Tuesday, October 31, 2006

High Glycemic Carbs and Insulin Release

The use of a high glycemic index carbohydrates and the release of insulin is one of the most misinterpreted issues in sport nutrition.

During endurance exercise, insulin secretion is minimal, and gets less and less the more intense your exercise is. Basically, it is suppressed by the 'counterregulatory hormones' of glucagon, adrenalin and cortisol, all three of which are secreted in appreciable quantities during endurance exercise. Therefore, insulin's effect on metabolism is minimal, if any, during endurance exercise, which is exactly opposite to resting times, when insulin's effect is quite pronounced.

This means that there is no such thing as a 'sugar crash' during exercise, unless it is low blood sugar due to inadequate supply of carbs. High glycemic index carbs like dextrose will not contribute to such a crash through release of insulin. Dextrose helps mitigate such a crash because it is easily digested and absorbed, and requires no liver processing to be able to be used as energy. Furthermore, it among the least likely carbohydrates to cause gastrointestinal irritation. On the other hand, 'sugar crashes' due to insulin release can and do happen during non exercising times because insulin is released in appreciable quantities at these times.

All of the above are well referenced in the scientific literature, the references for which are available on our website www.eload.net

Monday, October 30, 2006

Where's the Heat?

I'll tell you where the heat is-in your indoor cycling/spinning sessions that you persevere with all winter long...I mean, don't you pour sweat in these the same way you do outdoors in the peak of summer? I've not been to one of these indoor winter sessions where my sweat rate is any less than it is outdoors in the peak of summer. This means that my total fluid and electrolyte losses will be pretty much the same when comparing outdoor summertime peak heat to indoor wintertime peak heat, which means one thing: Heat Endurance in and Heat Recovery from the indoor heat of winter training is exactly the same as that from outdoor summer heat. So, hydrate, and recover, appropriately.

Friday, October 27, 2006

The Facts About Protein, Aminos Acids and EMEND™

I would take a moment to clarify something about EMEND™, our Heat Recovery Formula, and amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks that make up proteins. Typically, these aminos are not separately listed on the ingredient labels of protein containing products. One exception is when individual amino acids are added to the product, over and above what is normally found in the protein used. For example, in EMEND™, we use high quality whey protein isolate (after an extensive international search to find this protein). This high quality whey protein isolate supplies an industry leading amount of component amino acids, and therefore we do not add extra amino acids to the formula. It is for this reason that EMEND™ does not have these aminos listed separately.

For your convenience, we have listed them out for you below so that you can see exactly what you are getting from each serving (3.8grams/8 oz) of the particular brand and type of whey protein isolate we use. For more information on protein, see “Science of EMEND™” under “Protein” and “Crash Course” at www.emend.cc .

Amino Acid per serving EMEND™
Alanine 161.25 mg
Arginine 78.75 mg
Aspartic acid 378.75 mg
Cysteine 101.25 mg
Glutamic acid 562.5 mg
Glycine 56.25 mg
Histidine ^ 75 mg
Isoleucine * ^ 183.75 mg
Leucine * ^ 405 mg
Lysine ^ 378.75 mg
Methionine ^ 78.75 mg
Phenylalanine ^ 120 mg
Proline 150 mg
Serine 93.75 mg
Threonine ^ 150 mg
Tryptophan ^ 150 mg
Tyrosine 120 mg
Valine * ^ 187.5 mg

Total 3431.25 mg
Total BCAA/serving* 776.25 mg
Total Glutamine/serving 562.5 mg (as Glutamic Acid)
Total Essential amino acids/serving 1728.75 mg

* Branched chain amino acids (BCCA’s)
^ Essential amino acids

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Bitch Kittie...

Well, I've never met the woman, but I can tell you that any woman edgy and honest enough to talk about her colonoscopy, amidst postings about hangover cures and positive words about our juice, is alright with me.

Meow...www.bitch-kittie.blogspot.com

DWS.

A Pain In The Gut

Stomach and intestinal distress are quite common in the athletic world. The following is a summary of common symptoms, causes, prevention and treatment.

