Do I really need the commercially available sports drinks and gels?

Gary enjoying a drink while cycling around Samoa

Enquiry: Dear Mr. Moller, I would like to hear your opinion/recommendation for drinking and eating during high intensity and during long training sessions. Do I really need the commercially available sports drinks and gels? 
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Gary:

I am generally not a fan of sports drink and gels which are often grossly over-priced and responsible for rampant tooth decay and gum disease.  Water is generally best for most training and events unless you are going to extremes in terms of duration.

I am, however, very much in favour of using the following product before and after training and competition.  If I do need an energy source during an intense or long event generally lasting more than an hour then I will use this:

http://www.garymoller.com/Products/Products/B/Balance-Ultimate-Recovery-Stack-Orange-Crush-175.aspx

It covers all bases and doubles up fine as a sports drink.

When you drink it, please do not sip or swill it around the teeth.  Swallow it quickly and, ideally, rinse the residue with a swill or two of plain water to prevent tooth decay.

I trust this helps.

About this website 

The advice in these articles is given freely without promise or obligation. Its all about giving you and your family the tools and information to take control of your health and fitness.

Candida and Fungal Infections? Gary Moller recommends you explore this programme: Click Here!

Do you think beetroot juice improves athletic performance?

"Do you think drinking beet juice is a good thing? And can you get the benefits from a tablet"

Richard

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Gary replies:

Richard, I would not be surprised if drinking beet juice will bring about an improvement in athletic endurance. This is because most athletes are lacking sufficient nutrients in their bodies to supply the needs of intense and exhausting exercise.

Nitrates (natural ones found in food including beetroot) are essential for maintaining flexible and relaxed arteries and nitric oxide for directing blood to the right places. If the diet is poor in foods containing these nutrients then performance is, of course, going to improve if big doses are then introduced into the diet.

The other action which is not discussed in the article is the powerful antioxidant effect of all plants that are bright; especially the deep red and black pigmented vegetables, fruits and berries - that includes beetroot. Intense exercise causes a storm of free radicals that the body soaks up and neutralises using antioxidants. If antioxidant capacity is poor, exhaustion will rapidly set in and recovery will be poor.

If you think the results of the beetroot study are good, then read on....

I am a good example of the benefits of careful assessment of nutrient needs, first with a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis almost three years ago and then adding specific nutrients to meet the needs of work and sport. Being 56 years old and having trained and competed in sport non-stop since my early teens one can be assured that I have peaked long ago! At 56, I should be slowing down, so any performance improvements from here on have to be taken very seriously.

Now, here is the record today as compared to the exact competition situation two seasons ago in mountain biking: I am riding as fast as I was 20 years ago and fully 15-20 minutes faster over each of a series of five races as compared to when I was 54 years old. Each race is less than two hours duration and one can ride a very long way in 15-20 minutes. I am not doing any extra training. I am just healthier.

The reason for the performance gains is mostly due to improved nutrition, including a couple of "sports specials".

As a matter of interest, beta alanine is the amino acid the body uses for producing nitric oxide. This is sold on its own and in Balance Recovery Stack.

The most effective antioxidant for improving performance and protecting the muscles from damage is Astazanthin.

Other great sources of antioxidants are found in dark berries and all bright berries, including the skin of kumara. Load up Berry Brights and Fruitful Greens are concentrated sources of antioxidants that can be added to your Super Smoothies.

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Berries and Fruit the key to slowing or even stopping skin ageing

"Data is mounting that phytochemicals found in a host of berries and other fruits can enhance health from the inside. Now comes research just presented at the Experimental Biology 2009 meeting being held in New Orleans that a specific type of antioxidant phytochemical called ellagic acid holds the promise of enhancing our bodies on the outside, too. In fact, it may hold the key to successfully slowing down or even stopping skin aging." Go here for the full article
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Gary comments:
While we hear many over-inflated claims for over-priced berries such as the Goji, Noni and Acai, there is no dispute that dark berries and brightly coloured fruits are very good for you. The same health claims can be applied to green vegetables which are particularly important for digestive health and the control of inflammation which happens to be the principal driver of cardiovascular disease (not cholesterol btw).

The best value for green and berry extracts that I have yet to find is the Nutra-Life Loadup Berry Brights and Fruitful Greens. What our family does is make up a large fruit salad with a few scoops of Loadup mixed in to make a deliciously rich and nutritious dessert and snack. My favourite for refreshment after sport is a large glass of water with a scoop of Loadup and Balance Ultimate Recovery Stack.

As a matter of interest, I have no longer had to do my regular visits to the skin specialist to get bits and pieces burned off. My skin is almost 100% clear - a claim I could not make on my 50th birthday 6 years ago.

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Email Gary: gary at myotec.co.nz (Replace the "at" with @ and remove spaces). Please include any relevant background information to your question.