Nutrition for Recovery

Accelerate your recovery with tips from one of Moji’s nutrition experts.

Allegra Burton, M.P.H., R.D.
Santa Monica, CA

KEY POINTS

• When and what you eat after exercise play a key role in recovery.
• The timing and composition of the post-exercise meal or snack depend on the duration and intensity of exercise and when the next exercise session will occur.
• Eating the right nutrients in a timely manner after exercise can help speed recovery and maximize training gains.
• Consuming carbohydrates and protein in a ratio of 4:1 is ideal for replenishing glycogen stores and repairing and building muscle.
• Replacing fluid lost during exercise is equally vital to recovery

INTRODUCTION

When and what you eat after exercise are as important as what you eat before activity, and play a key role in recovery. You can speed your recovery and maximize your training gains after a hard workout or a competition if you eat and drink for recovery. The timing and composition of the post-exercise meal or snack depend on the duration and intensity of exercise and when the next exercise session will occur. Longer, more intense exercise sessions (e.g., running a marathon) deplete glycogen stores, whereas less glycogen is depleted during a 60-90 minute run. The sooner the next exercise session will occur, the sooner the post-exercise meal or snack should be eaten (1). For people who rest one or more days between intense exercise sessions, it is not as necessary to practice nutrient timing with regard to glycogen replenishment as long as they consume sufficient carbohydrates during the 24-hour period after exercise (2).

WHEN TO EAT AFTER EXERCISE

The optimal time to eat at least a snack is within 30 minutes after activity. Muscles are most receptive to replenishing depleted glycogen stores in a 15-30 minute window immediately following exercise (3,4). During this time, blood flow to muscles is enhanced and muscle cells can absorb more glucose because they are more sensitive to the effects of insulin, a hormone that directs the movement of glucose from the bloodstream to the cells. This process promotes the synthesis of glycogen. It takes up to 24 hours of refueling with carbohydrate-rich foods to completely replenish muscle glycogen stores. The longer an athlete waits to eat after exercise, the less glycogen that is stored and the longer it takes to recover.

WHAT TO EAT AFTER EXERCISE

Carbohydrates

Your initial post-exercise snack should be carbohydrate rich. After a hard workout, aim for 0.5-0.7 g carbohydrate/lb body weight (1.0-1.5 g carb/kg). Experts recommend consuming that amount of carbohydrates every two hours for the next four to six hours, or until the next full meal. Consuming this amount of carbohydrates during this time period results in higher glycogen levels after exercise than when consumption is delayed for two hours (4).

Protein

While eating carbohydrate-rich foods after exercise is important, research shows that including a small amount of protein along with carbohydrates in recovery meals and snacks enhances muscle repair and growth (1,5). Eating protein in combination with carbohydrates after exercise can increase the rate at which your muscles store glycogen and speed up the recovery and repair of muscle tissue. Experts recommend eating one gram of protein per four grams of carbohydrate (a 4:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein).

Recovery Foods

Good examples of post-exercise beverages/foods that provide both carbohydrates and protein include low fat yogurt; low fat chocolate milk; fresh or dried fruit and nuts; nutrition/sports bars; whole grain cereal with skim, 1% or soy milk; or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Rehydration

Replenishing fluid lost during exercise is an essential part of recovery. Weigh yourself before and after exercise to estimate how much fluid you lost during exercise. A good rule of thumb for replacing sweat losses is to drink approximately 16 to 24 oz (450 to 675 mL) of fluid for every pound (0.5 kg) of body weight lost during exercise (6). Another good test – if your urine looks pale yellow, like lemonade, you are probably well-hydrated; if your urine looks dark yellow, like apple cider, you need to drink more fluids.

WHAT TO DRINK

For exercise lasting one hour or less, water is generally adequate to replace lost fluid. If exercise lasts more than one hour and/or is higher in intensity, good choices include a sports drink, fruit juice or chocolate milk, all of which provide fluid, carbohydrates and electrolytes.

