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Study: Accelerade Sport Drink Ups Endurance
Longer Exercise, Less Muscle Damage When Athletes Get Protein/Carb Drink
By Daniel DeNoon
WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Michael Smith, MD
on Wednesday, July 07, 2004
July 7, 2004 - Athletes who drank Accelerade could exercise longer -- with less muscle damage -- than when they drank Gatorade.
The finding comes from researchers led by Michael J. Saunders, PhD, director of the Human Performance Laboratory at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va. Sports-drink makers did not fund the independent study. It appears in the July issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.
Accelerade and Gatorade both contain carbohydrates. Accelerade also has protein. The role of protein in sports drinks is highly controversial. Some say it adds to the endurance-boosting effect of carbohydrates. Others say that while it's good after a workout, protein during workouts interferes with a sports drink's main job: replacing lost fluids. Gatorade Inc. is a WebMD sponsor.
Saunders had 15 highly trained athletes work out on exercise bicycles. They worked at 75% capacity until exhaustion. Twelve to 15 hours later, they worked at 85% capacity until exhausted. Every 15 minutes they drank a little Accelerade or Gatorade -- and after stopping, they had a big drink of the same beverage. Two weeks later, they did it again with the other beverage. Neither the researchers nor the athletes knew which drink they were getting.
"When we compared the two products, we found that athletes who drank the sports drink with additional protein were able to exercise longer on their first ride, had less muscle damage, had faster recovery, and had even better performance in their second ride," Saunders tells WebMD. "Whether you are an endurance athlete or a weekend warrior who does regular exercise, these beverages have the potential to be a considerable benefit."
Saunders expected the added protein to help athletes recover between events. He didn't expect it to make any difference on the first ride -- but it did. On their first ride, the athletes cycled 29% longer when drinking Accelerade than when drinking Gatorade. On their second ride, they cycled 40% longer when drinking Accelerade. And after exercise, blood markers of muscle damage were 83% lower when using Accelerade.
"I was frankly surprised by how much difference there was in the first ride," Saunders says. "It isn't just statistically significant, but practically significant to these athletes. That was a little bit of a surprise. The fact that they performed better in the second trial confirms our hypothesis that the difference would be magnified in the second trial. We tied that back to our observation that muscle damage was considerably less."
Beyond the Lab:
Joe I. Vigil [VEE-hill], PhD, is coach of Team USA California. He's so highly regarded by long-distance runners that running publications usually call him "the legendary" Coach Vigil. Members of his team include record-holders in the marathon, 10K, and 5K events.
Team members are trying to qualify for Olympic competition. They work much, much harder than people who work out merely to stay in shape. Part of their training involved long runs in the mountains of the high Sierras. The athletes run 120 to 140 miles each week - what Vigil calls "hellacious runs."
"We have been using Accelerade and Endurox [an after-exercise product from Accelerade maker PacificHealth Laboratories Inc.] for a couple of years," Vigil tells WebMD. "We find it to be beneficial. The top runners seem to recover from the workouts beautifully. And they like the drink -- they look forward to it."
Some team members do not use the products, Vigil notes. But he says that the rationale for adding protein to sports drinks makes sense to him.
"As a physiologist I can understand the rationale behind adding protein to sports drinks," Vigil says. "It seems logical. I have never put it through an experimental research protocol, but everything I've seen about it in the literature is correct. If that is what Accelerade really is doing in the body, it is great."
What's a Sports Drink For?:
Do athletes -- or people who simply work out regularly -- really need protein in their sports drinks? No, says Jeff Zachwieja, PhD, senior scientist at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute.
Zachwieja [Zak-VEE-hah] admits that the body needs protein to rebuild muscle. But it's needed within 30 minutes after a workout -- which, he says, is why Gatorade Inc. makes a protein product called Gatorade Nutrition Shake.
The problem with protein-added drinks, he says, is that they lose sight of what a sports drink is supposed to do.
"The important thing is what a sports drink is for: to provide fluids, to prevent dehydration, and to fuel muscles during activity," Zachwieja tells WebMD. "Protein doesn't speed or prevent dehydration. Protein may actually slow down the rate at which fluid is absorbed into the body. And protein is not a primary fuel for the muscles or for the mind."
Saunders notes that his small study needs confirmation by further work. And he's quick to point out that the effects seen in his study might be due simply to the extra calories Accelerade provides.
Zachwieja says that other studies yield conflicting results. But he says Gatorade and other sports drink companies are doing intense research.
"We and others are focused on learning more about how protein can enhance recovery and get athletes ready for their next practice session," he says.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SOURCES: Saunders, M.J. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, July 2004; vol 36: pp 1233-1238. Michael J. Saunders, PhD, director, Human Performance Laboratory, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va. Joe I. Vigil, PhD, coach, Team USA California. Jeff Zachwieja, PhD, senior scientist, Gatorade Sports Science Institute. Gatorade Sports Science Institute.
