T Nation

Mixing Up a Recovery Drink

Supplements and Nutrition
#1

I am making my own blend. I want whey isolate for the protein. I think I want maltodextrin (recommended in the book “Scrawny to Brawny”) for my carb. Good idea? What about polycose? I’m having a hard time finding these glucose polymers in bulk and in pure form (not mixed with other stuff).

What kind of BCAA should I mix (powder, liquid, brand, etc.)? According to the book, a 2:1 ratio of carb:pro is optimal before, during and after a workout. Seems like it should be 3:1 or 4:1.

Any input about your own recovery drinks or anything related would be appreciated. Thanks.

#2

I originally mixed my own recovery drinks until I realized that they were costing me more than Surge, didn’t taste as good, and didn’t work as well.

#3

this mix tastes excellent and is cheaper in the long run:

2 scoops gatorade, 1 scoop vanilla whey protein, 5 g creatine, scoop of Superfood

I have put glutamine and BCAAs in the past. Superfood makes it taste great! This is the 4:1 carbs to protein ratio.

That is for weight training. If I’m doing HIIT, boxing, or other cardio, I will use only 1 scoop of gatorade and half scoop of whey.

You do need some quality shaker bottles, but I don’t mind mixing it, makes me feel like more of a mad scientist!

#4

Mixing bcaa… now that’s something I don’t want to experience again anytime soon.

When really low carbing it, I at one point tried to mix glutamine, bcaas, and whey together pwo. Absolutely digusting.

#5

Buy some weight hydroslate
mix that w/ glucose, maltose, and dextrose
Buy some gatorade, mix in.
Follow w/ 5-10grams creatine, 10-20 grams of glutamine.

BCAA’s, especially powder , must be mixed in seperatley. It will be nearly undrinkable once added in.

#6

On my weight training days, I take Surge + 5g of creatine.

On my muay thai training days, I take:
24g of ON whey,
50g of glycocarb (maltodextrin & ALA)
15g of BCAA from superior nutra (absolutely gross)
5g creatine

I’d like to add beta-alanine in there for the endurance, but I feel the current concoction tastes awful already.

#7

So what about Maltodextrin and Polycose? Why do you suggest maltose and dextrose?

I am basically only interested in learning about the carbs that are going into the recovery drink. I know what I am mixing for the rest. It sounds like I will just swallow a BCAA capsule with my recovery drink since the powder sounds gross.

#8

[quote]JPBalls wrote:
So what about Maltodextrin and Polycose? Why do you suggest maltose and dextrose?

I am basically only interested in learning about the carbs that are going into the recovery drink. I know what I am mixing for the rest. It sounds like I will just swallow a BCAA capsule with my recovery drink since the powder sounds gross.[/quote]

Well Maltodextrin is just a long chain of glucose molecules. It has a very high glycemic index, so the theory is with all of the mono saccharides (dextrose/glucose) you want to lower the osmolality by adding something i.e. malto. So if you used all glucose this would slow the absorption because of the osmolality. So you add Malto to lower it but it still has a high GI. This digests faster than pure glucose/dextrose. If you are making your own drink to rival Surge you would need to use at least part whey hydro and whey isolate blend about 50 50 mix of malto and dextro. Much easier and taste better to use Surge AND it will only cost pennies more…
IMHO

#9

And dextrose is called glucose once it is in the blood stream. Same molecule… Just called different things in different places.

#10

[quote]JPBalls wrote:
It sounds like I will just swallow a BCAA capsule with my recovery drink since the powder sounds gross.[/quote]

Get instantized BCAAs and you’ll have no problem.

#11

A very simple and cost effective mix would be to order two seperarate mixes.

One simply 50% dextrose 50% maltodextrin. That would give you 30 grams of carbs per 70CC scoop.

The other could be 40% hyrdrolyzed whey, 25% whey isolate 20% instantized BCAAs 15% creatine 5% l leucine.

Two scoops of the first and one of the second would give you 60 grams carbs, 23 grams protein(including the BCAAs-more than Surge).

Get a good flavor and you’ll be good to go.

#12

Nooone that mixes their own uses WMS for the carb source??? Pretty good science behind its function.

Justin Harris talks about it a little bit today in his article over at elitefts.