A study that examined the effects of three different recovery drinks on endurance performance following glycogen-depleting exercise over three experimental trials found that the participants – trained cyclists – consuming chocolate milk sustained exercise for 51% and 43% longer than after consuming carbohydrate replacement and fluid replacement drinks, respectively. The study concluded that chocolate milk is an effective recovery aid after prolonged endurance exercise for subsequent exercise at low-moderate intensities (7). Chocolate milk has an optimal 4:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio. Another study found that consuming milk after exercise can help  mitigate exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD). The results found that when consumed immediately after resistance-based muscle damaging exercise, semi-skimmed milk and a milk-based carbohydrate-protein supplement helped to preserve more muscle than either a sports drink or water (8).

SUMMARY

Consuming a combination of carbohydrate and protein in a ratio of 4:1 within 30 minutes after exercise is ideal for replenishing glycogen stores and repairing and building muscle. The longer the duration and the greater the intensity of exercise, the more carbohydrate and protein required for recovery.   The sooner the next exercise session is to begin, the more important it is to consume the right nutrients in a timely manner to prepare for the next exercise session.

REFERENCES

Position of the American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009;109:509-527.

Burke LM, Collier GR, Davis PG, Fricker PA, Sanigorski AJ, Hargreaves M. Muscle glycogen storage after prolonged exercise: Effect of the frequency of carbohydrate feedings. Am J Clin Nutr. 1996;64:115-119.

Jentjens R, Jeukendrup A. Determinants of post-exercise glycogen synthesis during short-term recovery. Sports Med. 2003;33:117-144.

Ivy JL, Katz AL, Cutler CL, Sherman WM, Coyle EF. Muscle glycogen synthesis after exercise: Effect of time of carbohydrate ingestion. J Appl Physiol. 1988;64:1480-1485.

Rodriguez NR, Vislocky LM, Gaine PC. Dietary protein, endurance exercise, and human skeletal-muscle protein turnover. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2007;10:40-45.

Sawka MN, Burke LM, Eichner ER, Maughan RJ, Montain SJ, Stachenfeld NS. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Exercise and fluid replacement. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007;39:377-390.

homas K, Morris P, Stevenson E. Improved endurance capacity following chocolate milk consumption compared with 2 commercially available sports drinks. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2009;34:78-82.

Cockburn E, Hayes PR, French DN, Stevenson E, Gibson ASC. Acute milk-based protein-CHO supplementation attenuates exercise-induced muscle damage. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2008;33(4):775-783.

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Nutrition for Health and Fitness

Accelerate your recovery with tips from one of Moji’s nutrition experts.

Allegra Burton, M.P.H., R.D.
Santa Monica, CA

KEY POINTS

• Eating right is a vital part of staying healthy and physically active.
• Your body performs at its best when fueled with proper nutrition.
• In order to achieve optimal levels of health and fitness, it is important to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet to ensure you are getting enough of the right kinds of macronutrients – lean protein, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates.
• Eating right will help maintain blood sugar and energy levels during exercise, maximize performance and improve recovery time.
• It is also important to stay well-hydrated at all times

INTRODUCTION

To maintain health and fitness, eat regularly scheduled meals and snacks throughout the day that meet calorie and macronutrient needs in order to maintain body weight, replenish energy stores, and provide adequate protein to build and repair tissue (1). In general, active adults should eat a diet high in carbohydrates, moderate in protein, and low in fat. The amount of total calories will vary depending on body weight, gender, and activity level. Men generally need more calories than women; more active athletes need more calories than less active people. The more energy used in activity, the more energy needed to achieve energy balance. For very active athletes, inadequate energy intake compromises performance and negates the benefits of training. If the body does not get enough energy in the form of calories, it will use lean tissue and fat for fuel. Loss of lean tissue mass results in the loss of strength and endurance, as well as compromised immune, endocrine, and musculoskeletal function (2).

