Recovery Drinks
Discussion
goldblum said:
E38Ross said:
Both. Hot bath encourages inflammation so will leave you more sore if you do that straight after exercise.
As other posters have attested they'd rather have a hot bath unless they're injured or serious runners.Seems to be a matter of personal preference.E38Ross said:
Recovery shakes DO help.... If you get good ones like science in sport. But this does depend on the type of physical activity. I run competitively (I'm a 35min 10k runner) and find rego recovery helps massively, more so as I'm now doing over 50 miles a week.
Yes and although some recovery drinks contain protein which is far more important for muscular repair and recovery than carbs of any kind the sports drinks are not meal replacements.A brief pick-me-up to minimise further muscle tiredness before a proper protein based meal and bed.In the short term a recovery drink will help about as much as a banana, Marsbar and chicken sandwich.As for 24 hrs later.. I have seen no research or meta analysis that might indicate the efficacy of a recovery drink in preventing "muscle ache" and a "lead like" feel.
However I'd be happy to be shown conclusively that the protein based ones work in preventing symptoms of pain and fatigue 24 hrs later as I will probably start using them myself.
E38Ross said:
Yet you're not happy about lack of evidence for hot baths vs cold baths and take personal preference as ok, but not for the drinks ....? Ok then.
That's correct.There is no absolute evidence,only several conflicting reports.Here's references for you to check when you can be bothered:Vaile, J.; Halson, S.; Gill, N.; Dawson, B.: Effect of Hydrotherapy on Recovery from Fatigue. Int'l J. Sports Medicine, July 2008.
Kylie Louise Sellwood, et al.: Ice-water immersion and delayed-onset muscle soreness: a randomized controlled trial Br. J. Sports Med., Jun 2007.
Vaile JM, Gill ND, Blazevich AJ.: The effect of contrast water therapy on symptoms of delayed onset muscle soreness. J Strength Cond Res. 2007 Aug;21(3):697-702.
Current thinking has cold water after prolonged hard exercise equal with the cold then hot water approach.For medium intensity exercise hot is thought of as best.
As only the exerciser knows whether the physical activity they have undergone is hard/prolonged or medium intensity and as there is no concrete evidence either way I thought it best to leave the decision to one of personal preference.
I'm sure you know better though.
I would go cold over warm/hot. For injuries cold or ice is advised initially so it seems to suggest the same for post workout muscle fatigue.
I don't fancy a cold bath much but I have seen Jessica Ennis dropped into a wheelie bin full of ice water and she seems to perform pretty well.
I don't fancy a cold bath much but I have seen Jessica Ennis dropped into a wheelie bin full of ice water and she seems to perform pretty well.
goldblum said:
E38Ross said:
Yet you're not happy about lack of evidence for hot baths vs cold baths and take personal preference as ok, but not for the drinks ....? Ok then.
That's correct.There is no absolute evidence,only several conflicting reports.Here's references for you to check when you can be bothered:Vaile, J.; Halson, S.; Gill, N.; Dawson, B.: Effect of Hydrotherapy on Recovery from Fatigue. Int'l J. Sports Medicine, July 2008.
Kylie Louise Sellwood, et al.: Ice-water immersion and delayed-onset muscle soreness: a randomized controlled trial Br. J. Sports Med., Jun 2007.
Vaile JM, Gill ND, Blazevich AJ.: The effect of contrast water therapy on symptoms of delayed onset muscle soreness. J Strength Cond Res. 2007 Aug;21(3):697-702.
Current thinking has cold water after prolonged hard exercise equal with the cold then hot water approach.For medium intensity exercise hot is thought of as best.
As only the exerciser knows whether the physical activity they have undergone is hard/prolonged or medium intensity and as there is no concrete evidence either way I thought it best to leave the decision to one of personal preference.
I'm sure you know better though.
Where did I say cold was better? A lot of recent research I've read does suggest cold after intense is better for short term relief. But if you're limiting blood supply to an area you're slowing healing.... So whilst it may limit inflammation and thus pain, long term it may slow adaptation to exercise.
The advice I generally give to my patients who are more serious athletes is take cold baths or use ice packs after races or competitions where you may be competing again later that day or again the day after. Of You aren't, then just do a good warm down and forget the ice.
Contrast therapy is also good, but heat alone after INTENSE exercise is something I would not recommend.
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