Thanks for the link to the article, at what intensity were the athletes exercising at when these tests were run?

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wovebike.com | Wove on instagram

The "problem" is that we - the testers - are allowed to make recommendations for changes. I.e., it's not "here is the finished product, what do you think?" It's "here is the first round of test product, what do you think?" Changes are made. "Here is round two, what do you think?" Etc. Sometimes only a couple iterations are necessary. Sometimes more.

It's all FE fault. They allow feedback. They should listen to Apple computer more - just make what you secretly know people will want. ;)

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"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

Thanks for the detailed information Brian. I really appreciate you taking the time to write all the info down. BTW, I'm shooting for a 2:25 bike split. Been playing with EFS nutrition while on the trainer for my long rides. Today was three hours at 145 average HR and used 4 scoops of EFS grape. Don't think that was enough calories. Still have two months to figure it out.

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Citius, Altius, Fortius

Have you tried EFS Liquid Shot? Far more calories than the EFS drink and a similar electrolyte blend. You can pretty much drink it as the consistency falls between a gel and a liquid. Wash it down with a couple sips of water and you're good to go. All I keep on the bike is Liquid Shot and water.

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

you mean bacon flavored EFS?

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Robert Kunz / Founder and VP of Science for First Endurance

Slightly off topic , sorry.

I'm just looking at the EFS site and the Endurance Energy drink , which I presume is the product primarily used for IM and 70.3 racing ( on course ).

Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 1 scoop (30g)
Servings per Container: 25 Supplement Facts
Serving size 1 scoop (30g): makes 12 fluid ounces Amount Per Serving %DV* Calories 96 Calories from fat 0 Total fat 0 0% Cholesterol 0 0% Total Carbohydrate (Complex carbohydrates, Sucrose, Dextrose) 24g 9% Sugars 16g ** Vitamin C (as ascorbic acid) 120mg 200% Calcium (as calcium carbonate) 100mg 10% Magnesium (as magnesium oxide) 150mg 38% Chloride (as sodium chloride) 380mg 8% Sodium (from sodium chloride) 270mg 12% Potassium (as di-potassium phosphate) 160mg 6% Amino Acid Blend (L-Glutamine, Leucine, Iso-Leucine, Valine) 2000mg * *Daily Value Not Established
**Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.





96 Calories per serving ?
I race with about 275 Calories per hour , which correct me if I am wrong , would be just under 3 scoops per hour.
The problem arises, in that I use 900-1200 mg's sodium per hour.
I am presuming that EFS sodium (per serving) will come from Sodium Chloride / Sodium 270mg's and Sodium Chloride 380mg's , which totals 650mg's per serving.
So, if I require roughly 2.8 scoops per hour ( 269 calories ) , that would equate to 1820 mg's of Sodium per hour which is virtually double my hourly requirements and more than anybody I know.
In fact it may even exceed some fast food joints !

I presently use INFINIT but will be making the move over to EFS once I empty my current stocks.
I only use liquid calories on the bike , with all electrolytes ( sodium , magnesium , potassium and calcium) included in my drink., if possible.
This would be the optimal mix so I will not have to additionally take NUUN tabs or Saltstick tabs.

Thanks in advance.

Apologies for hijacking this thread.

Terry

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"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream" - Les Brown
"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment" - Jim Rohn

Terry,

1st Endurance is one of the few manufacturers to delineate sodium & chloride as (2) separate lines on their nutritional profile. As such, (3) scoops of EFS would yield the following:

Calories: 288
CHO: 72g
Sodium: 900mg
Potassium: 480mg
Magnesium: 450mg

If your goal was to use primary 1st Endurance products for a 1/2 IM, I would suggest going w/ (1) concentrated bottle of EFS (possibly mixed at 3-scoops per bottle as noted above), (1) flask of the Liquid Shot (chasing each w/ water) & supplementing w/ another 12-16oz of on course Gatorade Endurance. If you consumed all of the above over a 2:45 (+/-) bike split, your total intake would be:

Calories: 788 (287 /hr)
CHO: 200g
Sodium: 1700mg (618mg /hr)
Potassium: 950mg
Magnesium: 450mg

There are obviously an endless # of options to fuel yourself through a race & this just one of them. I'm hardly advocating that this would be right for you (as I know virtually nothing about you), but this outline would suggest a possible way to get close to your caloric & electrolyte needs.

I hope that helps, but please don't hesitate to contact us directly if you'd like to look into this further (Brian@PersonalBestNutrition.com).