CARBOHYDRATES

Why are carbohydrates important?

The body’s preferred fuel for any endurance sport such as running, swimming, skiing and cycling is muscle glycogen. Glycogen is the body’s storage form of carbohydrate. If muscle glycogen breakdown exceeds its replacement, glycogen stores become depleted. The result is fatigue and inability to maintain training and racing intensity. In order to replenish and maintain glycogen stores, an active individual’s diet needs to be carbohydrate rich.

How much carbohydrate should I eat?

Carbohydrates should provide 55-65% of total calories. To figure out the approximate amount that is right for you, multiply your weight in kilograms by 7, or multiply your weight in pounds by 3.2 to give the recommended number of grams of carbohydrates per day. The best sources of carbohydrate are grain products (preferably whole grains), such as whole grain bread, brown rice, whole grain cereals and pasta, as well as white and sweet potatoes (with the skin), fruits,vegetables, legumes and low fat dairy foods. Food labels tell you how many grams of total carbohydrate are in a serving of that food. Each day, an active person should eat approximately 6-11 servings of grain products, 3-5 servings of fruit and 3-5 servings of vegetables, and 2-3 servings of low fat dairy foods.
In general,

• a serving of a grain product, such as a slice of bread of 1/2 cup cooked rice or pasta, and a serving of fruit, such as a piece of fruit or 3/4 cup fruit juice, each provides 15 grams carbohydrate.
• a serving of dairy, such as 1 cup of low fat milk or yogurt or 1.5 ounces of cheese provides 12 grams carbohydrate.
• a serving of vegetables, such as 1 cup of leafy raw vegetables, 1/2 cup chopped vegetables, or 3/4 cup vegetable juice provides 5 grams carbohydrate.
• NOTE: starchy vegetables such as peas and corn, as well as dried beans such as lentils or garbanzo beans provide greater amounts of carbohydrates, about 15-20 grams per 1/2 cup serving.

PROTEIN

Why is protein important?

Protein is needed for muscle growth and repair. Regular physical training tends to reduce muscle protein breakdown and protein loss from the body. While some protein breakdown may occur during exercise, protein build-up is enhanced during recovery and the effectiveness of protein synthesis is increased. When muscle glycogen stores are high, protein contributes no more than 5% of the energy needed. However, when muscle glycogen stores are low, due to inadequate calorie and carbohydrate intake, protein is used for energy rather than for muscle growth and repair and may contribute as much as 10% of the energy needed for exercise. Such use of protein for fuel is expensive and inefficient (3).

How much protein do I need to eat?

Protein should contribute 12-15% of total calories per day. To figure out the amount for you, multiply your weight in kilograms by 1.3, or multiply your weight in pounds by 0.6 to calculate the approximate number of grams of protein you should consume per day. Good sources of protein include fish, skinless poultry, lean meat, eggs, soy (such as tofu) and low fat dairy products, all of which contain all of the essential amino acids and thus are complete proteins. Other good protein sources are nuts, seeds and dried beans. As with carbohydrates, food labels tell you how many grams of protein are in a serving. An active person should consume 2-4 servings per day. One serving of lean meat, fish or poultry is 3 ounces, roughly the size of a deck of playing cards.
In general,

• A 3 once serving of a poultry, fish or lean meat, e.g. a small fish fillet, 1 medium pork chop, 1 small hamburger or 1/2 of a whole chicken breast provides 21 grams of protein.
• 1/2 cup of cooked beans, 1 ounce of cheese, 1 egg, 2 egg whites, 4 ounces of tofu or 2 tablespoons of peanut butter each provides 7 grams of protein.
• one cup of low fat milk or yogurt provides 8 grams of protein.
• one serving of grain products (preferably whole grain), such as a slice of whole wheat bread, provides 3 grams of protein.

What are the consequences of eating a high-protein diet?

