Article by Fit Asylum
One of the most heavily marketed
supplements by Beachbody is the Results and Recovery Formula. A lot of
people ask, is it worth it? If you want to maximize your results with
any workout program, your post-workout meal is one of the most important
things to consider. To the best of my knowledge, and taking into
consideration latest trends in sports nutrition, Beachbody has really
done their homework with the Recovery formula, and price-wise it is
comparable to most other products on the market.
This is not a protein shake!
First off, this product is not to be
confused with a whey protein shake. The truth is, the importance of any
recovery formula is in its carbohydrate composition, and secondarily
its protein composition. Therefore, it is especially important to note
that this product is not supposed to be consumed throughout the day like
a protein shake or meal replacement shake, but ONLY immediately after a
workout.
Simple Carbohydrate Blend
The Recovery Formula is made up mostly of
dextrose and maltodextrin. Dextrose is chemically the same as a glucose
(blood sugar), and maltodextrin is a corn-derivative polysaccharide
(multi-molecule sugar). Both have a high glycemic index number, which
means they will be absorbed by the body very quickly. The fact that
these ingredients are in liquid (powdered) form lead to even faster
absorption. This is key in post workout nutrition as your body is ready
to take simple carbs and convert them into glycogen (stored carbs) to
replace the stores in your muscles which are depleted after a workout.
If these stores are left depleted, you will eventually replenish them
throughout the day, but if they are left "empty" then you will most
likely drag through the rest of your day, or worse get urges to eat a
ton later on in the day. Anybody who has ever worked out mid-day and
then crashes by mid-afternoon knows this feeling! High-glycemic foods
are bad for you almost every time of day EXCEPT right after a workout;
the release of insulin, an anabolic hormone, is actually desired after
working out anaerobically (i.e. P90X, Insanity, etc.) to replenish
glycogen and promote muscle repair and rebuild.
Compared to other recovery drinks that use
fructose or sucrose (table sugar) or worse, High Fructose Corn Syrup as
their sugar sources, the Beachbody drink's use of dextrose and
maltodextrin is preferred. Did you know that until this past year
Gatorade used a "fructose-glucose syrup" (read: High Fructose Corn
Syrup) as its sugar derivative? Powerade still uses HFCS as it's sugar
source.
4:1 Carb to Protein ratio
While clearly the carbs play the most
important role in recovery, most sports nutrition experts have come to a
consensus that having a 4:1 carb to protein ratio in a recovery event
is ideal. Using Whey Protein Concentrate in the Beachbody formula, this
ratio is achieved, providing about 40g of simple carbs and 10g of whey
protein. Whey protein is one of the most easily absorbable proteins and
has an amino acid spectrum conducive to muscle growth. The only thing
that is not ideal about this formulation is that it comes from
"concentrate" instead of "whey protein isolate" which is a denser source
of whey protein. Protein in the diet throughout the day is important
to provide the body with amino acids, which are the building blocks of
muscle, and controlling blood sugar. Protein in the recovery event may
be absorbed for immediate use in muscle repair, and may even help
replace the glycogen stores as well.
Vitamin C and l-Glutamine
These two ingredients are known to help
reduce cortisol levels post-workout. Cortisol is the "stress" hormone,
that is released by the adrenal glands when the body is physically or
emotionally undergoing stress. While cortisol is an important chemical
response in the body, an excess of cortisol post-workout can lead to a
catabolic effect (breaking down) of muscle tissue and increase in
storage of fat. I do not know of another recovery drink that includes
this much vitamin C (750% daily value) and l-glutamine. Vitamin C may
also help combat soreness (truth be told though, expect to be sore your
first week of p90x no matter what!). L-glutamine is also considered a
"universal" amino acid which can have multiple uses in the body, as it
can act like other essential amino acids.
Creatine
There is a trace amount of creatine in the
formula as well, which many people choose to use as a supplement on its
own to help with energy during a workout, and recovery. An over
simplified description of creatine is that it helps create and utilize
ATP as an energy source more efficiently during strenuous activity.
When taken before a workout, this can give an energy boost and may help
you get more reps, and therefore cause more stress on the muscles.
More reps means you increase the build during muscle repair and
recovery. When taken after a workout, it can also aid in protein
synthesis in the muscles. Creatine may add weight to your body, as your
muscles will retain more water (this will also give you a more bulked
up look), but the amount in the recovery drink is probably not enough to
really affect you in this way. Truth be told, creatine in the recovery
event isn't really necessary, but some of the Beachbody trainers
encourage you to have a scoop of recovery drink DURING your workout and
in that case, having the creatine might be somewhat valuable.
Price
When you check out prices in comparison to
other products (here I choose Accelerade), Beachbody's drink is fairly
priced, when you take into consideration the serving size. The
Beachbody drink is about $49.95 and has 25 servings (60g per serving, or
2 scoops, or 220 Calories). Accelerade by comparison has 60 servings
(31g per serving, or 1 scoop, or 120 Calories) and is $52, a reasonable
comparison. Endurox is similarly formulated to the Beachbody drink
(l-glutamine, dextrose, and Vitamin C included, but no creatine and also
contains fructose) and is $59.99 for 28 servings (75g, or 2 scoops, or
270 calories). Beachbody recently changed the formulation of the
Recovery drink, which is why it is a little more expensive than it was
about a year ago. To learn more about the old vs. new recovery drink,
read my blog article.
Taste
If taste is a deal breaker for you - you
are in luck! Beachbody's drink tastes great, it is a sort of orange
smoothie flavor. Many people I have met on the p90x discussion boards
like it. The newer formulation does taste a little different than the
original formulation, but to my taste buds it isn't worse, just
different.
Summary
Beachbody's Results and Recovery Formula
contains the correct carbohydrate blend, a desirable 4:1 carb to protein
ratio, vitamins and supplements to help curb cortisol levels and aid
with soreness, and a little bit of creatine to aid in protein synthesis.
It is about as well-formulated as, or better formulated than any other
product on the market and is comparable in price. Smart post-workout
nutrition is essential to see results, and to not crash later in the
day, so if you are using a Beachbody product or working out regularly,
it is highly recommended to use this drink, or a comparable formula. Click Here to order or see Nutritional aspects of the this product!
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