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Brian Shea
http://www.PersonalBestNutrition.com
Open-Water/Masters Swimming at the Jersey Shore:
Monmouth County NJ Ocean Swim/Masters Workouts

Brian,

Thank you VERY much for your detailed response and informed opinion.

I will look further into the products , deduce which avenue will be more comfortable for me and then provide you with my data. Hopefully then we can begin testing in training.

I really like to ride "minimalist" in races ( IM / HIM ). 2 Nutrition bottles on the frame , up to 3 hours of nutrition in each transparent (divided into thirds by markers ) bottle.
I have previously , separated my nutrition onto the frame bottles and hydration into aerobottle , using a combination of :
- some electrolytes in my nutrition on the frame( this is a custom blend )
- on course supplementation ( Gatorade ).
- dropping 3-4 NUUN tabs into aerobottle hourly.

For me , the ultimate scenario would be to get at least 80% of my required electrolytes in one formula already combined with my race day nutrition , so effectively I am covered as far ascalories and electrlytes and I can take in the extra req'd electrolytes from Gatorade or NUUN from the aerobottle.

So far , I know what does work for me in HIM and IM.
I am particularly concerned about electrolytes as I live on the equator and race in very humid , very hot conditions.

Thanks again ,, I will stay in touch :)

Terry

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"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream" - Les Brown
"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment" - Jim Rohn

I also think that CytoMax is one of the better tasting drinks out there. I think you need to supplement it with endurolytes or salt tabs of some sort.

I see new flavors are up. How about a ST discount code or free shipping? ;-)

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___________

Though we would love to offer a discount, we do make a conscious effort to do all we can to assure the independent bike shop owner is successful. We support our retailers by not discounting our products on our website. We all want great bike, run and tri shops, right?

and yes, the new drinks just became available and they are moving fast.

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Robert Kunz / Founder and VP of Science for First Endurance

Cytomax hmmmm...where do I start.

The EFS guys will back me up, one of the basics of any drink is that you want it to be isotonic. Meaning that it goes into your gut and does not need to be digested. Just goes in, and then out into your system.

For a drink to be isotonic it needs to have an osmolality under 300. Cytomax is the highest I have ever tested at 480. So what happens is your body has to pull water FROM your system to dilute (dehydration) and also diverts blood to digest. Not exactly what you want from your sports drink.

It is a low calorie, lower salt product to boot. If you are adding salt to that mix, good luck. :)

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infinIT Nutrition
Custom Blended Nutrition Solutions
http://www.infinITNutrition.com

Awesome. When will places like all3 and trisports get their shipment?

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___________

That is entirely up to the retailers and usually based on their current inventory..typically its within a month of the launch.

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Robert Kunz / Founder and VP of Science for First Endurance

Hi, one thing I'm not quite clear on. I have been using perpetuem as opposed to a carb gel type product because it is a pro/carb formula. Do the amino acids in EFS liquid shot eliminate the need for protein - or is it better regarded as a replacement for the purely carb products?

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This specific topic is something we have discussed at length with many nutrition companies, 1st Endurance in particular.

Basically, bcaa's and glutamine are inherent in protein at about 1g of amino acids for 4.5g of whey protein. The research on free form amino acids shows the same benefit as what is found in the complete protein and ironically, the free form amino acid research came first (basically the protein research simply took what was already known about bcaa's and glutamine and replicated those studies using complete protein, so this is nothing new). It is however much cheaper to formulate products with complete proteins, which is why complete proteins are used more often. The problem is that during exercise proteins are harder to digest and they can start to go rancid in the heat (anyone who has used Sustained Energy or Perpetuem on a warm race may have noticed this). When using free form amino acids, you don't have this issue.

In EFS, the 2,000 mg of bcaa's equates to about 9g of Whey protein.

*Below is an excerpt from the 1st Endurance newsletter which goes into much greater detail on this subject....
--------------------------

Endurance: Free Form Amino Acids

Free Form Amino Acids vs Protein
New research done in 2003 and 2004 indicates that supplementing with protein during exercise improves time to exhaustion (Ivy, Saunders) and reduces post exercise muscle damage (Saunders).

Ivy, J.L. et al. (2003). Effect of a carbohydrate-protein supplement on endurance performance during exercise of varying intensity. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 13, 388-401.

Saunders, MJ et al. (2004). Effects of a carbohydrate-protein beverage on cycling endurance and muscle damage. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 36, No. 7, 2004.

