Recipe For A Better Energy Drink

 

 

 

Ball players are not as concerned with glycogen replenishment  during training and competition due to the primary energy system utilized, the alactic-anaerobic energy system.  

Therefore, drinking gatorade and similar sugar-based "sports" drinks aren't very helpful to ball players. These drinks are more appropriate for other sports, such as marathon runners.

In fact, they are a detriment to ball players during games and competition:

"When you consume carbohydrates your insulin levels go up in response to the sugar load, and If the sugars are simple carbohydrates the rise is even higher and the drop in blood sugar is faster, causing you to get mentally tired and requiring you to consume more carbs during the game so you don’t get physically and mentally tired."  Dr. Eric Serrano

The following are the label listings of grams of carbohydrate, or simple sugars, contained in some popular sports drinks:

  • Gatorade: 14 gms/8 oz serving

  • AMP - 32 gms/8 oz serving

  • Tropica Orange Juice  - 39 gms/14 oz serving

  • Red Bull - 29 gms/8 oz serving

Using an amino acid-based drink product provides the following benefits:

  • Accelerated Recovery

  • Raw Material for new Muscle

  • Forces the Body to Burn More Fat

  • Increase Strength and Endurance

  • Rock Hard Muscles- Great Pump

  • 0 Sugar yet tastes Great

  • Improved Mental Focus

  • Spares Muscle

  • Increased Energy

  • Reduced Sugar Cravings - no "yo-yo" effect with blood sugar ups and downs

However, some sports drinks can be refreshing during games or workouts, particularly on a hot day. Used properly, they can be the "foundation" for an improved recipe for ball players to use during games and workouts.

Here's the recipe:

  • A bottle or packet (dry) of your favorite flavor of sports drink or fruit juice

  • Sea salt (regular table salt will also work)

  • 100% MR (flavored branched chain amino acid powder)

  • Cold, filtered water

1) Dilute a quantity of the sports drink/fruit juice with two equal parts of water. For example, 1 quart of soft drink to 2 quarts of water.

2) Add 1/8 teaspoon per quart of liquid. Using the example above, you would add a total of 3/8 of a  teaspoon to three quarts of liquid.

3) Add 2 scoops of 100% MR to this liquid. Shake well.

Drink this throughout the course of your workouts and games and see how much better you feel.  Feel free to adjust these ingredients to suit your personal taste.

Note: the 100% MR has a tendency to settle; just shake your container occasionally to keep things mixed up.