Symptoms

Many of you have experienced the nausea, cramping, bloating, pain and diarrhea that can accompany this syndrome. These symptoms are the ones directly related to your gastrointestinal tract malfunctioning, and therefore I will call these “primary” symptoms. The symptoms which you may not attribute to gastrointestinal (GI) tract dysfunction, but that can be very much related, are bonking (low blood sugar), muscle cramping, muscle burning and dizziness, all potentially contributing to reduced performance. These symptoms I will call “secondary” symptoms. Secondary symptoms can be indirectly related to GI tract dysfunction through malabsorption, where your stomach and intestines are not adequately digesting and absorbing the fluid and nutrients required to sustain performance. Therefore, your stomach/intestines play a huge role in optimizing (or not) your training and competing.

Causes

Several causes for digestive system dysfunction in the athlete exist.

Blood Flow

“Blood flow” causes stem from the fact that the stomach and intestines (and other “digestive” organs like the pancreas, gall bladder and liver) require a certain amount of blood flow to function optimally. During exercise, blood flow is shunted away from your digestive system in order to supply your muscles with oxygen/energy, to remove waste products of metabolism from your muscles, and to supply your skin with blood to aid in cooling/sweating. The gastrointestinal tract is not generally forced to digest and absorb fluid/nutrients with so little blood flow, which is a big reason athletes working hard run into trouble. Bear in mind that the more intense you are working (the higher your percentage of VO2 max), the more these symptoms can be a problem, once again due to progressively decreasing GI tract blood flow. The length of the event is also important (longer equals higher chance of symptoms, likely related to extended reductions in blood flow to the organs of the digestive system). Finally, the mechanical compression exerted on your abdominal region resulting from the forward position cyclists often adopt may also play a role in impairing blood flow to your GI tract.

Prevention of blood flow related GI tract dysfunction means you must train your stomach and intestines to work with less blood. This means during training, drink and eat as if you were in a race. Secondly, you may have to slow down or stand down during a race, reducing the blood required in your muscles and skin, and allowing more blood to flow to flow to your gut. This can help reverse what may seem like a very “uncooperative” digestive system. Finally, I advise cyclists to sit up for 30-60 seconds, out of the forward position, at least once every 15-20 minutes, especially if you are GI tract sensitive, if the race format permits.

Anxiety

Anxiety and nervousness have an incredible effect on the digestive system, as nervous impulses can alter the way your stomach and intestines work, often leading to the primary symptoms of nausea, cramping, bloating, pain and diarrhea. Also, various hormones secreted in response to exercise and anxiety, such as adrenalin, can also have a negative effect on the GI tract. Most athletes have had at least one episode of loose stools/diarrhea prior to a competition, which is attributable to these nervous/hormonal factors.

Prevention of anxiety related GI tract dysfunction is obvious-understandably, controlling race anxiety is easier said then done. However, if this seems to be a big problem for you, get some help. Sport Psychologists can help teach you to control, and harness, all of that nervous energy, and use it to your advantage.

Anxiety explains the common complaint heard in Sports Medicine offices around the world that “everything seemed fine in training, but my gut just shuts down during competition”. Assuming that your nutritional plan did not change compared to training, anxiety may well have been the culprit. Never underestimate the power of anxiety and its role in shutting down your digestive system when the “stakes” appear to be high.

Carbohydrate Source and Concentration

Your choice and concentration of carbs ingested can play a dramatic role in the functioning of your GI tract. Fructose, or fruit sugar, is a sweet sugar found in many sports nutritional products. It also happens to be a well known irritant to the stomach and intestines. Gut troubled athletes should not ingest this sugar during training/competition. Natural sources of fructose include bananas and other fruits-these should also be avoided.

