Nutrition
At a glance, nutritional products can appear a mine field. What products do I need, what does each type do? When do I take them? Below is a basic guide to try and make sense of the multitude of questions that you might have.
| Product | Form | What does it do? | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrolyte | Drink/ Gel |
Re-hydrates - replenishes salts & minerals lost when sweating | During hot conditions, or on the turbo |
| Carbohydrate | Drink/ Gel/ Bar |
Fuels the body with carbohydrate giving you energy | Before, during & after endurance riding |
| Carbohydrate/ Electrolyte |
Drink | Combines both of the above in one product | Before, during & after especially in race conditions |
| Recovery | Drink/ Bar |
Aids recovery - containing carbohydrate, protein, minerals & salts | After long/intensive sessions |
- It is always advisable to test your chosen products in training before racing to ensure that you get on with them.
- Some products contain caffeine to improve alertness & help absorb constituents of the product.
- The newer gels tend to combine a 2:1 maltodextrin/fructose mix to increase carbohydrate ingestion by an extra 40%.
