what you need can be obtained through healthy balanced eating.

Have blood tests taken through reference using your family physician, to see if you have anything too far away from center-line and ask for a prescription (nutrient) if you have a deficiency. With a healthy diet, a shortage will probably be genetic.

Through modern agriculture, there are two nutrients which have been depleted in our soils and are not that easy to get in a normal diet. The one shortage is detectable through blood analysis, the other not. If you have high free radicals after a hard ride (fur feeling in your mouth is a symptom) you are short of the other. 95% of North Americans are short of the other. Nuff said, point your google in that direction, none of the multi-vitamins in the market will help.

Also, visit USADA's website and see their take on supplements, a good read and pretty accurate.

BTW, I have not read the entire thread, might have missed something.

 

[RonSwanson]

If you eat nutrient dense food, you can most likely skip multi's or at least alternate every other day. I've found this link to be incredibly resourceful (note the interesting take on modern thomson grapes)

http://www.phoenixhelix.com/2013/07/17/the-most-nutrient-dense-fruits-vegetables

Regarding supplements, I personally take myself what they call in the industry "pre-workout", which is a catchall term for any type of blood circulation/stimulant product. I also like 1st Endurance's optygen product, although it's a bit pricey. I've found that supplements specifically for runners, cyclists, cross fitters are more $$ than your run of the mill supps targeted toward bodybuilders. If you look carefully at the labels, often similar category products are comparable. In my arsenal:

-Whey protein/soy/casein protein, generally CytoSport (whatever is on sale at Costco)
-Fish oil
-GNC mega men sport. An one month supply lasts me 4 months since I try to get my vitamins/minerals from whole foods.
-Preworkout with arginine, beta-alanine, l-citrulline (pm if you want to a recap of all the brands I've sampled, over a dozen)
-Complete creatine blend (Beast Creature)
-Actigin for weekend rides (I recently got a free sample from them on instagram)

One caveat, if you're being tested, always look for the NSF certified for sport designation. NSF is completely independent testing party.

 

[ambal]

If you want a good idea about the macro/micro make up of your diet, enter everything you eat into a site like cronometer.com You will probably find you get enough of everything unless you eat a diet of highling processed junk food. If you're eating a diet of food that is as close to it's natural state as possible, you'll be pretty right.

Hasn't it also be found that 60% of vitimins on the shelves don't contain what the label says, some to much, others nothing at all hmmmm..... the industry isn't much more regulated than a house that cooks meth. I don't trust them.

I get my health from a combo of visiting the fruit and vegetable shop and riding my bike

 

[vggcyc]

I make my own using Cordyceps, yohimbe, ginsengs etc.

When you buy pills, you pay 20-30 x's the price for the convenience. Personally, I use a scale and my morning coffee.

Also, black pepper increases the bioavailability of tumeric by 10-20 FOLD (not percent). Irwin Naturals uses it wisely (reg. as Piperine). In general, peppers will increase circulation and you'll get more Bang For Your Buck (BFYB).

Combine with a hefty dose of TABATA training!

 

[RonSwanson]

My go to is actigin for endurance and beast creature for creatine. Helps a lot with my recovery.