In these two Protein studies, the Scientists were unable to explain why time to exhaustion increased but postulated that the reason was due to a greater sparing of muscle glycogen, which would provide a greater reserve during exercise, however, the insulin responses to the carbohydrate and carbohydrate/protein supplements were not different. In addition, carbohydrate oxidation was similar in both groups, which would suggest that the utilization of muscle glycogen was also similar. Scientist are left to hypothesize that another mechanism may be involved in producing enhanced performance.

Central fatigue hypothesis. During exercise, branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) decrease and tryptophan, a precursor to serotonin, competes with BCAAs. What this means is that tryptophan overpowers BCAAs and crosses the blood brain barrier rather than BCAAs, increases serotonin in the brain and lowers brain activity and possibly causes central body fatigue. Some studies show that the addition of BCAAs during exercise will improve endurance exercise performance while others do not and a definitive consensus has not been reached regarding this topic.

Maintain Krebs Cycle intermediates. This is a relatively new hypothesis in this area. The authors speculated that the addition of protein during exercise could provide precursors for the reactions required to maintain the Krebs Cycle (this is one of the metabolic cycles that is responsible making energy to supply the muscles during exercise). As exercise duration increases, the precursors, specifically 2-oxoglutarate and oxaloacetate, for the Krebs Cycle reactions decrease to critically low levels and therefore decrease energy production. Although carbohydrate supplementation is thought to assist this process somewhat, it may not be as efficient as once thought when the proper amino acids are provided.

While the claims for improved performance can be clearly supported, the generalization that Protein is the reason for the benefit may be misleading. Protein naturally contains Branched Chain Amino Acids and Glutamine. Clinical evidence supporting the use of Branched Chain Amino acids and Glutamine during exercise dates back to 1991. These clinical studies clearly indicate supplementing with as little as 1g Free Form Amino Acids improved performance, reduced post-exercise muscle damage, improved muscle glycogen re-synthesis, reduced central fatigue and improved rate of perceived exertion. These are the same claims made by the ‘NEW’ Protein study and clearly support a mechanism for improved performance.


Glutamine
Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body, accounting for greater than 60% of the total intramuscular free amino acid pool. Virtually every cell in the body uses this non-essential amino acid. Glutamine is synthesized in both skeletal muscle and in adipose tissue in addition to the lungs, liver and brain. Because the body has the ability to produce glutamine it has long been considered a non-essential amino acid, which simply means the body has a mechanism to produce this powerful amino acid. However, there is evidence that, during times of stress, the body cannot produce enough glutamine to keep up with demand which in turn can reduce performance, immune function and mood. As a result, glutamine has recently been classified as a conditional non-essential amino acid. Glutamine offers a significant benefit to exercising individuals and those looking to increase lean muscle mass and decrease body fat. Supplemental glutamine can help promote cell volumization, the phenomenon of drawing of water INSIDE muscle cells which can help increase muscle "fullness", increase protein synthesis (the making of proteins), and decrease proteolysis (the breakdown of protein).

Glutamine and overtraining
Intense physical exercise drains Glutamine stores faster than the body can replenish them. When this occurs, the body breaks down muscles and becomes catabolic. Clinical evidence supports supplementation with glutamine for recovery, glycogen storage & transport, synthesis of other amino acids and to reduce the catabolic effects of overtraining. Its been proven that glutamine levels in the serum are dramatically reduced following exhaustive exercise. With reduced glutamine levels performance and recovery are also compromised.

Conditions of severe stress such as exposure to extreme altitude, massive trauma, and burns have been shown to decrease glutamine concentrations similar to the reductions noted in endurance athletes after training and competition. Supplementation with glutamine has been shown to improve recovery rates in these patients, and has also been linked to improve gut function. The evidence for maintenance of healthy immune function is one more great benefit to glutamine supplementation. A strict and strenuous training program, which does not allow for enough time to recover, may cause an athlete to experience overtraining syndrome (OTS). Researchers have effectively correlated OTS to amino acid imbalances. Decreased performance, decreased mood, and increased incidence of infections characterize these amino acid imbalances caused by OTS. Significantly decreased plasma glutamine concentrations have been observed after prolonged exercise in healthy athletes as well. Athletes who exercise extensively and are suffering from OTS may become immuno-suppressed leading to infection and increased upper respiratory tract infections (URTI). Supplementing with glutamine in order to maintain normal levels of intramuscular glutamine is critical in maintaining a strong immune system AND preventing the breakdown of skeletal muscle and catabolism (the breakdown of muscle).

