[drag13honda]

Hello all. I was looking into getting something for recovery after a ride and was looking around at options. Specifically, I was looking at Skratch Labs Recovery at the time and noticed it said "Technically, our Sport Recovery Drink Mix is a 4 to 1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein, that’s designed to bring your blood sugar up fast. This causes the hormone insulin to spike, which is key to getting the sugar, electrolytes, fat, and protein in our Sport Recovery Drink Mix back into muscle fast". Now, I suffer from Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), so I want to know if this is going to be an issue for me or not? Are most/all post ride recovery products going to be the same? I'll be the first to admit, I don't have a lot of knowledge about nutrition and how it affects the body, so it may be nothing but I wanted to check. It had some key words in there that typically raise a flag for me. Quick spikes and insulin are normally two things I'm looking to avoid. If something like Skratch Labs isn't going to be a good option for me, is there anything that would be a better option for me or am I better to avoid recovery products?

Thank you.

 

[EKram]

IMO. Stay away from recovery drinks. Snake oil. Same as mixing up some table sugar in a glass of water. Clever words obfuscating basic common sense, abound in advertisements.
Recovery drink acolytes usually argue.

Lots of entertaining posts on post ride beverages.


Cheers

 

[127.0.0.1]

food intake, caffeine, sugars, peanuts...all these drive insulin release...
almost all food will

the only real truth to you, specifically is, TEST

get a blood sugar meter and test strips
test your blood sugar levels /pre-during-post/ ride and pre-post meals
then find out how it affects you

walmart has cheap meters with strips,

 

[eri]

Scratch labs is run by food scientists, maybe call them and ask. I bet their product has a very specific purpose. Cost per calorie is quite high. Probably ask your doctor not us chimps giving free advice on internet.

when I was training 10 hrs a week I had trouble recovering until I started taking extra protein. So after every workout I’d drink a pint of low fat milk with a scoop of protein powder, then shower and dinner. The milk is carb and protein, and water. very fast acting. Adding the protein was a big help with sticking to long plan.

When I’m riding at/above aerobic threshold I seem to get no insulin response from simple sugar, goes straight to muscles. Gummy bears, clif bars, whatever. There’s a short window after exercise where that’s still true, but don’t see why I’d take simple sugar when I could have real food. On long cold winter rides I stay up on calories but still jam down a clif bar right when I’m done, warms me up and helps fend off the shakes until I can get real food.

 

[stripes]

Hello all. I was looking into getting something for recovery after a ride and was looking around at options. Specifically, I was looking at Skratch Labs Recovery at the time and noticed it said "Technically, our Sport Recovery Drink Mix is a 4 to 1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein, that’s designed to bring your blood sugar up fast. This causes the hormone insulin to spike, which is key to getting the sugar, electrolytes, fat, and protein in our Sport Recovery Drink Mix back into muscle fast". Now, I suffer from Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), so I want to know if this is going to be an issue for me or not? Are most/all post ride recovery products going to be the same? I'll be the first to admit, I don't have a lot of knowledge about nutrition and how it affects the body, so it may be nothing but I wanted to check. It had some key words in there that typically raise a flag for me. Quick spikes and insulin are normally two things I'm looking to avoid. If something like Skratch Labs isn't going to be a good option for me, is there anything that would be a better option for me or am I better to avoid recovery products?

Thank you.

I also have hypoglycemia, so I can share with you my experiences. Your experience may be different but this has been medically diagnosed on me for over 10 years. Took me a while, but this works for me.

I do not drink any recovery drinks. What I do:

• Keep myself well hydrated BEFORE the ride. Like constantly keep this up.
• Make sure I eat food during the day. Clean—some protein, some veggies, some carbs. All these prevent my blood sugar from crashing.
• BEFORE the ride, I have something with carbohydrates, but something that has protein and preferably a little fat. Not a lot, but something like 1/2 bar or a banana with a small handful of nuts.
• DURING the ride (longer than an hour), I’m eating constantly. This is where i find it’s the difference between me and my friends. I can’t do gels (ew), and I do usually a homemade mixed nuts and electrolyte chews (skratch preferred because their chews are easy to digest), and I’m good.
• AFTER the ride, eat a MEAL. Not a recovery drink, real food. And then drink usually a lot of water through the rest of the day.

 

[Amt0571]

Beer.

 

[eb1888]

I also eat beans, rices, peas. peanut butter, olive oil, butter before the ride or ski day. A few heated spoons full is fine.
Cuts recovery.

 

[915654]

I also have hypoglycemia, so I can share with you my experiences. Your experience may be different but this has been medically diagnosed on me for over 10 years. Took me a while, but this works for me.

I do not drink any recovery drinks. What I do:

• Keep myself well hydrated BEFORE the ride. Like constantly keep this up.
• Make sure I eat food during the day. Clean—some protein, some veggies, some carbs. All these prevent my blood sugar from crashing.
• BEFORE the ride, I have something with carbohydrates, but something that has protein and preferably a little fat. Not a lot, but something like 1/2 bar or a banana with a small handful of nuts.
• DURING the ride (longer than an hour), I’m eating constantly. This is where i find it’s the difference between me and my friends. I can’t do gels (ew), and I do usually a homemade mixed nuts and electrolyte chews (skratch preferred because their chews are easy to digest), and I’m good.
• AFTER the ride, eat a MEAL. Not a recovery drink, real food. And then drink usually a lot of water through the rest of the day.

