Nutritionist and sport drink mix question

[Catrin]

Perpetuem takes some getting used to IMO. If you like soy milk you'll like Perpetuem - it has a pronounced soy flavor. It's not at all sweet.

Thanks for the note, I don't care for the taste of soy milk at all so will check out Sustained Energy. It sounds like it would fit the bill, and it is unflavored - Pedal Wrench confirmed that - thanks! The less flavor, the more I will be inclined to drink it - when I get thirsty flavored drinks just do not taste good to me.

The Gu Electrolyte Brew isn't bad, and I am going to try Cytomax since I can get a small amount - but of course neither of these have protein. I don't think the protein is really necessary for spinning class, but when I can get out on the road and start building some mileage on Stella I want to have this nutrition thing worked out.

Thanks for the ideas and tips, they are greatly appreciated!

[malaholic]

On a related topic, someone said that she used a mix for her water that provides protein as well as electrolytes and carbs.

I think this might have been my post, and I was indeed talking about Perpetuem. However AFAIK it does *not* include electrolytes...the 3rd component is lipids. (Incidentally, if you decide to try it, be aware that you need to either drink it the same day you prepare it, or else refrigerate it if you mix it in advance - the lipid content means it will go rancid if you just leave it out. I learned this the hard way!)

At first I was bummed that they didn't include electrolytes in the mix, but it makes sense now - when I'm doing long training rides in colder weather I don't want/need the electrolytes though I do need the carbs. If I drink electrolyte-heavy stuff when I'm not actually sweating much, it just makes me have to pee. For riding in hotter weather I'll take along some endurolyte capsules and then I'm all set.

I've been happy enough with Perpetuem that I haven't tried Sustained Energy yet...but here's some comparison info from Hammer's website:

Comparing Sustained Energy and Perpetuem
•Sustained Energy is neutrally (a.k.a. "plain") flavored. Perpetuem is available in three options: an orange-vanilla "Dreamsicle" flavor, a caffeinated caffe latte flavor (12.5 mg of caffeine per scoop), and in an unflavored/plain version.
•Perpetuem contains lyso-lecithin fat, whereas Sustained Energy does not.
•Perpetuem contains tribasic sodium phosphate, which is a tremendous lactic acid buffer. Sustained Energy does not contain this nutrient.
•Both fuels contain l-carnosine (an antioxidant that also buffers lactic acid), l-carnitine (to promote fatty acid utilization), and chromium polynicotinate (to stabilize blood sugar levels).
Bottom line: With Sustained Energy and Perpetuem, you have two great long distance fuel choices. When exercise goes beyond about two hours, you can use either product as your primary or sole fuel, in any combination with each other or any other Hammer Nutrition fuel.

That said, we have noted that Sustained Energy may be the ideal fuel choice when endurance exercise intensity is at a higher level (approximately 70-85% MHR), whereas Perpetuem may be a more attractive choice the longer the athlete goes and when exercise intensity is at a more aerobic pace (under 70% MHR). Additionally, over the years we have noted that Sustained Energy may be the ideal choice for very lean athletes (the "high metabolizer/hyper-metabolic" types), while Perpetuem - with its added healthy fat component - may be the ideal choice for athletes with a naturally higher body fat percentage. The rationale for this suggestion is that athletes with a higher body fat percentage have a greater volume of calories available from body fat stores, which the lyso-lecithin component of Perpetuem may effectively assist in accessing for use as energy.

Again though, because the applications for Sustained Energy and Perpetuem are identical, either fuel can be used as the primary-to-sole fuel during prolonged bouts of exercise. Test each product in your long-duration workouts, under a variety of conditions, to find which product works best for you!

Hm....guess I'll stick with Perpetuem based on that "naturally higher body fat percentage" that I have.

[Catrin]

Hm....guess I'll stick with Perpetuem based on that "naturally higher body fat percentage" that I have.

Thanks for the good information, I had already been on their site, but the comparison is good. I strongly dislike the flavor of soy milk though...and someone has noted that it does have that taste. I guess that what I need to do is to contact them and see if I can talk them out of two samples

P.S. I have that same naturally higher body fat percentage - though my trainer is trying his best to change that

[Pedal Wench]

I should add that Sustained needs something else added to it - it's really bland on its own. I mixed it with Gu2O powder for electrolytes, sweetness and flavor.

And, can't stress this enough - Sustained and Perpetuem have very limited "shelf" life. Once mixed, you have about 2-3 hours to drink it before it starts to get "skunky." The both are soy-based, but never noticed a strong soy taste from them. However, the flavors might overpower that.

I like the Infinit because I can get electrolytes and protein in amounts I control - less in the winter, more in summer.

[maillotpois]

I mix Sustained Energy with an electrolyte powder (Power bar's endurance to be exact). 2 scoops of each per bottle is a good 1 1/2 hour worth of liquid nutrition for me. I generally start with 2 bottles of this "brew", then switch one bottle to water later on down the line. I generally don't eat a lot of food and this does great for long rides. (And I mean long. ).

[roadie gal]

Look into Infinit Nutrition. You can make up your own sports drink. You get to decide the amount of electrolytes, the composition of the carbs - fast vs slow metabolizing, whether or not you want protein, and the amount of flavor. They make it very easy to set up your mix and, if needed, they will discuss it with you by phone. I've used it for a couple of years and swear by it.
www.infinitnutrition.us.

Oops, I missed that someone else already mentioned this. It's worth saying again IMHO.

[OakLeaf]

I'm still looking for a drink mix that has non-dairy non-soy protein (can't really stomach "real food" on a long run). Why are hemp and rice protein powders so grainy? May try to add some to my "gel" next time, anyhow.