Endurance athletes are unique in their nutritional requirements, largely due to the fact that endurance exercise requires greater amounts of fuel. Preparation comes down to ensuring you get the right amounts of carbohydrates and other supplemental nutrients at the right time. Endurance athletes also need to get adequate protein to offset muscle protein breakdown and hasten recovery.

Pre-Workout

For endurance athletes, the pre-workout period is all about preparing the body for exercise and providing enough fuel to keep the muscles operating at a high level.

When an endurance athlete exercises intensely or for long periods of time, the supply of oxygen-rich blood may have difficulty keeping up with the demand. Ultimately, the lack of oxygen and a buildup of waste can result in fatigue, exhaustion, and subpar athletic performance (1). Vasodilation and the resulting increase in blood flow aids all athletes by increasing nutrient delivery, oxygen levels, and the removal of waste products.

Taking AMPED™ NOx before exercise can support blood flow by providing vasodilation during training. It works by providing vegetable-sourced nitrates that support nitric oxide production, critical for healthy blood flow. In addition, taking AMPED Power offers three main actives—Nitrosigine®, citrulline, and creatine—to increase strength and power while offsetting fatigue.

  • Nitrosigine® is a unique, patented complex containing the amino acid arginine bonded to silicon, the precursor to nitric oxide. Nitric oxide increases blood flow, which helps improve oxygen and nutrient delivery to muscles. For endurance athletes like runners, that means getting more oxygen and fuel to the working tissues while removing waste products all at a much higher rate.
  • Citrulline is a naturally occurring amino acid that enhances blood flow. Citrulline is shown to improve exercise performance and stimulate muscle synthesis by activating muscle-building pathways (2, 3). Citrulline has also been noted to reduce fatigue by aiding in creatine resynthesis and enhancing the use of branched-chain amino acids during exercise (2, 4-6).
  • Creatine has the ability to improve the quality of training and stimulate better gains in training adaptation, like increasing lactate threshold (7). Creatine can also improve recovery following extensive endurance training by limiting muscle damage (8). Finally, especially for endurance athletes, creatine can also help increase energy (glycogen) storage in working muscles (9).

Mid-Workout

The purpose of this period is to keep energy levels stable to prevent dips in performance. Endurance athletes heavily rely on carbohydrates to fuel their performance before, during, and after competition (10). When exercising for long periods, athletes burn quickly through glycogen (stored carbs in muscle) and the sugar in their bloodstreams. Eventually fuel stores run low and athletes hit a wall, exhausting themselves while hindering their performance. Since endurance-based activity burns through your body’s stored fuel source (glycogen), replenishment midway through your race, adventure, or ride is essential to maintaining stamina.

AMPED Fuel is a puree of wholesome carbohydrate sources including apple, agave, and molasses to nutritionally support athletes during endurance events like running and cycling. The product supplies immediate energy during workouts, reduces fatigue, protects muscles, and promotes faster muscle recovery following training. The majority of studies investigating carbohydrate supplementation have found at least a five percent improvement in exercise performance when taken regularly throughout the exercise bout (11).

Studies also suggest that consuming a modest dose of branched-chain amino acids during extended exercise makes additional protein synthesis available to the body, helping to reduce and offset protein loss (12). Supplementation during training may also accelerate recovery and suppress exercise-induced muscle damage and muscle soreness (12-17). By supplying the body with 22 grams of carbohydrates in an optimal glucose-fructose ratio along with branched-chain amino acids, AMPED Fuel provides the right nutrition for energy replenishment and enhanced performance.

Another important part of your mid-workout nutrition plan is getting adequate fluids. Exercise performance is impaired when an individual is dehydrated by as little as two percent. Losses in excess of five percent of body weight can decrease the capacity for work by about 30 percent (18). There is little question that hydrating is one of the most important, yet overlooked, nutritional strategies for athletes. Water and fluids are essential to keep the body hydrated and at the right temperature, and your body can lose several liters of sweat in an hour of vigorous exercise (19). Therefore, consuming Replenish™ (soon to be AMPED Hydrate) during your workout is highly important.

Post-Workout

Intense endurance exercise affects muscles by depleting fuel stores like fat and carbohydrates. Waste products from metabolism increase and need to be removed. Muscle tissue needs rebuilding. The role of nutrients in the recovery process is clear. Consuming carbohydrates and healthy fats help restore fuel supplies for greater exercise potential while protein helps repair damaged tissue back to previous levels.

AMPED Recover is a post-workout recovery aid designed to help trigger muscle synthesis with branched-chain amino acids, L-carnitine, and other supporting amino acids. These active ingredients trigger the cellular mechanisms for rebuilding proteins in muscle (20). Branched-chain amino acids are present in the muscles at high levels and consist of three important amino acids: L-leucine, L-isoleucine, and L-valine.

The hallmark of the AMPED Recover formula is the effective dose of L-leucine that has the ability to stimulate muscle protein synthesis and stop muscle breakdown (20, 21). L-isoleucine helps the body absorb carbohydrates into cells and L-valine can be used as a readily available source of energy or building material (22-24). L-carnitine is involved in energy metabolism and mitochondrial protection that can support oxygen in muscle tissue and directly help in recovery after exercise (25-27).

Using AMPED Recover right after training with IsaPro® or IsaLean® PRO Shake helps to trigger muscle protein synthesis and provide the raw ingredients that the muscle needs to recuperate.

Summary: When and What to Take

Depending on digestion and comfort, consume a meal containing carbohydrates and moderate amounts of fat and protein no sooner than 90 minutes before training or competition along with at least 16 ounces of fluid. An example would be an IsaLean Shake with a banana and a tablespoon of almond butter.

  • Pre-Workout: 15 to 30 minutes before, take AMPED NOx and AMPED Power e+™ (Optional)
  • Mid-Workout: Take one to two servings of AMPED Fuel every hour, and drink Replenish throughout exercise
  • Post-Workout: AMPED Recover + one to two servings of IsaPro

To replenish muscle and liver glycogen synthesis, consume roughly half your body weight in grams of carbohydrates (from foods like fruits, potatoes, or rice) over three to four hours post-exercise.

Nitrosigine® is a registered trademark of Nutrition 21, LLC and is patent protected.

References

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  3. Cynober L et al. Leucine and citrulline: two major regulators of protein turnover. World Rev Nutr Diet. 2013; 105: 97-105.
  4. Bendahan D et al. Citrulline/malate promotes aerobic energy production in human exercising muscle. Brit J Sport Med. 2002; 36(4): 282-289.
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