When an athlete eats more protein than he needs, he either burns it for energy or stores it as fat. Carbohydrates are a more efficient and less expensive source of energy. In addition, consuming too much protein increases the body’s water requirement and may contribute to dehydration, because the kidneys require more water to eliminate the excess nitrogen load of a high-protein intake. Also, eating a high-protein, high-fat diet after heavy training will cause incomplete replacement of muscle glycogen and impair performance. Such a diet is hard to digest and may lead to feeling sluggish. A high-carbohydrate diet, on the other hand, is easy to digest and quickly restores muscle glycogen.

FAT

Why is fat important?

Fat is important as a source of essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins and as a source of energy for weight maintenance (1). It is important to eat enough fat – but not too much. Too much fat displaces carbohydrates needed to fuel muscles. Too little fat can mean not enough to replenish fat stored within the muscles that supports endurance performance. Exercise does not completely eliminate the health dangers associated with eating a high-fat diet, such as increased risk of heart disease, stroke and certain cancers. It is important to choose sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats such as olive oil, canola oil, nuts and nut butters, avocados and fatty fish such as salmon; limit intake of saturated fat; and avoid trans fats as much as possible.

How much fat can I eat?

Endurance athletes as well as all people should consume 20-30% of total calories from fat and less than 10% from saturated fat. High-fat foods include donuts, fried foods, ice cream, bacon and hot dogs. Food labels tell you grams of fat and percentage of calories from fat per serving. Choose foods with less than 30% of calories from fat that are low in saturated fat and free of transfat.
Will a high-fat diet impair my performance as an athlete?
Muscle glycogen is preferred over fat for fuel for high intensity exercise of long duration because fat breakdown cannot supply energy fast enough. In addition, fat takes longer to digest than carbohydrates and thus should be limited in pre-exercise meals.

Hydration

It is important to be well hydrated before exercise and to drink enough fluid during and after to replenish fluid losses. Dehydration (water deficit in excess of 2-3% of body mass) decreases exercise performance, especially in hot weather, and may impair mental/cognitive performance (4). Water is generally adequate for hydration before, during and after activity lasting less than 1 hour. For exercise events lasting more than 1 hour, beverages containing 6-8% carbohydrate, such as typically found in sports drinks, are recommended to help sustain fluid and electrolyte balance and endurance exercise performance (4).

SUMMARY

In general, to maintain health and fitness, it is important to fuel the body with a healthy, well-balanced diet and adequate fluids. The active individual should eat a diet high in carbohydrates, moderate in protein and low in fat. The amount of food – number of calories – required depends on a number of factors including the individuals gender, age, body size, activity level, and intensity, duration and type of exercise performed.

REFERENCES

Position of the American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009;109:509-527.

Burke LM, Louks AB, Broad N. Energy and carbohydrate for training and recovery. J Sports Sci. 2006;24:675-685.

Rodriguez NR, Vislocky LM, Gaine PC. Dietary protein, endurance exercise, and human skeletal-muscle protein turnover. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2007;10:40-45.

Sawka MN, Burke LM, Eichner ER, Maughan RJ, Montain SJ, Stachenfeld NS. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Exercise and fluid replacement. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007;39:377-390.

Jentjens RL, Cale C, Gutch C, Jeukendrup AE. Effects of pre-exercise ingestion of differing amounts of carbohydrate on subsequent metabolism and cycling performance. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2003;88:444-452.

Moseley L, Lancaster GI, Jeukendrup AE. Effects of timing of pre-exercise ingestion of carbohydrate on subsequent metabolism and cycling performance. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2003;88:453-458.

Currell K, Jeukendrup A. Superior endurance performance with ingestion of multiple transportable carbohydrates. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2008;40:275-281.

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Hydrate your Horse (Power)

Being well hydrated before, during and after hard workouts improves performance and safeguards health.

