Susan M. Kleiner, Ph.D., R.D.

You've probably heard about how important it is to eat and drink about an hour or so before you exercise. You definitely know that you should be drinking while you exercise. But do you know that one of the hottest areas of sports nutrition research today is what to eat AFTER you exercise? Recovery nutrition is fast becoming one of the most important steps you can take to help your body recover from intense training and get the most out of every exercise session.

Build On Your Strengths
Intense exercise creates an anabolic (tissue-building) environment in the body by stimulating the release of growth hormone and testosterone. With these hormones at a heightened state, your body is primed for tissue growth and repair for several hours after exercise. This is also the time when your muscles and tissues will most rapidly replace the nutrients used during exercise, and an ideal time to enhance your immune system.

Timing is key. The most rapid rate of recovery occurs within 30 minutes to two hours after exercise. Ideally, within 30 minutes post-exercise a small meal or snack of either food if available, or a vitamin/mineral fortified meal replacement beverage or bar for convenience, should be consumed to maximize recovery results. Then a healthy, well-balanced meal rich in protein, carbohydrate, vitamins and minerals should be eaten within the following 90 minutes.

Keep The Fluids Flowing
The most important nutrient to replace after exercise is water. Exercisers commonly lose 1-3 pounds of fluid from sweat per hour. This easily leads to a loss of more than 2% of body weight in fluids. This small amount of fluid loss will diminish both mental and physical capacity. And if muscle cells are not well-hydrated protein synthesis is slowed, reducing the recovery and growth of muscle tissue. Drink a minimum of 10 cups of fluid per day. Monitor fluid loss by doing a body weight check before and after exercise. Replace each pound lost with 2-3 cups of water or sports drink.

Carbohydrate Plus Protein
It has been accepted practice for years to replace lost carbohydrates after exercise. Eating high-carbohydrate energy bars and cookies and soft drinks after a race is tradition. Today it is not just "eat carbohydrates", but how much, what kind, and adding protein, as well.

Let's start with carbohydrate. Studies indicate that eating 1-1.5 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram body weight (0.45-0.68 g/lb.) within 2 hours post-exercise will enhance muscle glycogen replenishment (the storage form of carbohydrate). The immediate and high intake of carbohydrates stimulates secretion of insulin, whose job it is to put carbohydrates into storage. High-glycemic index carbohydrates (dextrose, sucrose, some maltodextrins) appear to maximize the insulin response. This is important since the more muscle glycogen that you replace, the more energy you'll have for your next workout.

Combining 0.5 gram of protein per kilogram body weight (0.23 g/lb.) with carbohydrate after exercise may further enhance the insulin response, increasing muscle glycogen storage. Also, having the essential amino acids readily available may help with protein synthesis and enhance tissue growth and repair. This means that whatever damage was done to your tissues as a result of intense exercise, it may be repaired more quickly. And, you might even get a greater muscle-building effect.

Other Important Nutrients
Research into exercise recovery, training adaptation, and immune function has indicated that certain other nutrients may play a role in post-exercise nutrition.

Glutamine — an amino acid that has been reported to increase cell hydration and volume, and promote protein synthesis. Glutamine is also the primary fuel for white blood cells of the immune system. Diminished blood levels of glutamine post-exercise have been suggested as one contributor to post-exercise immunosuppression, and an indicator of overtraining syndrome. Four to 10 grams of glutamine following exercise may replenish depleted glutamine pools.

Vitamin C — this antioxidant vitamin serves in the repair and maintenance of collagen tissue and may enhance immune function. Since intense exercise may suppress immune function, post-exercise may be the best time to supplement with 500 mg of vitamin C.

Vitamin E — this antioxidant vitamin may relieve some of the oxidative tissue damage responsible for delayed-onset muscle soreness from heavy training. Having a regular intake of 100-400 mg/d may be of benefit when taken regularly at this time.

Zinc — an important constituent of hundreds of enzymes involved in digestion and immune function. Supplementation during training may minimize immunosuppression caused by intense exercise. Since zinc levels drop for several hours post-exercise, this may be the best time to enhance zinc nutriture with up to 25 mg/d.

Table 1. Sources of Recovery Nutrients
Fluids — water, sports drinks

Carbohydrates — high-glycemic index sources include sports drinks, table sugar, honey, refined breads and ready-to-eat cereals, baked potato, energy bars and shakes

Protein — lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, low-fat dairy products, soy products, energy bars and shakes

Glutamine — dairy products, whey protein, supplements

Vitamin C — citrus fruits and juices, fresh berries, green leafy vegetables, supplements

Vitamin E — vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, raw wheat germ, supplements

Zinc — animal protein (esp. dark meat), oysters, mushrooms, whole grains, brewer's yeast, supplements

Determining Your Recovery Needs
The research on recovery nutrition is young, and so there are lots of schools of thought as to how to practically meet your recovery needs. Here are a few strategies; choose the one that works for you.

1. Use the numbers of grams mentioned in the article to figure precisely:
Carbohydrate: 1-1.5 g/kg = 0.45 - 0.68 g/lb. (1 pound = 2.2 kg)
Protein: 0.5 g/kg = 0.23 g/lb.

For a 150 pound person:
Carbohydrate: 68 - 102 grams
Protein: 35 grams

2. Spread out your protein and carbohydrate intake fairly equivalently in 5-6 meals and snacks throughout the day, making sure to eat a post-exercise snack and meal at the prescribed times.

3. Consume your post-exercise recovery snack and meal with a carbohydrate to protein ratio of 3 or 4 parts carbohydrate to 1 part protein.

Recovery Shakes
"Kleiner's Muscle-Building Formula"*
8 ounces skim milk
1 packet Carnation Instant Breakfast
1 banana
1 tablespoon peanut butter

Blend until smooth. One serving contains 438 calories, 70 grams carbohydrate, 17 grams protein, 10 grams fat.
Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

"Kleiner's Muscle Formula Plus"*
2 scoops of INTACT bovine colostrum OR whey protein
1 cup frozen unsweetened strawberries
1 banana
1 cup nonfat vanilla fortified soy milk
1 cup Orange juice fortified with Calcium & Vitamin C

Blend for 60 seconds until smooth. One serving contains 512 calories, 90 g carbohydrate, 30 g protein, 4 g fat.
Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

*Published with permission from Kleiner, SM and Greenwood-Robinson, M. POWER EATING Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL, 2001.

Order POWER EATING now for more recovery shake recipes! This article by Dr. Kleiner was previously viewed on Encarta.com.

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