Can a sports drink with protein improve your workout?
I saw a poster at the gym today for a new fitness drink called Accelerade. It's the latest in a growing brigade (remember when there was only Gatorade?!) of drinks that are supposed enhance athletic performance with electrolytes, vitamins, minerals, various performance-enhancing herbs, and fuel for your muscles (read: sugar). Accelerade's new twist is to add whey powder in a ratio of 4 parts carbohydrate to 1 part protein, which is supposed to "start the rebuilding process of muscles damaged during exercise." The result is less muscle soreness and quicker recovery. Sounds good, but is the product going to improve your work-outs (or your body)?
If you run or do other endurance exercise for an hour or more at a stretch, or if you are beating up your muscles with a heavy-duty weight-lifting routine, these sorts of drinks might actually give you a performance edge. Personally, I don't work out long or hard enough to require additional sugar, salt, or protein to keep functioning. I usually run a couple of miles and do about 20 minutes of strength-training and water works just fine. Nonetheless, I regularly see women chugging 20-ounce bottles of gatorade during their 30-minute stint on the Stairmaster. Calories burned? 177. Calories consumed? 160.
My choice and that of a few other runners is either weak gatorade mix, water, or watered-down orange juice. Protein works quite well for recovery, but muscles aren't going to substantially recover during a run or exercise.