Additional potential problems with carbohydrates include ‘resistant starch’, which is long chain carbohydrates that escape full digestion, and pass into your large intestine, where they can cause bloating, flatulence, nausea and diarrhea. This process will also contribute to dehydration, as these carbohydrate remnants pull water into the large intestine with them, reducing available water for absorption into your body. The more longer chain carbohydrates you ingest, the more this can play a role. Examples of such carbohydrates are maltodextrins, amylopectin starches and amylose. All gels contain high concentrations of these carbohydrates, and can contribute to this phenomenon. Gels, however, have to be made out of these types of carbohydrates for a variety of reasons, so you may not have much choice here but to experiment between different manufacturers re finding the one that is suited to you. Sports drinks, however, do not have to be made of these long chain carbohydrates, and better choices for sports drinks are the short chain carbohydrates, like dextrose, which is not resistant to digestion. Eload's(TM) carbohydrate blend was specifically designed to reduce the stresses on your GI tract, especially in the heat. These carbs also aid in the absorption of the critical electrolytes.

Concentration of carbohydrates ingested is also important. All gels have a whopping concentration of carbohydrates in them, and highly concentrated carbohydrate substances like these can be very irritating to GI tract. Ingesting your gels with some of your sports drink, or small amounts of water, can help dilute them in your stomach and hopefully reduce this potential irritation.

Also, your sports drink should have no more than a 6% solution of carbohydrate in it (some have up to 8%). Basically, this means a maximum of 60 grams carbohydrate/liter. Higher percentages of carbohydrates can contribute to GI tract disturbances. Eload's(TM) carbohydrate solution falls in right at an optimal 5.6%.

Too Much “Stuff” In Your Sports Drink

The more “stuff” packed into a drink, the more potential for irritation. This is due to a concept called osmolarity, and its close cousin, osmolality. Both of these concepts involve the number of particles (atoms and/or molecules) dissolved in a solution. The more particles in a solution, the higher the osmolarity/osmolality, and the more potentially irritating to the gut. Some companies are trying to make their drinks the answer to everyone’s nutritional needs, manufacturing drinks containing everything from protein to chromium. A sports drink used during training and competition should be as “clean” as possible, supplying the necessary essentials of carbohydrate, electrolytes, water and lactic acid buffers ONLY. Adding more than this adds more potential for gut irritation as your stomach and intestines are forced to contend with non-essential ingredients. Sure, you need protein, and trace minerals like chromium, as well as a whole host of other things, for optimal health. However, the time to ingest these is not during training/competition, especially if you are gut sensitive-your post race/daily diet needs to supply all of these other nutrients. Save your gastrointestinal tract during training, and especially racing, for only those things that are absolutely necessary for optimal competition. Take a look at the ingredient list for Eload(TM)at the bottom of this article. You will see that it was designed with these facts in mind.

The “Empty Stomach” Syndrome

This syndrome results from not having at least a partially filled stomach at all times during your competition. Gastric (stomach) emptying decreases exponentially as the volume of stomach contents decreases. Therefore, you must maintain your gastric volume i.e. always have something in your stomach. Again, this underscores the importance of training with food and fluids. Start your competition with something in your stomach, and make sure you keep it “topped up” with relevant fluid and food throughout the duration.

Lactic Acid Buildup

It is well established that gastric emptying is reduced with rising lactic acid levels. Lactic acid is a product of glycolytic anaerobic metabolism (glucose metabolism without oxygen), and more is produced as your exertion level rises closer to VO2max. Cyclists/Runners/Triathletes are very familiar with the concept of anaerobic threshold, and crossing this threshold dramatically increases lactic acid output. This must be controlled, and substances ingested that buffer lactic acid, such as MultiCitrate, are helpful. Also, stemming the production of lactic acid is also important, and this ties into the concept of selectively reducing your exertion level when possible to allow for breaks in lactic acid production and increases in lactic acid clearance from the blood. Eload(TM) is the only product on the market to contain MultiCitrate(TM).

Ingesting Caffeine

Ingesting caffeine containing substances may contribute to your GI tract problems, as caffeine helps induce relaxation of your gastroesophageal sphincter (the valve between your esophagus and stomach) which can contribute to heartburn and stomach pain. Many sports nutritional products contain caffeine, presumably for its stimulatory effect and effect on free fatty acid metabolism (it should also be noted that caffeine may also have an inhibitory effect on carbohydrate metabolism-probably not good for endurance athletes). Again, if you are stomach sensitive, you may need to avoid caffeine, both in your daily diet, and during training/competition.

