Recently, there was an interesting discussion on fueling on the bike at the coachgordo.com forum which talks about some of these issues:

http://www.coachgordo.com/...config.pl?read=27866

I've tried lots of different nutritional drinks and think they all have their place in training. However, they are best used in addition to a diet founded on sound nutritional principles. I find nutritional drinks best used pre or during training because most of them are easily digested and don't interfere with the workout. Some are also handy as a post-workout recovery drink but shouldn't replace real food. Here's a couple of good articles on nutrition from the gordoworld.com site:

http://www.byrn.org/gtips.htm

I think it's important to read the labels completely on any of the drinks you might consider using because often the products contain ingredients that you might not want to take. For instance I can't take Aspartame (nutrasweet) as it gives me a roaring headache. Some contain caffeine. Others might have milk derivitives or things you might not tolerate.

Here are some of the products I have used and like.

Cytomax- I use it pre, during and after training and racing. It's similar to Gatorade but rather than having all simple carbohydrades it is a mix of some simple sugars(fructose) and some starchy longer chain carbohydrates. The net effect is that it is supposed to give smoother curve of sustained energy. I think it's easier on the stomach than most Gatorade flavors. Cytomax also has alpha L- polylactate which is supposed to act as a lactic acid buffer. It also has an artificial sweetner called "Acesulfame potassium" ,which has been around for over 15 years, and seems pretty harmless. Some of the flavors of Cytomax contain "herbal lift" which is their name for ginseng and guarana a caffeine containing herb. You can read more about Cytomax at:

http://www.cytosport.com

EAS brand Advant Edge shakes: these are ready to drink shakes in a box similar to Power Dream. They have 15g of soy protein and 25g of carbohydrate (mostly fructose). I'd prefer a recovery meal of "real food" but you can buy them in a local grocery or pharmacy and are easily digestable and handy to drink in the car, on the way to work, after a long swim workout. You'll probably want to add some more carbs, sports drink banana etc. to get a 4:1 carb/protein ratio.

Here are some sources of information and supply on other supplements:

http://www.netrition.com/

http://www.supplementdirect.com/

http://www.hammernutrition.com

http://www.runnersworld.com/.../0,1300,1-53,00.html

http://www.fred.net/ultrunr/

Thanks so much for the resources. I agree 100% about proper diet being the most important, but I often don't eat immediately after a workout, so I feel this may be a good time to take a nutritional drink.

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"What the mind can conceive and believe, the mind and body can achieve; and those who stay will be champions."

I've been using Endurox for a couple months and it seems to really help with recovery. Have not tried Accelerade. I still use Gatorade on my long rides.

Recent research suggests that protein content is not as important in a recovery drink as previously thought. It's basically getting calories in that's important for recovery (total cals being more important than ratios of marconutrients). I use GPush G4, which is a high cal recovery drink to get the job done.

Athletic need to extra protein is a myth propogated by supplement companies. The N.A. diet has more than enough protien for athletes.

Joel

CompetitionZone.com

Last year I started following a 40-30-30 diet plan to take off my winter pounds. I was using whey protein powder mixed in with milk in the mornings to add to my cereal to get the ratios right. I found it useful for ensuring I was getting adequate protein (and vitamins and minerals that were included in the mix) in case I wasn't eating as well as I could be.