Carnival recovery supplements

Carnival fetes and the road, as well as all the training and dieting you did to look good in your costume puts extreme demands on our bodies from a physical, mental, and energy standpoint.

For many, the recovery process from Carnival is a serious issue. Simply put, it’s an endurance challenge in the hot sun during the dry season with little or no protection from the elements.

Then we add the alcohol, lack or proper sleep from the days and nights of feteing.

Because the body goes through a grueling experience during Carnival it’s important to provide the necessary nutritional support through supplementation. Vitamins and minerals, amino acids, and macro nutritients make up the formula for a successful recovery from the debilitating effects.

I’ve compiled a list of recovery and immune health boosters to keep you looking your best during and after the festivities end.

Creatine monohydrate Creatine supplementation has been shown to decrease recovery time during repeated intervals, and increase power output at lactate threshold. Improvements in speed, power, and running economy during your training sessions translates to better race-day performance.

Recommended dose: 3-5 grams per day. Skip over the traditional loading phase often used with creatine supplementation. The initial weight gain, which is caused by an increase in total body water, may slow down performance.

Caffeine Endurance athletes use caffeine to boost performance. Not only does it provide a quick pickme- up for those early morning training sessions, but caffeine’s ability to reduce perception of effort and help delay fatigue can make those longer workouts and feteing more bearable..

Since caffeine reaches its highest blood concentration in about an hour, we suggest taking it about 60 minutes before a race so it can help you power through. There are many options of caffeine-infused beverages served on the road during the season so everyone is quite familiar. However, pay attention to the recommended dose: 1.3 - 2.7 milligrams per pound of body weight (200-400 milligrams for a 150-pound individual) 60 minutes prior to exercise.

Beta Alanine Supplementation of beta alanine has been shown to improve performance and delay fatigue during high-intensity activity. It is an amino acid. During highly intense training sessions, your body accumulates hydrogen ions. These hydrogen ions contribute to lowering pH, which ultimately results in fatigue.

Recommended dose: 3-6 grams per day, taken in 800 milligram doses throughout the day to reduce the effects of paresthesia, a temporary tingling or numbness akin to when a limb falls asleep.

Sodium phosphate Commonly used as a preservative for meats and other foods like red mangoes and plum, sodium phosphate can now add “performance booster” to its resume. Sodium phosphate loading has been shown to increase aerobic capacity and time to exhaustion by enhancing the ability of red blood cells to deliver oxygen to active muscles.

Recommended dose: 3-5 grams per day, taken in single gram doses for 3-6 days before an endurance event or Carnival Monday and Tuesday.

BCAAs I highly recommend daily use of BCAAs, which has been shown to reduce lactic acid build up thus, potentially increasing your endurance exercise capacity during exercise.

Substantial evidence also suggests BCAAs can reduce skeletal muscle protein breakdown and promote recovery and immune response from experiences like Carnival.

Recommended dose: 3-6 grams before or during exercise. A ratio of 2:1:1 leucine:isoleucine:valine appears to be most beneficial.

Protein Protein is essential for the repair, construction, and maintenance of your muscle mass.

Additionally, when you exercise for prolonged periods of time, your body turns to protein as an additional source of energy, making it even more important to consume adequate protein so that you don’t sacri_ ce your muscle tissue. Your body won’t look as toned in pics as it did initially because you may have missed meals during the last week of partying.

During periods of high-volume or intense training, consider increasing your protein intake to 0.9 grams per pound of body weight to help with maintenance and repair of lean body mass.

Glutamine This is the most abundant amino acid found in the body, so why do you need to supplement with it? Intense physical activity can actually drain glutamine stores faster than your body can replenish them, which can unfortunately cause your body to break down its own muscle, leaving you in a catabolic state. Low levels of glutamine can also compromise your immune system, increasing your risk for infections.

Glutamine supplementation has been shown to aid in recovery, in addition to boosting immune function following exhaustive exercise experiences.

A recent study suggests that glutamine supplementation may reduce your vulnerability to infections after prolonged exercise, helping you to train hard and recover fast.

Recommended dose: 20 grams per day, I do it every day it really works.

It is advisable to consult your doctor before taking any supplements. Have a safe Carnival and a speedy recovery!