None of these 'sports products' work.....

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  • Grendel3Grendel3 ✭✭✭

    For me nothing really came out of the programme that I didn't already know or suspect because there was nothing really conclusive - The interview with Graham Obree and his jam sandwiches perhaps summed it all up - he didn't think that the supplements work - the key word for me there is THINK - because if someone thinks a certain sports drink, supplement or a pair of trainers are helping, then they are and it is that belief that makes all the difference - just my opinion.

  • Hmm its a good point Grendel, but the fact that this is the first independent study and its shown them all up, isn't good news!

    The jam sandwich makes sense because its sugar and carbs which is basically what the drinks are. But i think i'll carry on using my recovery drink because its more convenient for me. Although i might skip them on days when ive only done short runs.

  • RatzerRatzer ✭✭✭
    kittenkat wrote (see)

    For people who want to train to burn fat, don't you need carbs to kick start that rather than water? Can't remember the article in a cycle mag a while ago, and also carbs are carbs, not necessarily expensive drinks and gels.

     

    KK, you shouldn't use carbs to kick start the fat burning process.  I quote directly from Peak Performance "Following even a modest intake of carbohydrate, insulin is secreted from the pancreas facilitating movement of glucose from the blood into muscle cells(7). In addition to maintaining blood glucose within an acceptable range, insulin functions to remove fatty acids from the circulation, and is the primary inhibitor of lipolytic (fat burning) pathways(8,9)."  The references given are to articles in 'Nutrition', 'Progress in Lipid Research' and 'Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise' - but I let them do the dry reading for me.  If you're about to do an event that needs you fat-burning, but you still need to keep your carb stores topped up, then don't take in carbs until after you've started.

    Grendel3 wrote (see)

    For me nothing really came out of the programme that I didn't already know or suspect because there was nothing really conclusive - The interview with Graham Obree and his jam sandwiches perhaps summed it all up - he didn't think that the supplements work - the key word for me there is THINK - because if someone thinks a certain sports drink, supplement or a pair of trainers are helping, then they are and it is that belief that makes all the difference - just my opinion.

    And this for me was a classic too!  As the BBC we can belittle GSK's 143 studies, but if one ex-world record holder has an anecdote to offer then it's God's Word!!

    It was an interesting programme, but there was nothing to take away apart from a good point to consider any marketing claims and take nothing at face value.  Oh, and Creatine and Caffeine work, but you might have missed that second-and-a-half.

  • I think the BBC was going of the Oxford study which was the first independent study of these products all other studies had been done by or paid for by the companies selling the products, which i think was the point the Beeb were trying to get across. But the show was mostly about dispelling the myths that these things makes you faster, stronger & fitter and that you need them every time you exercise and that the products are better than water and part of a required diet if your to perform well in sports. Which i think most people on here will already know is just madness, its your gym bunnies and beginners i think that will of learnt the most from last night and were probably the target audience.

    Oh and as per my past post, the jame sandwich would work as is it basically all thats in most sports drinks.

    As for the trainers i think they said they looked at evidence from several studies were as again, the companies selling the products either only provided evidence they had found or couldn't provide any to back up their claims, which was a shame.

  • Ratzer, I think there was more to take away than that. We're talking about whole industries that use PR and marketing that suggests they have up-to-date and complete scientific proof behind them - and have nothing of the sort. That's unsurprising, but it needs pointing out now and then.

  • RatzerRatzer ✭✭✭
    Peter Collins wrote (see)

    Ratzer, I think there was more to take away than that. We're talking about whole industries that use PR and marketing that suggests they have up-to-date and complete scientific proof behind them - and have nothing of the sort. That's unsurprising, but it needs pointing out now and then.

    Which indeed is the point I took away, though, as you say, unsurprising.  The irony is that it is a point being made by a whole industry of soundbite journalism.

    The Oxford study acknowledged that 3 of the studies GSK provided were of acceptable quality and lack of bias.  (I couldn't find the criteria for determining 'lack of bias' but it is very difficult to find studies that aren't sponsored by someone with an interest in the results.)  Neither the BMJ (online BMJ.com) nor the programme have revealed what these particular studies show.

    That is to say I don't support the findings either way.  The point I take away applies equally to the programme as much as what it was investigating!

  • I think they said there was some some evidence to suggest there is a benefit to professional athletes , but its not enough of a benefit for everyday people like us to need to buy such products, unless your doing endurance sports which will see you exercising for at least one hour and in those cases you wont need to take them until youve been going for an hour.

    Ive seen some runners taking energy gels at the start line of a race, its just stupid, they should have enough energy at that point!!

  • SJPC14

    I understand your logic, but would just like to expand on it for a moment.

    Rather than use up everything in store until it absolutely needs replenishing, it is better for peak performance to manage the cycle of energy boost/insulin release dip in a more controlled way. That is to take a gel every 30 minutes from a point earlier in the race than you would expect to be needing one. I was also advised to change from my deliciously flavoured but big hitting sachet to a smaller variety. That way I took less of a boost, but more importantly got less of a dip.

    Did it work? Quite possibly. But we are talking here about managing small percentage improvements, and there are many little jigsaw pieces that make up the whole picture. When I race I have always targeted a PB. When I fail, I usually know why. Sometimes I get everything right, then I surprise people. Others operate more moderate targets and continue to deliver a steady stream of moderate performances.

    Gels work. Milk works. Big pasta parties the night before a big race do NOT work. Ice baths work. Massage works. Massive meat platters after a big race work. Being light works very well. Training hard works best of all.

  • I take your point, Ratzer, but what is an hour-long programme supposed to do? And the onus is surely on companies that make claims to back them up. That they're not is the main finding.

  • Hi Blisters, you really don't need to take energy gels at the start of a race. As you said the pasta the night before and a good breakfast on race day will give you enough energy and carbs to start you run. I know Gels work, i use them, but never until after one hour of running. In fact, the the gels i use (SIS) state on the back of them, to be used with every hour of sport, although i understand some gels are different. One of the links i posted earlier, states that if you take too much of these things (gels+Engery drinks) your going to dehydrate yourself, with a build up of sugar in your system. 

    With all the things your doing, training and diet wise, you don't need a gel at the beginning of a run. In fact the last race i need, i had a mate who was going to take a gel at the beginning of a race and i persuaded him to wait until the half way point (It was a HM) or an hour had passed. He followed my advice and afterwards said it was far more affective than if he had taken it at the beginning of the run.

    And the taking a gel before you expect to need one comment, sounds just like the powerade spiel about drinking their drink before you feel thirsty.

    I know every runner is different and going off your post you train a lot harder than i do. I just think runners need to be careful about being taken for a ride by these companies. Look at the science behind the products and what they are saying, looking at what the pros are doing and mostly importantly train well, as that more than anything will determine your finish time.

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