Bob Murray, Ph.D., FACSM
Sports Science Insights, LLC
Fox River Grove, IL

KEY POINTS

• Proper hydration is a powerful performance- enhancing aid.
• Being well hydrated before, during and after hard workouts improves performance and safeguards health.
• Decades of scientific research have confirmed the many physiological benefits of proper hydration during exercise, and recent research is beginning to highlight benefits for recovery as well.
• Rapid replacement of muscle glycogen – the primary muscle fuel during exercise – may depend in part on rapid re-hydration after exercise.

INTRODUCTION

You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. So goes the old saying intended to convey the futility of trying to get people to do things they are unmotivated to do. As it turns out, there is a fair amount of unintended science behind that time-worn idiom. As the saying infers, horses lack a sensitive thirst mechanism. This insensitivity makes dehydration and loss of appetite common among horses 5). The thirst mechanism in humans is also not very sensitive to dehydration (2), resulting in what scientists refer to as “voluntary dehydration.” In other words, during and following exercise, humans, like horses, are slow to replace their fluid losses, prolonging dehydration and its deleterious consequences. Yet recovery processes after exercise in horses and humans appear to benefit from well-hydrated muscles, indicating an additional reason for humans and horses to drink up after exercise.

Well-hydrated muscle cells favor anabolic (build-up) processes, while in dehydrated muscle, catabolic (tear-down) processes predominate. Rapid recovery after a workout relies upon anabolic processes to build and repair muscle tissue and to restore muscle glycogen – the internal carbohydrate fuel that is used during exercise. High-intensity as well as endurance workouts rapidly lower muscle glycogen stores because the carbohydrate (glucose) from these stores is the primary fuel for muscle during exercise. For athletes who train more than once a day, rapid restoration of muscle glycogen is essential to get the most out of a subsequent training session.

This short article deals with the recovery-related benefits of proper hydration, but in order that the many other benefits of hydration are not forgotten, here is a quick refresher:

Virtually every process in the body – at rest and during exercise – depends upon an ample supply of water. Adequate hydration is essential for the proper functioning of molecules such as enzymes, organs such as muscles, entire organ systems such as the cardiovascular system, and ultimately for the proper functioning of the entire body.

Sweaty, dehydrating exercise places a great strain on the body as the body strives to deliver blood to the heart and active skeletal muscles, while at the same time sending ample blood to the skin so that heat can be transferred from the heat-producing skeletal muscles to the skin and then out to the environment. Failure to drink enough fluid (water or sports drinks) during exercise results in progressively increasing dehydration and progressively decreasing performance capacity (4).

HYDRATION AND HORSE SENSE

When it comes to sweating – in other words, losing fluid and electrolytes – few animals can match horses. Most human athletes lose 1-2 liters (quarts) of sweat per hour of exercise; it’s not unusual for horses to lose 8 or more liters of sweat per hour (5). This is not surprising given how large horses are compared to humans, but new research shows that it seems to make good horse sense to quickly replace those losses after exercise for rapid and adequate recovery.

Once exercise is finished, lingering dehydration slows recovery, in part because repair and restoration processes in muscle cells are slowed by dehydration. New research indicates that recovery in horses can be further accelerated by quickly replacing the fluid as well as the electrolytes lost during exercise. This point is underscored by a study published in a 2009 volume of the Journal of Applied Physiology. Canadian researchers reported that horses replaced their muscle glycogen nearly three times faster after exercise when they were hydrated with a carbohydrate-electrolyte solution than when they drank only plain water along with their oats and hay (5). Compared to humans, horses are slow to replenish their muscle glycogen stores, so researchers have been looking for ways to speed up the process.

GLYCOGEN BASICS

Whenever you finish a hard workout, your muscles contain less glycogen than when you started. Glycogen, along with glucose and fats delivered by the bloodstream, is what fuels active muscles. During exercise, glycogen is quickly broken down inside muscle cells into its individual glucose units and this simple carbohydrate is further broken down to produce the ATP required for muscle contraction. The amount of glycogen that is used during exercise depends largely upon the intensity and duration of the exercise. Long, hard workouts demand a lot of glycogen and restoring that glycogen is important to feeling good and working hard in subsequent workouts, whether that same day or the next day.