This is the way!

 

[r-rocket]

after every workout I’d drink a pint of low fat milk

There is some science behind chocolate milk being good for recovery too. I like both.

 

[stripes]

There is some science behind chocolate milk being good for recovery too. I like both.

I wish i could have it but dairy allergy

 

[gdb85]

A good friend of mine who is really fit and rides a lot, 5-6 days a week, 20 mile rides at 9-10 mph, swears by "Muscle Milk" after a ride (non-dairy). I cannot attest to the benefits or lack of, just mentioning his claims...

 

[stripes]

A good friend of mine who is really fit and rides a lot, 5-6 days a week, 20 mile rides at 9-10 mph, swears by "Muscle Milk" after a ride (non-dairy). I cannot attest to the benefits or lack of, just mentioning his claims...

That stuff is really gross. I’m a big fan of eating real food rather than chemicals where I can. That helps my hypoglycemia more than anything tbh. That and alllllll the protein.

 

[RMCDan]

Hello all. I was looking into getting something for recovery after a ride and was looking around at options. Specifically, I was looking at Skratch Labs Recovery at the time and noticed it said "Technically, our Sport Recovery Drink Mix is a 4 to 1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein, that’s designed to bring your blood sugar up fast. This causes the hormone insulin to spike, which is key to getting the sugar, electrolytes, fat, and protein in our Sport Recovery Drink Mix back into muscle fast". Now, I suffer from Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), so I want to know if this is going to be an issue for me or not? Are most/all post ride recovery products going to be the same? I'll be the first to admit, I don't have a lot of knowledge about nutrition and how it affects the body, so it may be nothing but I wanted to check. It had some key words in there that typically raise a flag for me. Quick spikes and insulin are normally two things I'm looking to avoid. If something like Skratch Labs isn't going to be a good option for me, is there anything that would be a better option for me or am I better to avoid recovery products?

Thank you.

This would be best discussed with a medical professional. If you have medically-diagnosed hypoglycemia you are seeing a doctor regularly, right? Clinical hypoglycemia is a very serious condition that can result in seizure, loss of consciousness, and death.

Also, your question is unanswerable without knowing the underlying cause of your hypoglycemia. Are you diabetic? Are you on blood sugar-lowering medications? Do you have a hormonal disorder? Do you have reactive hypoglycemia due to gastric bypass surgery? This matters a lot.

Regarding general cycling recovery nutrition advice, here's Dylan Johnson's breakdown of the actual science that exists:

Really though, please, please see a doctor

 

[stripes]

This would be best discussed with a medical professional. If you have medically-diagnosed hypoglycemia you are seeing a doctor regularly, right? Clinical hypoglycemia is a very serious condition that can result in seizure, loss of consciousness, and death.

Also, your question is unanswerable without knowing the underlying cause of your hypoglycemia. Are you diabetic? Are you on blood sugar-lowering medications? Do you have a hormonal disorder? Do you have reactive hypoglycemia due to gastric bypass surgery? This matters a lot.

Regarding general cycling recovery nutrition advice, here's Dylan Johnson's breakdown of the actual science that exists:

Really though, please, please see a doctor

that's a good point. Not just about seeing a doctor, but differentiating what type of hypoglycemia @drag13honda has.

I have reactive hypoglycemia (heredity, no gasrtric bypass), which is NOT the same at all of diabetic, hormonal, or medicine inducing. So each type requires a different type of support, and if the OP has something that the doctor needs to have involvement before/during/after exercising for advice, i get it.

However, I will tell you doctors SUCK at nutrition. Even a lot of nutritionists SUCK at understanding hypoglycemia issues, unless they're related to Diabetes (because it's so common). I've had to work with several different ones before finding the right person who could work with an active person (weight training, rowing, MTB, yoga, etc) who has reactive hypoglycemia vs someone who is sedentary.

 

[RMCDan]

However, I will tell you doctors SUCK at nutrition. Even a lot of nutritionists SUCK at understanding hypoglycemia issues, unless they're related to Diabetes (because it's so common). I've had to work with several different ones before finding the right person who could work with an active person (weight training, rowing, MTB, yoga, etc) who has reactive hypoglycemia vs someone who is sedentary.

I don't disagree at all. Doctors tend to suck at things they don't have direct experience with so it might take some work to find one that understands this problem. It needs to be done, though. OP probably needs to spend some time using a continuous glucose monitor which requires a prescription.

 

[stripes]

I don't disagree at all. Doctors tend to suck at things they don't have direct experience with so it might take some work to find one that understands this problem. It needs to be done, though. OP probably needs to spend some time using a continuous glucose monitor which requires a prescription.

So true. Also, still waiting to hear from the OP on what type of hypoglycemia he/she has. Still have no clue.

But yeah, in their case, Rx and Dr visit FTW.