Supplementation vs. Foods
Most naturally occurring food proteins contain only 4 to 8% of their amino acid as glutamine. Though glutamine is available in small quantities from a variety of foods, it is easily destroyed by cooking. Raw vegetables can be a good source of glutamine though evidence suggests that dietary glutamine is not easily absorbed through the intestine. On the contrary a stable form of glutamine from dietary supplements has a better absorption rate.

Branched Chain Amino Acids
Low levels of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) may contribute to fatigue so BCAAs should be replaced within two hours or less following exercise. These include the essential amino acids leucine, isoleucine, and valine. They are very popular among athletes and there is some research validating their use. Numerous research studies have shown these three key amino acids are extremely important to consume, especially during dieting and exercising (and according to one study, BCAAs are even more important when exercising in the heat). During exercise, the body uses a mix of glucose, fats, and even protein as a fuel source. When diet and carbohydrate intake is lower than normal, the percentage of protein the body uses for fuel (specifically Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine) dramatically increases. The body will pull those needed amino acids from the continuously circulating pool of amino acids in the bloodstream. And if not replenished from an outside source, i.e. specific amino acid ingestion in the form of BCAAs, the body will breakdown other areas of the body in order to supply this pool. Studies have shown that subjects who consume an effective dose of BCAAs while endurance training have greater levels of lean muscle mass retention than control subjects who ingest a placebo (and typically lose muscle during the same dieting period). Additionally, BCAAs form antibodies that combat invading bacteria and viruses. The body cannot manufacture its own BCAAs, so they must be supplied through diet and supplementation. BCAAs have also been studied for their ability to improve exercise capacity in heat. In a 1998 study, subjects supplementing with BCAAs significantly improved moderate exercise performance in the heat.

BCAAs and Central Fatigue
Branched Chain Amino Acids are also associated with a syndrome termed central fatigue. Following exhaustive exercise, BCAAs are depleted from the working muscle and from the circulating pool of amino acids. This depleted state causes an imbalance of the BCAA to Tryptophan (another amino acid) ratio. . When BCAAs are low, Tryptophan (a precursor to serotonin) is more readily available and can cause increases in serotonin. Low levels of BCAAs cause an increase in serotonin, which causes a feeling of sleepiness and lethargy It is this imbalance that can cause an athlete to become lethargic and almost sleepy. Supplementing with higher levels of BCAAs will help stop the Tryptophan/serotonin mechanism. All whey protein supplements contain Tryptophan, however only some will actually disclose an amount on the label. An effective supplement should contain at least three grams of BCAAs and minimal levels of tryptophan.

A 2006 Study conducted in Tokyo discussed the beneficial effects of a dietary amino acid supplement on muscle function, fatigue and recovery in exercising athletes. The mixture of amino acids included the branched-chain amino acids, arginine and glutamine and was studied chronically at several daily dose levels for 10, 30 and 90 days. At dose of 2.2, 4.4 and 6.6 g/day for one month showed indices of blood oxygen carrying capacity were increased and those of muscle damage were decreased at the end of the trial. The study suggests that amino acid supplementation contributed to an improvement in training efficiency through positive effects on muscle integrity and hematopoiesis.

Amino Acid References
Antonio, J., and C. Street. 1999. Glutamine: A potentially useful supplement for athletes. Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology 24:1-14
Blomstrand E, Celsing F, Newsholme EA. Changes in plasma concentrations of aromatic and branched-chain amino acids during sustained exercise in man and their possible role in fatigue. Acta Physiol Scand. 1988 May;133(1):115-21.
Blomstrand E, Hassmen P, Ek S, Ekblom B, Newsholme EA. Influence of ingesting a solution of branched-chain amino acids on perceived exertion during exercise. Acta Physiol Scand. 1997 Jan;159(1):41-9.
Blomstrand E, Hassmen P, Ekblom B, Newsholme EA. Administration of branched-chain amino acids during sustained exercise--effects on performance and on plasma concentration of some amino acids. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1991;63(2):83-8.
Castell LM, Yamamoto T, Phoenix J, Newsholme EA. The role of tryptophan in fatigue in different conditions of stress. Adv Exp Med Biol. 1999;467:697-704.