Dehydration, Electrolyte Depletion and Bonking

Failure to maintain adequate hydration, electrolyte and blood sugar levels all can contribute to GI tract shutdown, and GI tract shutdown can contribute to dehydration, electrolyte depletion and bonking…thus, a vicious cycle develops, and this cycle has ruined many competitions for many individuals. The gastrointestinal tract is highly dependant on normal hydration, electrolyte (especially sodium and potassium) and glucose levels for optimal function. Falling hydration, electrolyte and glucose levels only increase the risk of GI tract shutdown. Once in this state, it is difficult, if not impossible, to digest and absorb necessary fluid and nutrients to fuel your performance-bloating, nausea, flatulence and diarrhea usually result. Ask yourself: “Am I replacing what I am losing?” Bear in mind that your sweat has an average of 700-1100 mg of Sodium/liter, and 180-315 mg of potassium/liter. Most sports drinks contain a maximum of 1/3-1/2 of these values. If you are not sure, consult a good Sports Medicine Doctor, Sports Dietician or Naturopath who has an interest in endurance athletics.

Medical Causes of GI Tract Shutdown

While the above causes may be applicable to you, you may have other, more “medical” reasons for your gut problems. Seeing a good Sports Medicine doctor is the best place to start. Various conditions like reflux esophagitis, ulcers, gastritis, dysmotility syndromes and gallstones can all cause primary and secondary GI tract symptoms. All are treatable, once diagnosed.

How do you know when to see your doctor? Simply, if you have symptoms outside of exercising times, or, if you have tried incorporating the suggestions above during exercise, and you are still struggling.

In Conclusion…

Primary and secondary symptoms of GI tract dysfunction are not uncommon in cyclists. My advice is to do your best to prevent this syndrome from even starting, using the above tips, as once symptoms of this syndrome start, they are often difficult to stop!

Nutritional Facts for Eload(TM)
Serving Size 1 packet/30 grams (makes 16 ounces)
Calories 108
Total Fat 0 grams
Sodium 370mg
Potassium 96.5mg
Total Carbohydrates 27 grams
Dietary Fiber 0 grams
Sugars 27 grams
Protein 0 grams
Calcium (as Calcium Carbonate) 25mg
Magnesium (as Magnesium Citrate) 12.5mg
Zinc (as Zinc Citrate) 0.5mg
Ingredients: Dextrose, Sucrose, Citric Acid,
Sodium Citrate, Salt, Natural Flavor, Potassium Chloride,
Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium Citrate, Zinc Citrate.

Monday, October 23, 2006

Cramp Killing

If you have never felt the pain and discomfort of cramping during your cycling training or competitions, consider yourself lucky. Cramping will definitely slow you down, unfocus your mind, and often will lead to the dreaded “DNF”; or, worse, the medical tent or nearest hospital. No doubt many of you have experienced these feelings and situations, especially if you are cranking out the bigger miles in hotter temperatures. Fortunately, there is help!

The History of Cramping

For as long as “hot endurance” events have been around, cramping has kept company. This is contrasted to “cold endurance” events, which tax the system in very different ways compared to those performed in the heat and are rarely associated with cramping. Based on my experience tending to cyclists suffering from heat related illnesses, the incidence of cramping in hot endurance sports is increasing. This would have to be related to the increasing length of endurance events coupled with the hotter temperatures in which they are run.

Where and Why Do You Cramp?

Cramping typically occurs in muscles being used the most. For example, tennis players can experience cramping in their forearms. Runners may experience them in their calves, and cyclists in their quads. Cramping typically hits later in the event, when fatigue and other physiological disturbances (see below) are at their peak.