Lost muscle glycogen is replaced in the hours after exercise when adequate carbohydrate is ingested. Severely depleted muscles may require up to 24 hours to fully replace muscle glycogen stores. Research shows that glycogen replacement occurs most rapidly whenever an ample amount of simple sugars are ingested soon after exercise. Simple sugars such as glucose, sucrose, fructose, and high-fructose corn syrup are quickly absorbed and the glucose they provide is rapidly delivered to muscle cells that are hungry to convert that glucose back into glycogen. Foods and beverages that provide 50 – 100 grams (200 – 400 calories) of carbohydrate are recommended for rapid glycogen replacement (3). Consuming that carbohydrate within 30 minutes of completing exercise provides a beneficial nutritional bridge to the next meal and allows muscles to begin replacing glycogen immediately.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Maintaining your muscles’ horsepower during exercise depends in part upon keeping your muscles well hydrated. Emerging research indicates that it is also likely that restoring muscle hydration after exercise may help further speed recovery. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends the following guidelines for hydrating before, during, and after exercise when substantial sweating occurs (1):

• Before exercise: 0.08 – 0.1 oz of fluid per pound of body weight four hours before exercise and an additional 0.05 – 0.08 oz per pound within two hours prior to exercise. For example, a 160-lb athlete would consume about 12 – 16 oz four hours before exercise and an other 8 – 12 oz two hours before exercise. These easy-to- consume volumes help ensure proper hydration and allow enough time for the body to excrete any excess as urine. Water, sports drinks, milk, soft drinks, and fruit juices are all acceptable fluids for this occasion.

• During exercise: Drink to minimize weight loss, but do not over-drink. Everyone sweats at a different rate during exercise, so some athletes will require a lot of fluid to stay well hydrated, while others will require very little.  Athletes are encouraged to weigh themselves before and after exercise to gain a feel for how much fluid they need to ingest to minimize loss of body weight. The goal is to drink enough during exercise to keep body weight loss at less than 2% of body weight. For example, a 200-lb athlete should drink enough so that after exercise, he weighs no less than 196 pounds (a 4-lb weight loss is 2% of 200 pounds). Weight gain during exercise is a sure sign of drinking too much and should be viewed as a caution to drink less in future workouts.

• After exercise: If athletes drink adequate amounts of fluid during exercise, re-hydrating after exercise is not a critical concern, especially if the next workout is at least eight hours away. It is important to be fully re-hydrated before the next workout, not only to speed recovery between workouts, but also to ensure that chronic dehydration does not impair performance. On those occasions when you do not get enough to drink during exercise and finish dehydrated, plan to drink 150% of your weight loss before the next workout. For example, an athlete who finishes a workout with a 4-lb weight deficit should plan to drink 6 pounds of fluid before the next workout. (The extra fluid is needed to account for ongoing urine production.) In this example, 6 pounds of fluid is 96 oz, a volume goal that can be met by ingesting a variety of fluids as described above.

REFERENCES

American College of Sports Medicine. Exercise and fluid replacement. Medicine & Science in Sports Exercise 39:377-390, 2007.

Johnson AK. The sensory psychobiology of thirst and salt appetite. Medicine & Science in Sports Exercise 39:1388-1400, 2007.

Maughan RJ. Fundamentals of sports nutrition: applications to sports drinks. In, Sports Drinks: Basic Science and Practical Applications. RJ Maughan and R Murray, editors. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2001.

Murray R. Hydration and physical performance. Journal of the American College of Nutrition 26:542S-548S, 2007.

Waller AP et al. Fluid and electrolyte supplementation after prolonged moderate-intensity exercise enhances glycogen resynthesis in Standardbred horses. Journal of Applied Physiology 106:91-100, 2009.

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Content is provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. You should consult a physician in all matters relating to your health, and particularly in respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention.