Protein in sports drinks-FYI

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To Add Proteins To Sports Drinks Or Not Is The Question

http://www.medindia.net/news/view_news_main.asp?str=2 & x=13052

Two studies have arrived at conflicting results on whether to add protein to

sports drinks. The company-funded studies are published in the August issue of

the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise and the International

Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism.

One Canadian study, which was funded by the company, which manufactures

Gatorade, found that protein in sports drinks was not beneficial. The study

included 10 cyclists who were asked to simulate a situation with 80-kilometer

races on three different occasions The cyclists were randomly assigned to either

receive a sports drinks with protein or with placebo. They found that the sports

drink with protein was no more beneficial than a normal one.

" Sports drinks improve performance during prolonged exercise because of two key

ingredients: carbohydrate, which provides fuel for working muscles, and sodium,

which helps to maintain fluid balance, " said lead researcher Gibala. " Our

study shows that protein confers no performance benefit during 'real-life'

exercise when athletes consume sufficient amounts of sports drink. "

But another study funded by makers of Accelerade sports drink found that protein

increases the " endurance " in athletes. Researchers at St. Cloud University in

Minnesota said that athletes in this study lost body weight due to sweat loss,

but those drinking Accelerade managed to rehydrate at rates that were better

than those drinking Gatorade.

Medindia on Is Addition Of Proteins In The Sports Drink Beneficial?

According to the researchers at the McMaster University including proteins in

the sports drink and its benefit still remains controversial.

Sports drink play an important role in providing energy as it contains

carbohydrates and sodium. Carbohydrates provide fuel for working muscles, and

sodium maintains fluid balance in the body. The study, which is published in the

August edition of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, found that adding

protein to a carbohydrate-electrolyte sports drink did not improve cycling time

trial performance compared to the sports drink alone. The research was conducted

on 10 trained cyclists who performed a simulated 80 km bicycle race on three

occasions. During exercise, the subjects were given a sports drink, a sports

drink supplemented with protein, or a placebo drink that provided no energy.

The drinks were similarly flavored and neither the subjects nor the researchers

knew what drink was consumed during a given test. The study found that the

sports drink improved performance compared to the placebo drink -- confirming

prior research -- but there was no additional benefit of protein

supplementation. 'Previous studies that suggested protein was beneficial used

'ride to exhaustion' tests that do not resemble normal athletic competition. In

addition, the subjects in those studies received less than the optimal

recommended amount of carbohydrate,' says Gibala. Our study shows that protein

confers no performance benefit during 'real life' exercise when athletes consume

sufficient amounts of a sports drink.' The study, which was funded by Gatorade,

comes at a time when the sports drink industry is under pressure to create new

products by adding ingredients that might further enhance performance. Some

companies have heavily marketed protein-laced sports drinks as the next magic

bullet, but Gibala's research disputes such claims. 'Eating a little protein

after exercise is important to help repair damaged muscles and promote training

adaptations,' says Gibala, 'but no compelling evidence suggests that endurance

athletes need protein during exercise.'

Source: Eurekalert

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