EFFECT OF A NUTRITIONAL INTERVENTION ON PHYSICAL RECOVERY – EVALUATION OF A CARBOHYDRATE-PROTEIN ISOTONIC DRINK
A. Meheust Ann Nutr Metab 2013;63(suppl 1):700
Optimising the recovery period between training sessions is key to maintain an optimal performance at each session. Nutrition is one of the main strategies for recovery to restore hydration status, glycogen stores and to enhance proteo-synthesis. An isotonic drink Complex Recuperation® (CR), formulated according to these targeted functions, has been tested on well-trained cyclists to evaluate its effects on performance after fatigue.
Methods: 10 well-trained cyclists (men: 22.4 ±3.2 y.o ) performed 3 sessions, each separated by one week. During the first session each subject underwent a full medical check, a training on a 30 min Time Trial (TT) and the evaluation of maximal aerobic speed. During the two next sessions, after a specific protocol leading to glycogen depletion (Jentjens et al., 2001) cyclists were randomly assigned in two recovery strategies, in a cross-over design. One was a specific dose of carbohydrates and protein (CR) and the other one was a placebo (PL), to be ingested immediately after the glycogen depletion protocol, every 15 min and during 3 hours. Each of these 2 sessions was realized during 2 days, where diet was controlled. Dependant variables were a 30 min TT and an all out test to identify Maximal Muscular Cycling Power (MMCP). Subjective parameters of fatigue, perceived effort and investment were also evaluated.
Results: After CR ingestion, MMCP was maintained (+1.1%, NS) whereas significant alteration was observed after PL (-5.3%, p < 0.05). A similar pattern was observed for TT with a performance maintained after CR (+0.4%, NS) but decreased after PL (-3.9%, p < 0.05).
Conclusions: Results indicate a significant maintained performance for TT and MMCP after CR ingestion. This could be related to an adequate replenishment of the muscle glycogen stores by the carbohydrates and protein drink.