Science in Sport Energy and Protein Drinks - any good?

Bruce Wayne 2

Now that I'm back doing the long runs, time to start getting the carbo drinks and recovery drinks back stocked in the kitchen presses. One of the lads in the club just bought a tub of the Science in Sport Energy drink and I'm thinking I might invest too - has anyone else tried it and is it any good in comparison with other brands and in terms of cost?

village runner

Bruce Wayne 2 wrote: »

Now that I'm back doing the long runs, time to start getting the carbo drinks and recovery drinks back stocked in the kitchen presses. One of the lads in the club just bought a tub of the Science in Sport Energy drink and I'm think I might invest too - has anyone else tried it and is it any good in comparison with other brands and in terms of cost?[/QUOTE

I got the PSP22 Energy Drink(orange) and find it like a bucket of sugar. Bought a 2.7kg drum 4 months ago and there is plenty 2.5kg left. Find it doesnt suit my stomach.
I have the energy bars(go bars from the same manufacturer and find them great. The Vanilla recovery drink is also nice fron the same manufacturer but sometimes it lodges at the bottom.
what ever you decide i would buy a small box of it. What works for one might not work for you. At least if you like it you can get a big one.

What about the good old Sugar and water with a pinch of salt........

--amadeus--

The fastest marathon runner I know had one piece of advice that passed into folklore - "Before your marathon drink SiS until your nose bleeds"!

Like VR says though it's trial and error for what works for individuals

colblimp

I tried SiS PSP22 and, to be perfectly honest, I'd rather have barbed wire wrapped round my 'Gentlemans area', than drink that again! The only SiS product I like is the Rego recovery drink - it rocks. The drink I use for long runs is High 5 4:1 energy drink, it really works.

If anyone wants a couple of SiS products FOC, just PM me as they're sitting in my nutrition box and I'm never going to use them. I'd rather see someone use them than throw them away.

rainbow kirby

I've never tried the drinks, but SIS gels are the only ones that have ever made me want to throw up in the middle of a long run...

As others have said though, it's a very individual thing, what works for me might be a disaster for someone else.

Daithi BC

I really like the recovery drink (rego) after a run, and I find their energy bars very good as well. I wasn't too keen on either the PSP energy drink or the gels, but it's very much personal preference.

My physio is a devoted user of all SiS stuff - she claims it's the most scientifically based set of products available. Don't think she has shares in the company.

BJohnson

I've been experimenting with sports drinks over the last few months, and I've found something that works really well for me. I throw a tablespoon of chia seeds into my 500ml water bottle and add a bit of orange juice for flavour. The chia seeds absorb the water, then soften and crack within 10 - 15 mins, releasing a lot of omega-3 fats, protein and carbohydrate into the water. This is what the Tarahumara ultra runners subsist on during their really long runs, and it's what Aztec warriors used to eat while out in battle.

I got a small bag of chia seeds at a health food shop for €3 - cheap and full of stuff that is really good for you. I think it's better than drinking a sugary, highly-marketed, over-priced sports drink.

You can read more about chia seeds here:

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA365093/Chia-for-Health.html

copacetic

to add yet another different opinion, I really like PSP22 and rego, but hate the gels and bars from SIS! The rego in particular made quite a difference to me after long runs, as I struggled to eat much otherwise and without it would get headaches and nausea.

DULLAHAN2

BJohnson wrote: »

I've been experimenting with sports drinks over the last few months, and I've found something that works really well for me. I throw a tablespoon of chia seeds into my 500ml water bottle and add a bit of orange juice for flavour. The chia seeds absorb the water, then soften and crack within 10 - 15 mins, releasing a lot of omega-3 fats, protein and carbohydrate into the water. This is what the Tarahumara ultra runners subsist on during their really long runs, and it's what Aztec warriors used to eat while out in battle.

I got a small bag of chia seeds at a health food shop for €3 - cheap and full of stuff that is really good for you. I think it's better than drinking a sugary, highly-marketed, over-priced sports drink.

You can read more about chia seeds here:

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA365093/Chia-for-Health.html

Hi i never heard of these seeds until now and read ur link and i will be looking out for them, tell me do you put the seeds into ur water before your run or just after?

The reason for the question is in the article it says that if left in water for 30 mins it forms a gel.

BeepBeep67

Tried the SiS gels twice on long runs and had to make a beeline for the nearest pub/bush, have moved onto the GU gels and find them great.

BJohnson

DULLAHAN2 wrote: »

Hi i never heard of these seeds until now and read ur link and i will be looking out for them, tell me do you put the seeds into ur water before your run or just after?

The reason for the question is in the article it says that if left in water for 30 mins it forms a gel.

I put the seeds into my water bottle before I head out on my run. You can make the chia gel by mixing 1 part seeds with 9 parts water, but in a 500ml bottle it doesn't get gelatinous at all. The seeds have no real flavour, but the texture is a bit weird - kind of like small bits of gummy bears floating in the water. They're still small enough not to clog the nozzle of a sports water bottle though.

I've started drinking a glass of chia every morning - I mix a tablespoon of seeds with water and OJ, let it soak while I'm in the shower, then have it as I'm heading out the door. It's a great way to get a lot of good nutrients into you in a very easy way.

Krusty_Clown

I'm not very superstitious, but will try any bit of witchcraft that will make me run faster. Where can I buy these magic beans?
Just kidding. I'll definitely give them a try. Can you buy them in a bog-standard health store?

BJohnson

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

I'm not very superstitious, but will try any bit of witchcraft that will make me run faster. Where can I buy these magic beans?
Just kidding. I'll definitely give them a try. Can you buy them in a bog-standard health store?

You should be able to find them pretty easily. I walked into the nearest health food shop here in Galway and found them without a problem. I'd recommend buying the regular, full seeds. You can pay a lot more for a product called Mila, which is a ground version of the seeds. Buy a small bag and see what you think. I'd love to hear some other's opinions.

kennyb3

At what distance point would people generally tend to introduce sports drinks? I ve done a few 10,11,12milers recently without so much as a sip of water, primarily to train my body this way. but im thinking when i step up to 15miles i might introduce them

TFBubendorfer

kennyb3 wrote: »

At what distance point would people generally tend to introduce sports drinks? I ve done a few 10,11,12milers recently without so much as a sip of water, primarily to train my body this way. but im thinking when i step up to 15miles i might introduce them

I've done training runs of 30 miles on water alone. I never bother with sports drinks; the only time I take them is when they're offered at watering stations during a race (I've never had issues with trying sports drink during a race that I had not used in training - for others, that's a definite no-no)

Abhainn

BJohnson wrote: »

You should be able to find them pretty easily. I walked into the nearest health food shop here in Galway and found them without a problem. I'd recommend buying the regular, full seeds. You can pay a lot more for a product called Mila, which is a ground version of the seeds. Buy a small bag and see what you think. I'd love to hear some other's opinions.

Good one BJohnson. Just started "Born to Run" and all about the Tarahumara ultra runners .
Will see if these precious seeds are available in Tallaght

Aimman

BJohnson wrote: »

You should be able to find them pretty easily. I walked into the nearest health food shop here in Galway and found them without a problem. I'd recommend buying the regular, full seeds. You can pay a lot more for a product called Mila, which is a ground version of the seeds. Buy a small bag and see what you think. I'd love to hear some other's opinions.

I picked up a packed of Mila last night, and tried them on a 14M run so see how the tummy would react to them. Took 250ml of the solution at 5M and 10M. Felt good all the way around and did the session quicker than I normal do without water or gels, but that might be psychological. I have a couple of 20M runs this weekend, So I'll let you know how I get on with them. Cost €15 for the Mila, but didnt have time to shop about. I'll spend a bit more time looking around health shops for the more generic alternatives.

smmoore79

Abhainn wrote: »

Chia seeds -Good one BJohnson. Just started "Born to Run" and all about the Tarahumara ultra runners .
Will see if these precious seeds are available in Tallaght

They cost Eur16 in the health shop in Grafton street. Medium size bag.

BJohnson

Aimman wrote: »

I picked up a packed of Mila last night, and tried them on a 14M run so see how the tummy would react to them. Took 250ml of the solution at 5M and 10M. Felt good all the way around and did the session quicker than I normal do without water or gels, but that might be psychological. I have a couple of 20M runs this weekend, So I'll let you know how I get on with them. Cost €15 for the Mila, but didnt have time to shop about. I'll spend a bit more time looking around health shops for the more generic alternatives.

Thanks for the feedback. I pay €3.35 for 100g of the regular chia seeds. I know the Mila is a ground version of the regular seeds, but have never tried it myself to see how it differs. Glad to hear your run went well! Let us know how your 20 milers go.

Bruce Wayne 2

Bruce Wayne here who started the tread. Appreciate the advice given during the week. In the end I went for one of the SIS energy packs which gave me a selection of the range. Tried the PSP22 energy drink(think that whats its called anyway) before a session on Wednesday night and found the body had a bit of stronger kick than usual. Could be mind tricks but how in ever, times/splits where good.

I then used the Rego sachet from the pack when I got home and actually found it very easy to digest and tasty. Will try it over next few hard runs again to see can I see any prolonged effect but so far so good with it.

colblimp

Bruce Wayne 2 wrote: »

I then used the Rego sachet from the pack when I got home and actually found it very easy to digest and tasty.

I'm using Rego as milkshake at this stage - it's gawjus!!!

Gonzales

I've used perpetuem from Hammer on marathons & other endurance events with great success(didn't bonk) - the secret is to mix it thick so you can get it in to your body fast & in concentrate, it doesn't taste great but is packed with complex carbo & a little protein.

not at all sugary, more like soya.

bart simpson

Aimman wrote: »

I picked up a packed of Mila last night, and tried them on a 14M run so see how the tummy would react to them. Took 250ml of the solution at 5M and 10M. Felt good all the way around and did the session quicker than I normal do without water or gels, but that might be psychological. I have a couple of 20M runs this weekend, So I'll let you know how I get on with them. Cost €15 for the Mila, but didnt have time to shop about. I'll spend a bit more time looking around health shops for the more generic alternatives.

i bought the seeds wednesday, and have being taking them in orange juce and water, went for a swim today and i seemed to go well, but not sure if its in the mind, have a 10 k race in dungarvan on sunday so will see how i go, i dont expect miricles, but if it keeps me better hydrated and helps aid recovery il be happy, the prices of some of the energy drinks and protein supplements can be very high, so im all for the natural unmarketed option, il report back here later on in my training and give my full verdict on chia seeds

BJohnson

bart simpson wrote: »

i bought the seeds wednesday, and have being taking them in orange juce and water, went for a swim today and i seemed to go well, but not sure if its in the mind, have a 10 k race in dungarvan on sunday so will see how i go, i dont expect miricles, but if it keeps me better hydrated and helps aid recovery il be happy, the prices of some of the energy drinks and protein supplements can be very high, so im all for the natural unmarketed option, il report back here later on in my training and give my full verdict on chia seeds

Sounds good - let us know how you get on. A few people I know have been using them and having positive results. Always hard to know if improvements are down to good training, good diet, or a bit of placebo effect. I'll be using them again tomorrow on a 20 miler.

Krusty_Clown

I bought some today. They cost the same amount as a pack of 30 SIS gels. They'd better make me run as fast and as long (and as barefoot) as the Tarahumara tribe, or i'll be looking for my money back.

levitronix

Best sports drink i ever had was Coca Cola !!! seriously it kept me alive in 34' heat doing a half ironman in austria last year

Aimman

BJohnson wrote: »

Thanks for the feedback. I pay €3.35 for 100g of the regular chia seeds. I know the Mila is a ground version of the regular seeds, but have never tried it myself to see how it differs. Glad to hear your run went well! Let us know how your 20 milers go.

Well, the first 20M on the Saturday was a bit of a disaster at the end. I mixed a tablespoon of the Mila (Chia) in 500ml of water/blackcurrant squash and put it into 4 small bottles on my waterbelt. Took one at 6M and 12M but then got really thirsty at the 16M mark and had to take another one. By the time I got to 18M I had to take the last one to rehydrate. I ended up stopping into a shop and buying a bottle of Mace's finest isotonic drink which was lovely and cold, but tied the stomach in a knot for the last 2 miles because it didnt agree with me. Legs were a bit shakey for the rest of the day too, but the Rugby win took my mind off it.

Sunday's 20M was better. I made up the same quantities. Took one at 7 and then at 14M, but I picked up a bottle of water (Ballygowan Pink bottle to support Breast Cancer Research of course, but looked a bit silly running with a pink bottle ) I took another bottle of Mila at 17M but I didnt really need it. By the time I got home, I still had one bottle left. I ran Sunday's 20M about 30 sec per mile slower then the day before, but I felt in better condition the whole way around, and finishing by picking up the pace.

In the cold conditions, I can normally get through the same run on less then 500ml of fluid, but I found that with the Chia mixed with the water, the gel might retain water for longer and not release it into the body when needed. For the Connemara Ultra, I'll plan to have four belt bottles of Chia to bring with me and a large bottle in one of the later pick up areas for the second half of the run, but will need to use the water stations along the way to help dilute the chia gel a bit more. Maybe also bring a couple of Gel Packs for emergency too.

The one reservation I have about the Mila is that when it turns into the gel-like substance, its looks a bit like frog spawn, so it might not be for the weak stomached people. But then again, if I put it in a clear bottle and mark it 'Frog Spawn' There is a better chance of nobody taking it from the pick up points along the route!

Krusty_Clown

Aimman wrote: »

The one reservation I have about the Mila is that when it turns into the gel-like substance, its looks a bit like frog spawn, so it might not be for the weak stomached people. But then again, if I put it in a clear bottle and mark it 'Frog Spawn' There is a better chance of nobody taking it from the pick up points along the route!

I bought it in seed format, and had 500mls on Saturday (to try it out) and on Sunday before my 13 mile taper run. I didn't notice any real advantages, but I don't suspect you'd notice any on a 13 mile run anyway. I was thinking the same thing too - If I mix the seeds with some fruit juice and water and leave these at the aid stations, there's less of a chance that others will steal my drink. Don't think I'll bother with carrying the stuff for the duration, but pre-mixed at aid stations they're worth a go. It really does look much like frog-spawn, and it's what I'd imagine the texture of frog-spawn to be like.

pgmcpq

I have tried the chia seeds but before a long run run. Mix with water and leave for 15 minutes. Not sure about taking in on the run as the get could clog the water bottle. Seem to have some effect but the best I can say for sure is that they do no harm - but they are not a substitute for water. Hard to say how effective they are as there are so many other factors that come into play.

The other thing that "Born to Run' talks about is pinole. This I have taken with me on the run - usually mixed with my usual drink mix (Hammer sustained energy). The taste is fine and I do find that this is effective. I carry one small bottle so I need to get this right.

120_Minutes

my wife got a free sachet of rego with a magazine and wants to buy more, where can it be found?

Krusty_Clown

120_Minutes wrote: »

my wife got a free sachet of rego with a magazine and wants to buy more, where can it be found?

Sub4.ie / Wiggle.

connundrum

Was just reading this thread yesterday and came across a smallish range of SiS products in Tesco (?!).

Bought the 500g Energy powder for €11 odd afaik.

Tried it pre running/cycling last night and was relatively inpressed.