Which type of nutrition is better for endurance athletes?
In the past, when there were no sports nutrition, energy bars, recovery drinks and other functional drinks, endurance athletes used real food and drinks to obtain the energy they needed during competition. Tour de France cyclists drink soda, Ironman triathletes eat bananas, and Boston Marathon runners drink water. Real food and drink still have their small place in endurance racing, but they have been marginalized by packaged products such as sports drinks, carbohydrate gels and energy chews (energy gummies). Lately, however, at least in exercise science research, real food and drink have begun to make a comeback. A lot of recent research has begun looking into these supposedly better performance drinks, so let’s take a quick look.
【Coconut water vs sports drinks】
In a 2012 study from the University of Memphis found in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 12 "fit" young men were asked to run on a treadmill for 60 minutes (without rehydration) and then replenish water during rest periods. portion, and finally get back on the treadmill and run hard to exhaustion. Repeat this method four times, but each time choose a different drink when rehydrating: bottled water, pure coconut water, concentrated coconut water or sports drink. The study found that there was no difference in the subjects' ability to rehydrate, but there was a slight difference in running performance after rehydration. The subjects lasted longer after drinking the sports drink, but these differences were not statistically significant and could have occurred by chance.
【Banana vs Sports Drink】
Another recent study was published in the online journal PLoS One in May 2012 and received a lot of attention. 14 highly trained cyclists completed a "pair" of 75km time trials. In one, they ate bananas; in another, they drank sports drinks. Both energy sources should be rationed appropriately to ensure that athletes consume the same amount of carbohydrates. Compared with eating a banana, the average time of the time trial for drinking sports drinks is about 3 minutes or 2% faster. However, this difference did not meet the minimum threshold of statistical significance, so Appalachian State University scientists concluded from the research that "the effects of the two energy sources are equal in performance."
【Raisins vs Energy Gummies】
In an updated study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition in June, 11 male runners were asked to run on a treadmill at moderate intensity for 80 minutes, and then complete a 5-kilometer time trial (harsh environment). This method focuses on taking raisins, energy gummies, and water on three different occasions (more severe environments). In this case, the average time trial results of consuming raisins and energy gummies were almost the same, and obviously faster than those of drinking water.
【Chocolate milk vs recovery drink】
If you don’t live in a cave?, you’ll know that the dairy industry has been actively promoting low-fat chocolate milk as an alternative sports recovery drink lately, and for good reason: Many studies have confirmed that low-fat chocolate milk is an effective alternative plan.
【Personal preference】
So, should you ditch the sports drinks, carb gels and drinks and opt for real food and drinks? If you prefer to consume them in the most natural way possible, go for it. There is enough scientific research to give you confidence that you won't sacrifice too much if it affects your athletic performance.
For me, I’ll stick with traditional performance-enhancing drinks. One of my concerns is that sports drinks and gels can boost exercise performance a little, even if it's not statistically significant. Another point is that I am at risk of gastrointestinal distress when consuming real food and drinks. Studies on coconut water have shown that consuming coconut water while running can cause stomach problems. Finally, I don’t like chewing during exercise, especially running. Eating during a game, I can't help it.