Castell L. Glutamine supplementation in vitro and in vivo, in exercise and in immunodepression. Sports Med. 2003;33(5):323-45

Castell, L.M., et al. The role of glutamine in the immune system and in intestinal function in catabolic states. Amino Acids 7 (1994): 231-243

Castell, L.M., J.R. Poortmans, and E.A. Newsholme. Does glutamine have a role in reducing infection in athletes? European Journal of Applied Physiology 73 (1996): 488-490.
Davis JM, Alderson NL, Welsh RS. Serotonin and central nervous system fatigue: nutritional considerations. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000 Aug;72(2 Suppl):573S-8S.
Davis JM, Bailey SP, Woods JA, Galiano FJ, Hamilton MT, Bartoli WP. Effects of carbohydrate feedings on plasma free tryptophan and branched-chain amino acids during prolonged cycling. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1992;65(6):513-9.
Davis JM, Welsh RS, De Volve KL, Alderson NA. Effects of branched-chain amino acids and carbohydrate on fatigue during intermittent, high-intensity running. Int J Sports Med. 1999 Jul;20(5):309-14.
Davis JM. Carbohydrates, branched-chain amino acids, and endurance: the central fatigue hypothesis. Int J Sport Nutr. 1995 Jun;5 Suppl:S29-38.
Davis JM. Central and peripheral factors in fatigue. J Sports Sci. 1995 Summer;13 Spec No:S49-53.
Gastmann UA, Lehmann MJ. Overtraining and the BCAA hypothesis. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1998 Jul;30(7):1173-8.
Hassmen P, Blomstrand E, Ekblom B, Newsholme EA. Branched-chain amino acid supplementation during 30-km competitive run: mood and cognitive performance. Nutrition. 1994 Sep-Oct;10(5):405-10.
Lehmann M, Huonker M, Dimeo F, Heinz N, Gastmann U, Treis N, Steinacker JM, Keul J, Kajewski R, Haussinger D. Serum amino acid concentrations in nine athletes before and after the 1993 Colmar ultra triathlon. Int J Sports Med. 1995 Apr;16(3):155-9.
Lehmann M, Mann H, Gastmann U, Keul J, Vetter D, Steinacker JM, Haussinger D. Unaccustomed high-mileage vs intensity training-related changes in performance and serum amino acid levels. Int J Sports Med. 1996 Apr;17(3):187-92.
Masaru Ohtani, et al. Amino Acid mixture improves Training Efficiency in Athletes. Journal of Nutrition 136: 538S-543S, 2006.
Manner T, Wiese S, Katz DP, Skeie B, Askanazi J. Branched-chain amino acids and respiration. Nutrition. 1992 Sep-Oct;8(5):311-5.
Meeusen R, De Meirleir K. Exercise and brain neurotransmission. Sports Med. 1995 Sep;20(3):160-88.
Mittleman KD, Ricci MR, Bailey SP. Branched-chain amino acids prolong exercise during heat stress in men and women. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1998 Jan;30(1):83-91.
Newsholme EA, Blomstrand E. Tryptophan, 5-hydroxytryptamine and a possible explanation for central fatigue. Adv Exp Med Biol. 1995;384:315-20.
Raguso, C.A., Pereira, P., Young, V.R., 1999. "A tracer investigation of obligatory oxidative amino acid losses in healthy young adults." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, October, 70(4):474-483.

Schena, F., Guerrini, F., Tregnaghi, P., and Kayser, B., 1992. "Branched-chain amino acid supplementation during trekking at high altitude." European Journal of Applied Physiology, 65:394-398.
Struder HK, Hollmann W, Platen P, Donike M, Gotzmann A, Weber K. Influence of paroxetine, branched-chain amino acids and tyrosine on neuroendocrine system responses and fatigue in humans. Horm Metab Res. 1998 Apr;30(4):188-94.

Schena, F., Guerrini, F., Tregnaghi, P., and Kayser, B., 1992. "Branched-chain amino acid supplementation during trekking at high altitude." European Journal of Applied Physiology, 65:394-398.