© 2004 WebMD Inc. All rights reserved.
Longer Exercise, Less Muscle Damage When Athletes Get Protein/Carb Drink
By Daniel DeNoon
WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Michael Smith, MD
on Wednesday, July 07, 2004
July 7, 2004 - Athletes who drank Accelerade could exercise longer -- with less muscle damage -- than when they drank Gatorade.
The finding comes from researchers led by Michael J. Saunders, PhD, director of the Human Performance Laboratory at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va. Sports-drink makers did not fund the independent study. It appears in the July issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.
Accelerade and Gatorade both contain carbohydrates. Accelerade also has protein. The role of protein in sports drinks is highly controversial. Some say it adds to the endurance-boosting effect of carbohydrates. Others say that while it's good after a workout, protein during workouts interferes with a sports drink's main job: replacing lost fluids. Gatorade Inc. is a WebMD sponsor.
Saunders had 15 highly trained athletes work out on exercise bicycles. They worked at 75% capacity until exhaustion. Twelve to 15 hours later, they worked at 85% capacity until exhausted. Every 15 minutes they drank a little Accelerade or Gatorade -- and after stopping, they had a big drink of the same beverage. Two weeks later, they did it again with the other beverage. Neither the researchers nor the athletes knew which drink they were getting.
"When we compared the two products, we found that athletes who drank the sports drink with additional protein were able to exercise longer on their first ride, had less muscle damage, had faster recovery, and had even better performance in their second ride," Saunders tells WebMD. "Whether you are an endurance athlete or a weekend warrior who does regular exercise, these beverages have the potential to be a considerable benefit."
Saunders expected the added protein to help athletes recover between events. He didn't expect it to make any difference on the first ride -- but it did. On their first ride, the athletes cycled 29% longer when drinking Accelerade than when drinking Gatorade. On their second ride, they cycled 40% longer when drinking Accelerade. And after exercise, blood markers of muscle damage were 83% lower when using Accelerade.
"I was frankly surprised by how much difference there was in the first ride," Saunders says. "It isn't just statistically significant, but practically significant to these athletes. That was a little bit of a surprise. The fact that they performed better in the second trial confirms our hypothesis that the difference would be magnified in the second trial. We tied that back to our observation that muscle damage was considerably less."
Beyond the Lab:
Joe I. Vigil [VEE-hill], PhD, is coach of Team USA California. He's so highly regarded by long-distance runners that running publications usually call him "the legendary" Coach Vigil. Members of his team include record-holders in the marathon, 10K, and 5K events.
Team members are trying to qualify for Olympic competition. They work much, much harder than people who work out merely to stay in shape. Part of their training involved long runs in the mountains of the high Sierras. The athletes run 120 to 140 miles each week - what Vigil calls "hellacious runs."
"We have been using Accelerade and Endurox [an after-exercise product from Accelerade maker PacificHealth Laboratories Inc.] for a couple of years," Vigil tells WebMD. "We find it to be beneficial. The top runners seem to recover from the workouts beautifully. And they like the drink -- they look forward to it."
Some team members do not use the products, Vigil notes. But he says that the rationale for adding protein to sports drinks makes sense to him.
"As a physiologist I can understand the rationale behind adding protein to sports drinks," Vigil says. "It seems logical. I have never put it through an experimental research protocol, but everything I've seen about it in the literature is correct. If that is what Accelerade really is doing in the body, it is great."
What's a Sports Drink For?:
Do athletes -- or people who simply work out regularly -- really need protein in their sports drinks? No, says Jeff Zachwieja, PhD, senior scientist at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute.
Zachwieja [Zak-VEE-hah] admits that the body needs protein to rebuild muscle. But it's needed within 30 minutes after a workout -- which, he says, is why Gatorade Inc. makes a protein product called Gatorade Nutrition Shake.
The problem with protein-added drinks, he says, is that they lose sight of what a sports drink is supposed to do.
"The important thing is what a sports drink is for: to provide fluids, to prevent dehydration, and to fuel muscles during activity," Zachwieja tells WebMD. "Protein doesn't speed or prevent dehydration. Protein may actually slow down the rate at which fluid is absorbed into the body. And protein is not a primary fuel for the muscles or for the mind."
Saunders notes that his small study needs confirmation by further work. And he's quick to point out that the effects seen in his study might be due simply to the extra calories Accelerade provides.
Zachwieja says that other studies yield conflicting results. But he says Gatorade and other sports drink companies are doing intense research.
"We and others are focused on learning more about how protein can enhance recovery and get athletes ready for their next practice session," he says.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SOURCES: Saunders, M.J. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, July 2004; vol 36: pp 1233-1238. Michael J. Saunders, PhD, director, Human Performance Laboratory, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va. Joe I. Vigil, PhD, coach, Team USA California. Jeff Zachwieja, PhD, senior scientist, Gatorade Sports Science Institute. Gatorade Sports Science Institute.
© 2004 WebMD Inc. All rights reserved.