There two cramping theories currently talked about. The more established theory, which I will call the “Electrolyte Theory”, relates cramping to electrolyte disturbances. These occur due to sweating, and inadequate replenishment of the lost electrolytes. The electrolytes mentioned most are sodium and potassium, as normal levels of both of these ions are crucial for normal neuromuscular function. Some relevant “sweat facts” are as follows:

1. Human sweat typically contains anywhere from 700-1200 milligrams of sodium per liter, but may be as high as 2500-3000 mg/liter. It also contains 180-240 milligrams of potassium per liter.
2. Most sports drinks contain between 200-400 milligrams per liter of sodium, and 50-120 milligrams per liter of potassium.
3. Average sweat rates are about 1 liter per hour in the heat, though there will be wide variation from person to person.
4. Your gastrointestinal tract (stomach/intestines) is limited in the amount of fluid it can absorb-an average for most people would be around 1 liter per hour, though, again, wide variation does occur.
5. You probably do not drink a liter of fluid per hour.

And therein lies the problem. If cramping is due to electrolyte imbalances (and this author believes very much that it plays a key role) then the above numbers tell the story of how easy it is to drop your sodium and potassium levels with prolonged sweating. This is not helped by a low rehydration rate and the low electrolyte levels in your sports drink. You have a problem.

Furthermore, while sodium and potassium are likely the most important electrolytes to consider, calcium, zinc and magnesium are also worth considering, as there are many anecdotal reports of how supplementing with these minerals has helped cramping athletes.

A newer theory, which I will call the “Spinal Reflex Theory”, explains cramping as being the result of neurological alterations which occur at the spinal cord level, and these alterations secondarily cause muscles to cramp. The physiology with this one is somewhat involved, but the idea is that fatiguing muscle sends various nervous signals to the spinal cord, which secondarily sends reflex nervous impulses back to the muscle that causes spasm and cramping.

Both of these theories are relevant, but in my opinion, do not tell the whole story. Human physiology is complex and composed of many interdependent processes. Other important factors to consider are:

1. Dehydration, resulting from large volumes of water lost in sweat
2. Lactic Acidosis (lactic acid build-up) resulting from working close to or at your anaerobic/lactate threshold
3. Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), or bonking, or hitting the wall, resulting from inadequate replacement of easily absorbed, useable carbohydrates

Combine these with electrolyte abnormalities, and you have the recipe for cramping. Any “spinal reflex” contribution, if it exists, would have to be affected by these abnormal physiological states anyway. Therefore, cramping, along with the many other heat related symptoms including headaches, nausea, dizziness, vomiting and diarrhea, is likely related to all of these abnormalities working together.

Prevention

If these four abnormal physiological states are responsible for cramping, prevention is a fourfold proposition:

1. To prevent dehydration-DRINK! You may be fine allowing yourself to become slightly dehydrated-certainly enough has been written on the topic and exactly matching losses with replacement fluid may not be 100% necessary. But, trying to get as close as possible to replacing what you are losing is still the goal i.e. if you lose a liter per hour, you must try to put back at as close to this amount as you can tolerate. Weighing yourself before and after your event will give you an idea of how much water loss you have experience. Remember, 1 liter of fluid = 1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds. For help in determining hydration needs you can use a hydration calculator tool like the one at www.eload.net under "Nutrition Calculators".
2. To reduce electrolyte depletion, use a sports drink that contains physiological quantities of electrolyte, specifically eLoad(TM). As mentioned, you will run into problems using drinks that have significantly less electrolyte in them than what you are losing in your sweat. Furthermore, look for a drink that recognizes that the ratio of sodium: potassium in sweat is about 4:1, which means that the ratio in the drink should be about the same. Some drinks have more potassium than sodium in them, ignoring these fundamental physiological ratios. Additionally, addition of zinc, magnesium and calcium is beneficial. Salt tablets are an inexact way of replenishing lost sodium, and may not contain other valuable electrolytes.
3. To reduce lactic acid accumulation, use a sports drink that contains a lactic acid buffer, again, eLoad(TM). Not many do. MultiCitrate is an excellent buffer, as this compound is converted in your body to bicarbonate, and bicarbonate is the most important substance in the body for buffering lactic acid. Bicarbonate itself is not generally included in sports drinks because it is irritating to the gastrointestinal tract, therefore MultiCitrate is definitely the way to go.
4. To reduce hypoglycemia, use a sports drink that has easily absorbed and readily useable carbohydrates in them. High glycemic, easily digested and absorbed, glucose (dextrose) remains the best choice. Dextrose is the carbohydrate used in intravenous fluids when rapid carbohydrate replacement is required. Dextrose easily passes through your gut wall into the blood stream, and requires no processing by your liver before your muscles can use it. It is also non-irritating to your gut, and is not too sweet. Carbohydrates to avoid include fructose, or fruit sugar, which is very sweet, can cause gastrointestinal irritation and requires processing by your liver before your muscles can use it. You want a sugar that requires minimal processing so the energy is available when you need it-NOW! Additionally, ingesting a lot of long chain carbohydrates, like maltodextrin, amylopectin and amylose, can contribute to gastrointestinal upset by leaving undigested remnants in your intestine. This is especially prevalent when you are involved in high intensity work. ELoad(TM) was formulated taking these points into consideration.