Tanaka H, West KA, Duncan GE, Bassett DR Jr. Changes in plasma tryptophan/branched chain amino acid ratio in responses to training volume variation. Int J Sports Med. 1997 May;18(4):270-5.
Verger P, Aymard P, Cynobert L, Anton G, Luigi R. Effects of administration of branched-chain amino acids vs. glucose during acute exercise in the rat. Physiol Behav. 1994 Mar;55(3):523-6.
Wagenmakers AJ. Muscle amino acid metabolism at rest and during exercise: role in human physiology and metabolism. Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 1998;26:287-314.
Yamamoto T, Castell LM, Botella J, Powell H, Hall GM, Young A, Newsholme EA. Changes in the albumin binding of tryptophan during postoperative recovery: a possible link with central fatigue? Brain Res Bull. 1997;43(1):43-6.
Yamamoto T, Newsholme EA. Diminished central fatigue by inhibition of the L-system transporter for the uptake of tryptophan. Brain Res Bull. 2000 May 1;52(1):35-8.
Raguso, C.A., Pereira, P., Young, V.R., 1999. "A tracer investigation of obligatory oxidative amino acid losses in healthy young adults." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, October, 70(4):474-483.

Kreider, R., Miriel, V., and Bertun, E., 1993. "Amino acid supplementation and exercise performance." Sports Medicine, 16:190-209.

Raguso, C.A., Pereira, P., Young, V.R., 1999. "A tracer investigation of obligatory oxidative amino acid losses in healthy young adults." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, October, 70(4):474-483.

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Brian Shea
http://www.PersonalBestNutrition.com
Open-Water/Masters Swimming at the Jersey Shore:
Monmouth County NJ Ocean Swim/Masters Workouts

very comprehensive answer thanks

Brian, what's your take on current ideas to limit carb intake so as to access more calories from fats stored in the body? With training it seems quite possible to access more fat use and thus eliminate the need for a crazy stream of carbs, thus often causing distress. I know this is not what most energy companies want to hear, as they'd prefer we buy product, but the ideas and examples are pretty compelling.

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Gary Geiger
http://www.geigerphoto.com Professional photographer

TEAM KiWAMi NORTH AMERICA http://www.kiwamitri.com, Rudy Project http://www.rudyprojectusa.com, GU https://guenergy.com/shop/ ; Salming World Ambassador; https://www.shopsalming.com

GGeiger,
Brian, if I could jump in.
Though there is not a lot of data to support or refute this, the practice has been widely used. First Endurance research board member and Sports Science manager at the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine Neal Henderson researched this for us and posted his article and 'How to' on our team.firstendurance site. This site allows us to collect our own data through customer input. Basically, we educate, then show you how to implement this, then ask for your input via a short questionnaire. Its not a clinical study, but can gather very valid and targeted data. Athletes like Miguel Indurain, Kenyan distance runners, and Tom Danielsen incorporate this into their training.
Look here and try it if you like: http://team.firstendurance.com/page/low-carbo-training

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Robert Kunz / Founder and VP of Science for First Endurance

Is the product available in Australia? I assume the cost of postage from the US would be prohibitive?

Yes, check our International Distributor list here. http://www.firstendurance.com/...jvm1?international=1

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Robert Kunz / Founder and VP of Science for First Endurance

Thanks very much for the info. Bob Sebohar in Boulder also seems to advocate this. I'm very interested in it.

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Gary Geiger
http://www.geigerphoto.com Professional photographer

TEAM KiWAMi NORTH AMERICA http://www.kiwamitri.com, Rudy Project http://www.rudyprojectusa.com, GU https://guenergy.com/shop/ ; Salming World Ambassador; https://www.shopsalming.com

Yes Bob, who is also on our Endurance Research Board does have quite a bit of experience with low carbohydrate training. I think, if done correctly it can be very powerful especially for long distance racing. The danger is that if not done correctly, meaning if you chronically train with low carbohydrates (low glycogen) you can drive your cortisol (stress hormones) up and hamper recovery significantly. This can also lead to suppressed immune and numerous other detrimental physiological functions. The key is to do it from time to time and scheduled correctly into your training. Our 'How to implement a Low Cho' training program is a great outline.

**For those training for Ironman or HIM, I highly suggest you try the Low Carbohydrate training, Sodium Loading, gluten free diet and caffeine programs on our Team.firstendurance.com site. These were designed so athletes can better learn their individual needs and limitations so they can go into an Ironman with confidence that their run will not turn disastrous due to gastric distress.

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Robert Kunz / Founder and VP of Science for First Endurance

I recently did a seminar with Bob, and it makes such sense, especially for long distance. I looked at your info and will be taking a shot at implementing it, as I have already started a few weeks ago.

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Gary Geiger
http://www.geigerphoto.com Professional photographer

TEAM KiWAMi NORTH AMERICA http://www.kiwamitri.com, Rudy Project http://www.rudyprojectusa.com, GU https://guenergy.com/shop/ ; Salming World Ambassador; https://www.shopsalming.com