Nutrition Science | Protein Combos, Post Workout Recovery & more
Nutrition Science
Protein Combos, Post Workout Recovery & more
1) Soy, Casein and Whey Protein Combination Extends Protein Synthesis
Many sports nutrition products contain different kinds of proteins to take advantage of their variable effects on protein synthesis. Whey is a fast-acting protein, while casein and soy exert their effects longer. Researchers from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, in a study on rats, found that a blend of the three proteins had a more prolonged effect on muscle protein synthesis than whey or soy protein alone. Whey, soy or casein proteins enhance protein synthesis, but a blend of proteins has a more long-lasting effect. (Clinical Nutrition, 32: 585-591, 2013)
2) Carbs Plus Proteins Best for Post-Exercise Recovery
Carbohydrates are the principal fuel for exercise at intensities above 65 percent of maximum effort. Unfortunately, we deplete carbohydrates rapidly during high-intensity exercise. Carb stores are limited to those in the blood, liver and muscles. We must replenish them after intense exercise. A review of literature by Joel Mitchell from Texas Christian University concluded that consuming carbs after intense exercise, particularly in combination with proteins, promoted recovery. Carbs and proteins reduce urine production, which helps restore body water after exercise. The combination helps restore body fuel stores and provides the raw materials for muscle protein synthesis and glycogen restoration (glycogen is stored carbohydrate in the muscles and liver). The optimal recovery beverage contains a combination of carbohydrates and proteins. (Current Opinion Clinical Nutrition Metabolic Care, 16: 461-465, 2013)
3) “Healthy” Fats Increase Survival From Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is the second most cancer-related cause of death in men. Each year, 239,000 men in the United States are diagnosed with the disease and 30,000 die from it. A study led by Erin Richman from the University of California, San Francisco found that in men with prostate cancer, replacing animal fats and carbohydrates in the diet with healthy fats such as avocados, nuts and olive oil reduced their risk of death from the disease by 25 percent. Adding just one tablespoon of oil-based salad dressing to the diet every day had a positive effect on the death rate from the disease. The study followed nearly 4,600 men for eight years. (Journal American Medical Association Internal Medicine, published online June 10, 2013)
4) Is High-Fructose Corn Syrup a Nutritional Bad Boy?
Scientists developed high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) to provide an inexpensive sweetener that would help food companies deal with the unstable cane sugar market. HFCS allowed food makers to inexpensively make foods sweeter, and obesity rates climbed with its increased use. A host of studies found that HFCS doesn’t curb appetite as well as glucose, increases fat storage in the liver and abdomen, promotes insulin resistance and increases triglyceride levels that can harm the liver and heart. An article by Laura Bell in Science News argues that HFCS has been given a bad rap. Consumption of HFCS has decreased since 2002, yet obesity rates have increased continuously since then. Obesity and poor metabolic health are more related to excess calorie intake than HFCS. Consuming too many calories is bad for health, regardless of their source. (www.sciencenews.org, Science News, June 1, 2013)
5) Glycemic Index and Heart Disease
Glycemic index, a measure of how fast your body absorbs carbohydrate foods and increases blood sugar, has been the buzzword among nutritional researchers for more than a decade. To avoid heart disease and obesity, nutrition experts counsel people to avoid high glycemic index foods like jam and white bread, and emphasize lower glycemic index foods such as whole-grain bread and wild rice. A literature review by Julie Jones from St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota concluded that little evidence exists for these recommendations. The benefits of low glycemic index diets are their fiber content, which lowers cholesterol. During endurance exercise, choosing lower glycemic index foods may make a difference because they provide a slower and more sustained release of sugar from the digestive tract. However, even though the glycemic index of the meals had varying effects on blood sugar, they have no effects on performance. What’s the moral of the story? Many diets and training techniques that look great on paper don’t make any difference when assessing their value for fighting disease or improving performance. (Nutrition Today, 48 (2): 61-67, 2013)
6) Milk Puts Hair on Your Chest!
Drinking milk improves metabolic health. A literature review by Robin McGregor and Sally Poppitt from the University of Auckland in New Zealand showed that milk proteins reduce resting blood pressure, abnormal blood fat and help stabilize blood sugar. Milk also improves body composition by increasing lean body mass (mainly muscle) and decreasing fat, particularly when consuming low-calorie diets. Declining muscle mass is an important reason that metabolic health decreases with age. (Nutrition & Metabolism, 10: 46, 2013)