anyone using Ultragen Recovery Drink?

tmctguer

i just bought a bottle of Ultragen powder for use as a recovery aid. i used it for the first time a few rides ago and i definitely felt my quad's weren't as sore as they usually are.

it has tons of vitamins, which caused me to NOT take a multivitamin on days i plan to drink it. it also has lots of amino acids and anti-oxidants.

is anyone on the forum using this? any comments or concerns ?

Ted B

I've just found the ingredients of the product, and with respect to what I've learned from literature, I have the following comments:

$3 / serving

You get about 60g glucose
You get about 20g total protein - good efficiency
It does have content similar to a multivitamin
You get reasonable amounts of antioxidants
The electrolyte content is rather thin
The B12 content is a joke


It looks pretty decent considering what's available on the market, much more useful than their other product (Optygen). You'll still want a high-carb meal after drinking this.

speedyg

What is the Osmolality of this product?

speedyg

What is the Osmolality of this product?

flysolo1

i tried it went back to endurox r4

Ted B

My guess is that with all that partially hydrolyzed protein being an unknown, you'd probably have to measure it to get an accurate figure.

speedyg

Ted B, When you get a chance, what's your opinion of the Q-Pro Products Rehydration Formula? It comes in around .75 cents
per serving. Will be featured in Tri-Athlete mag around August.

Speedyg

Ted B

I've read the info on the maufacturer's website. In short, while the arguments the manufacturer makes with regard to tonicity and osmolality are definitely valid, the serving size of this product is a joke.

The contents of the product appear to be fairly well thought out with regard to the use of dextrose (as opposed to fructose), as well as ratios of carbohydrate and specific electrolytes. The problem however is that the serving size as quoted on the label (one scoop) is realistically about 10% of what an endurance cyclist would require over a period of an hour or so. For example, one scoop contains a measly 8g of dextrose (glucose) and traces of electrolytes. Consider the fact that you can easily absorb 1-2g carbohydrates per minute while riding, and you will see that you'd need to consume some 10 scoops per L/h in order to do your best to stave off the bonk. If each scoop is $0.75, that works out to $7.50/hour, and at that rate, you'd get four hours (4 L) of supplementation out of each container.

Unless I'm missing something here, this seems to me like it could be yet another product whose marketing literature says all the right things, but the content doesn't realistically deliver.

speedyg

Ted B,

Thanks for your feedback. Are you telling me that when you train, your performance is soley fueled by sugar? I got away from that a long time ago when I attended a really good Sports Nutrition Seminar where they talked about using healthy fats and complex vegetable carbohydrates in the days prior to an event, in order to run on a more efficient fuel basis.

I suggest you re-think using sugars to power your performance, this is sub-optimal. If you don't believe me, check out the research coming out of UCONN, where Dr. Kraemer and Dr. Voleck are doing some cutting edge stuff with fat loading, moderate to low carbohydrate intake, and use of essential insulinogenic amino acids.

In short, you should be looking for a hydration formula to rehydrate and replenish what your body loses in perspiration. not something that just provides you with a steady flow of high amounts of sugar, which it would appear you are overly dependant on.

Speedyg

Ted B

My nutrition strategy before training, during training, and following training obviously differs.

When I'm on the bike, I supplement my hydration with a carefully measured amount of selected simple and complex carbohydrate, as well as various electrolytes, all being included in appropriate proportions. The CHO strength of my supplementation is tailored with respect to the distance and intensity of the event, as well as other factors (e.g. ambient temperature) that affect my anticipated fluid/supplemental requirements. In short, I replace the electrolytes and water I lose during perspiration, and give myself as much carbohydrate I can realistically absorb without compromising hydration efficiency. I do not ingest fats while on the bike, and I reserve insulinogenic amino acids (e.g. Glutamine) for recovery nutrition.

speedyg

Try ingesting healthy fats 10 days before a race/event. Also the Di-Potassium Phosphate in the Q-Pro Products formula is a component that converts to energy during exertion.

We definitely have differing points of view, but I respect your opinion.


Speedyg

Ted B

Not all athletes have the same nutritional requirements. I routinely ingest healthy fats as part of my regular diet, but much of my training occurs at >60-70% VO2 MAX, which is a region whereby fats have already given way to glycogen as a preferred energy source. Therefore, I am reluctant to supplement additional amounts of an energy source that is relatively inefficient to my training. If you can reference a recent study that convinces me that it is beneficial to supplement fats where this level of training is required, then I would be happy to read it and form an opinion.

What you say about DPP is true in principle, but in actuality there is far too little of it (only a few mg) in each serving of the aforementioned product to be effective as per the literature. If you refer to recent studies such as Robertson, et al (2001), and Zorbas, et al (2002), you will see that many, many times that amount (e.g. 4-6g/day)are needed to give the desired phosphate loading effect, which is some two orders of magnitude greater than what is contained in the product you mentioned. Furthermore, phosphate loading is most effective when begun 5-6 days *before* an event as opposed to during an event, and is useless afterward (e.g. a 'recovery' drink).

speedyg

Ted B,

When it comes to athletes having unique and individualized nutritional needs, I couldn't agree with you more. I also use healthy fats as a regular part of my diet and training, though I suspect you work out a bit harder than I do! However, you ought to look a little more carefully at the literature. While glycogin is a preferred source of energy for the body as it is stored in both the liver and skeletal muscles, it is easily produced in abundance from dietary fat, body fat, and countless amino acids. If your body is used to a steady flow of orally ingested sugars, these natural pathways will be bypassed and left to atrophy. On the other hand, if your engine runs more efficiently, and your body has not been overexposed to sugars then these more favorable pathways prevail. Again, take a look at the more recent research coming out of UCONN. You will be amazed! As far as DPP what you say is true, however, a good hydration formula should not supply the entire amount needed for clinical efficacy in one gulp. The idea shoud be one of correctly repleneshing over time. Best of luck. You are well informed and you sound like you'd kick my butt out on the circuit, but watch out I come up fast from behind! Killer kick!
Best,
Speedyg