The Importance of Complete Recovery Nutrition Post-Exercise

Recovery nutrition is still an underutilised tool in the toolbox of athletes, whilst many look at pre and mid race fuel, too many people still overlook post-race nutrition.  

Most of us understand it’s important to intake protein after exercise but for optimal recovery, more macro and micronutrients are needed. Eating the right types of macronutrients in the correct amounts, at the correct time is essential for building muscle and helping you recover from exercise. Pre, during and post exercise, your diet must contain the right balance of nutrients and minerals with enough carbohydrates, proteins and fats included. 

CARBOHYDRATE AVAILABILITY 

When it comes to recovery it is important that you consume both carbohydrates and protein for muscle replenishment and repair.  

Carbohydrate availability is important for fuelling endurance sports, especially in athletes who are training for over 60 mins at a moderate intensity. Carbohydrate availability is the body’s main fuel and is a primary factor leading to central and muscular fatigue.  

Carbohydrate is predominantly stored as glycogen in both the liver (approximately 100 g) and muscle (approximately 400 g) and about 5 g circulating in the blood stream as glucose. The body can absorb approximately 90g of carbohydrate per hour. A diet, rich in carbohydrate, increases both endurance and intermittent high-intensity performance.  

Rapid replenishment of glycogen stores post-exercise will prepare athletes for training and help them refuel for their next session. You should roughly aim for 1.2g of carbohydrates per kg of bodyweight.  

THE FUNCTION OF PROTEIN 

Your protein intake post-exercise is crucial to support metabolic adaptation, muscle repair and remodelling. The physical stress of exercising can cause microscopic damage to muscle fibres that need to be repaired. Protein consumption actively triggers muscle protein synthesis, fostering the creation of new muscle proteins, essential for optimal recovery.   

It’s been demonstrated that after resistance training there is a response of upregulation of muscle protein synthesis (process of producing new muscle proteins from amino acids) for at least 24 hours afterwards, also an increased sensitivity to the intake of dietary protein. This response is similarly found following aerobic exercise or other exercise types such as sprint activities and intermittent sprints.  

There have been many research studies that promote a good rationale to intake protein well above the recommended daily allowance to maximize metabolic adaptation to training. 

ABOUT REGO RAPID RECOVERY AND REGO CLEAR 

Muscle recovery supplements are a simple, convenient and effective way to accelerate your recovery post-workout, such as our REGO Rapid Recovery and REGO Clear.  

The REGO Rapid Recovery and REGO clear both contain high levels of protein and carbohydrates to help replenish your glycogen stores and to support muscle function and protein synthesis. Both products contain 22g of carbohydrate per serving, as well as the 21g of high quality, amino rich protein, making this a complete option for your recovery.  

To provide support in recovery it should be consumed immediately after exercise (within 30mins) and not mixed with milk as this can slow down the absorption rate.