I recall that getting protein in a sports drink was impossible because the protein breaks down in liquid when not refrigerated. did accelerade solve this problem or are they just failing to make their customers aware of this?
I think Accelerade is junk. Not only does it taste bad but when it gets even a little warm it just gets nasty. I much prefer First Endurance’s EFS (sports drink) which uses Amino Acids as the delivery mechanism for restoring glycogen. Tastes a lot better too.
The new ready-to-drink Accelerade is freaking awesome! Grapefruit is my fave, and the mango flavor is pretty amazing as well. And I’m very picky with my sports drinks. I’d rather drink my own urine than any sports drink Hammer makes. I tried so hard to like them!
To each his own!
Jodi
I love the R4 but the accelerade and accel gels make me sick and seriously gassy…not to mention the terrible taste and consistency which is exacerbated over hot warm training sessions. I wish I could use it considering I can get it free. In addition, from what one of their reps tells me, there are expiration dates on the gels do to the proteins. however was not informed of any protein breakdown…in regard to liquid form and refrigeration.
The protein does break down if unrefrigerated. I remember one of the PR guys of a sports drink company (the one with perpetuem (sp?)) talking about that on a podcast (I think it was Get your Geek on) not too long ago. He recommended to keep it cold before you ride, stick in the fridge the night before etc. When it gets warm, the protein will take a few hours to break down so you have a good enough window to drink it after the fridge part, I think things will get iffy when riding in an IM, where it is out of the fridge for a while even before you get on the bike or even run.
How exactly does it break down?
Protein denatures at 42+ degrees Celsius (that’s why it gets really dangerous when your body temp goes above 110F or so), but when you cook an egg that’s what happens and people still eat it.
If breaking down means for some reason it breaks into shorter peptides, not really an issue either, it’s still made up of amino acids, can be used as food.
I don’t think room temperature can initiate any sort chemical reaction to modify the amino acids, which could cause it to become non-palatable.
That’s my thought process, if anybody knows what exactly goes bad, I would great appreciate to learn what exactly goes bad.
InfiniT tastes WAY better and has as much or as little protein as you want.
I appreciate the thought, but as you might imagine, I am aware of Infinit. They clearly state the issues behind protein drinks and the fact that they don’t keep in liquid form for very long. I was curious if accelerade had similar recommendations or if they had found a way to make it not break down. Hence, you know, the text of my question =)
On that podcast the hammer guy said it would take 6-8 hours so only putting it in your bottles either warm or in your midway bike bag or run bag in an ironman would be a problem. I have been mixing my own stuff up from isopure whey protein and whatever electrolight carb thing is on sale and like the guy said it can start to taste bad quickly and thus be ineffective bc you wont drink it or may give people nausea but i use insulated bottles or lots fo ice and never had a prob.
This problem could be avoided by putting the ready-to-drink accelerade bottles (unopened) in special needs. It shouldn’t go bad until it’s opened, so just pour the new stuff in your bottles and go. I wonder if you could put a soft sided cooler in special needs to keep it cold. Warm sports drink is just nasty, no matter what brand or flavor it is.
Jodi
no, i believe unrefrigerated, protein will go bad in liquid, even unopened. that is my understanding. any accelerade people post here?
One should research the matter to see if the body is able to process protein during intense activity. Studies done by those who don’t put protein in their beverages suggest that protein actually decreases osmolality. It is a great marketing tool and allows companies to differentiate themselves from their competition but if you want to replace electrolytes and calories quickly you might consider staying away from beverages with protein while training or racing. However research does suggest that a protein beverage after activity is extremely beneficial.
I think it’s fine unopened. There were no special instructions for storage on my bottles. Shelf life is 3 months. Here is what it says on the site. : How should Accelerade ready-to-drink be stored? How should it be stored after opening?
Once opened, Accelerade ready-to-drink should be stored in the refrigerator and consumed within 3-5 days after opening.
What is the shelf life of Accelerade?
For optimal flavor, please refer to the “Best By” date written on the bottle.
(sorry about the font. I copied and pasted…)
Jodi
I listened to the same podcast and I came away with the idea that the proteins in Hammer Products don't break down per say, but something happens to them that makes the drink taste "funky" or unpalatable. Maybe the proteins become oxidized? As I recall, he didn't elaborate on what happened to them.
To be completely fair with all of this Accelerade bashing (and I can’t stand Accelerade!)…Many of the Infinit pre-formulated mixes have protein in them, and I haven’t come across their disclaimer that the protein in their drink might become unstable either…I’m a happy Infinit user, but I just go for the Iron distance formulation for simplicity sake, so protein stability could be an issue for me. As yes, I know I can do a custom formulation and dial the protein out of it…
I listened to the same podcast and I came away with the idea that the proteins in Hammer Products don’t break down per say, but something happens to them that makes the drink taste “funky” or unpalatable. Maybe the proteins become oxidized? As I recall, he didn’t elaborate on what happened to them.
To be completely fair with all of this Accelerade bashing (and I can’t stand Accelerade!)…Many of the Infinit pre-formulated mixes have protein in them, and I haven’t come across their disclaimer that the protein in their drink might become unstable either…I’m a happy Infinit user, but I just go for the Iron distance formulation for simplicity sake, so protein stability could be an issue for me. As yes, I know I can do a custom formulation and dial the protein out of it…
Apples vs Oranges. Hammer uses Soy. Infinit and Accelerade use whey.
My experience is that it is the soy protein that gets funky when it sits in in the heat for a while. Whey does not seem to get that same skunky taste. Soy is a much different taste and for that reason we do not offer it.
“I’d rather drink my own urine than any sports drink Hammer makes.”
Now, that qualifies you for the All Chopper Team. Spot on!
Pacific Health Labs were recently purchased by Cadbury. Hense the new revamp, packaging commercials, and flavors. As for effectivness… I’ve always liked the Endurox product.
One good update is the new chocolate gel… it’s nutella flavor… like CRACK! The case of it only lasted about a week at my LBS. All the other flavors are still there, but the word is out on the chocolate.