In conclusion, cramping is a prevalent problem in endurance athletes of all kinds. The abnormal physiological processes that contribute are dehydration, electrolyte imbalances (especially sodium), lactic acidosis and hypoglycemia. When present together, all of these factors act synergistically to alter the way in which muscles contract and relax, leading to cramping. Optimal prevention means addressing all of these processes as thoroughly as possible, and a properly formulated sports drink is the first place to start. Eload(TM) was specifically designed to address these issues.

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Eload(TM) and Diabetes

Question: Is eload(TM) Heat Endurance Formula safe to use by a person who has diabetes?

Answer: Yes, eload(TM) is 100% safe for type I and type II diabetics. Contrary to resting times, when we recommend a low glycemic index diet for all diabetics, high glycemic carbohydrate energy is the cornerstone of nutritional support for all exercising diabetics. The principal carbohydrate in eload (TM) is dextrose (also called glucose) which is the carbohydrate circulating now in your bloodstream, and the one needed most by all exercising individuals, especially diabetics. Dextrose has a glycemic index (GI) of 100, making it among the highest GI of carbohydrates found in our daily diets. Use eload(TM) during exercise, and monitor your blood glucose during and after use just to make sure that it remains stable. And in the heat, eload(TM) will optimize your function even further due to it's electrolyte profile.

Any other questions, please let me know.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Help!

We now have our products eLoad(TM), EMEND(TM) and Zone Caps(TM) listed on two popular product review sites: Road Bike Review and MTB Review.

I'd like to take this opportunity to ask for help in submitting reviews on our products...please? Those of you who have used eload(TM), EMEND(TM) and/or Zone Caps(TM) are already familiar with the performance of our products, especially in the heat. For those who aren't, I hope that you get a better understanding of what our products can offer you by reading the reviews that are submitted.

The links for Road Bike Review and MTB Review can be found on the panel to the right under the "Links" section.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Hydration In The Fall And Winter

Can products made for the heat also be used in cooler temperatures?

eload(TM) Heat Endurance and EMEND(TM) Heat Recovery Formulas were specifically designed for the heat. We created this drink category, and I am proud to say that we are the leader and the authority on this issue. I’m sure you’d agree that hydration and nutrition are most difficult when the temps hit their peak.

Simply put, a product made for the heat will always be useful in cooler temperatures, but not vice versa. The reason is that in the heat, digestion and absorption of electrolytes, water and carbohydrates is challenged at the best of times, and the eload(TM) Heat Endurance and EMEND(TM) Heat Recovery Formulas are designed to work within these limitations. In cooler weather, there are far fewer issues for the gastrointestinal tract to deal with, so these temperatures are much more conducive to normal digestion and absorption. This is why most people suffering in the heat from a gastrointestinal perspective, experiencing things like cramps, bloating and diarrhea, are far less likely to experience these things in cooler weather. eload (TM) and EMEND (TM) do very well in the heat, and therefore are a given to do well in cooler temperatures.

However, simply tolerating sports nutrition products in the cold has little predictive value in whether or not you will be able to tolerate them in the heat. Many formulation features of today’s sport nutrition products contributing to gastrointestinal upset may go unnoticed in the cold, but will become very obvious in the heat.