Endurox

I use Endurox after my 3 hard workouts each week. I have found that while it won't take away all of the soreness the next day, that it does greatly reduce it, and my legs do feel more fresh for my next run. If you're going to start using it, it may take a couple of servings before you start to feel consistent effects from it. It should ideally be consumed within 30 minutes of your workout. It won't be a magic bullet, but it probably will help you out.

One last thing...it is a bit towards the high side calorie wise.

Its just protein and vitamins with some stool softener mixed in. Enjoy.

Thanks for responding! Just one more question: does it taste really disgusting? I weigh under 120 so it says I'm only supposed to take one scoop so that's only like 135 calories which is fine with me.

It is a bit (shall we say) thick. I normally take the two scoop dose, so I'm not sure how the thinner mixture will be.

As far as the flavors go...the fruit punch is not bad, and the lemon-lime is bearable, but stay away from the "Tangy Orange", it is some of the worst stuff that I have ever tasted.

i don't use endurox, but i do use propel... the gatorade fitness water. it sounds stupid, but i really think it helps before and after runs (pantothenic acid and b vitamins).

meh is a little cynical.

i've tried it, and found it to work well for recovery, both between doubles of 10-12 miles (each run) and for feeling better for workouts the next day.

as far as physiological stuff: it's a LITTLE better than drinking gatorade as far as replenishing glycogen. some good research, some a little sketchy.

BUT it does also have certain amino acids which are normally in short supply, some antioxidants, etc. that are also beneficial, particularly post-hard workout.

if you can get it cheap (i got 6 canisters for nearly 1/2 off by buying in bulk from a store), go for it. otherwise, drink some gatorade and pop a vitE pill and you'll be fine.

email me if you want to know more of the nitty-gritty technical stuff.

greg

don't you need to pop that vitE pill along with some fat?

Crap! I just bought "tangy orange":/ oh well

I love the tangy orange flavor!!! it reminds me of drinking Tang as a kid... although I never did grow up to be an astronaut.

I think it helps replenish the carbs for glycogen and the protein to repair any muscle damage in the exact ratio. I use it religiously but i think the key is to just get some carbs and protein into you within the first 30 min post workout and no longer than 60 min

Greg,

As far as the research goes, Gatorade will tell you there is nothing better. But they have put their big foot in their mouths; all they have shown is a better hydration. Endurox R4 is actually better than gatorade in terms of glycogen storage, and protein synthesis.

The research has shown (courtesy of Dr. Ivy) in order to maximize the increase in glycogen stores and protein accretion after a workout, you need a combination of CHO and protein (1.5g CHO/KG BW and 0.3g protein/KG BW). This has to do with the mTOR -- GSK-3 -- Akt pathway. I think this benefit is about 20-30% better than Gatorade.

BUT, you NEED to take the drink immediately after a workout, or within 10-15 minutes in order to maximize the benefits. The reason Endurox tastes so bad and is so thick is because of the protein, and there really isn't much you can do.

Another drink that is out (i think) that I have heard of has a better protein delivery - that is less viscous - is Accelerade.

I never post, but since it was you Greg, I thought I'd put in my $0.02

pjm

Accelerade is the same as Endurox except supposedly engineered to be consumed during your activity instead of after. I don't see the big deal about the taste just add a little more water to it and it goes down smooth...

paul,

you're right, but having worked in dr. ivy's lab during some of those trials, i have a little nit-picking regarding the methods and "bias" involved. (we can talk about this in person.)

as for endurox itself:

yes, it would be better than gatorade, which isn't even actually optimized the way gatorade would make it out (too little salt for the amount of fluid. therefore it's absorbed a little slower and doesn't replenish all electrolytes per unit sweat volume lost.

tangy orange is good. TTTE, don't worry, i actually LIKED drinking it post-workout.

as for taking vitamin E with fat: no, unnecessary. the vitamin E is critical for a) membrane integrity, and b) antioxidant ability. because it is fat-soluble, it is easily integrated into the membranes and is stored there for whenever you need it. also, because it is absorbed and retained (unlike it's ally, vitamin C), you don't need to continually take large amounts, otherwise, you'll just start overloading on it and decrease your natural antioxidants like glutathione. (basically, the rule of thumb is about 1000IU per day, max...no need for more, and you can skip/forget days often without worry).

any other questions, hit me.

greg

Has anyone ever tried the Endrurox pills, I think they are easier to take then making a drink after every run? So are the pills better then the drink?

if memory serves the pills are just a mix of Vita E and Ciwajiwi (sp? an Endurox herb) otherwise it's not going to replenish the carbs, protein or the fluid lost during exercise... I wouldn't recommend it.

Not to mention that Gatorade is all simple sugars. Meaning you'll get a sugar high, and crash drastically if that is all you are replenishing with. also, the concentration of sugars is too high as well. Your stomach cannot absorb all of the sugars in Gatorade quickly enough (hence the stomach cramps you can get from drinking Gatorade). Also, yes, not enough sodium in Gatorade. However, if you dilute Gatorade to about 60/40 or 50/50 with water (60% Gatorade), you will avoid the stomach cramps. Gatorade sucks as a recovery drink anyway, no protein, not good glycogen replacement. I use Endurox all the time. Love it (Tangy Orange does suck ass taste wise, Fruit Punch is good though). Makes a huge difference. Now, for during, in the summer for rehydration, I love GU2O, from the makers of GU Energy Gel. It's bare essential electrolytes and carbohydrates. It's a real light tasting drink, not real sweet, kinda salty taste even. Great stuff, doesn't upset the stomach. But, anyway, just my thoughts.

interesting... i have never experienced stomach craps after drinking gatorade. but i do feel it is too concentrated and full of just sugar. reading the label, there is an incredibly small amount of potassium in it. they probably tweaked their recipe to be more appealing to those who just drink it like soda.

Be careful guys. Don't buy the marketing pitch hook, line, and sinker. I'm not saying that Endurox or Accelerade are bad, just that they're hardly miracle workers. A quick look at the labels indicate that the major difference between Endurox and Accelerade is that Accelerade is basically half-strength Endurox. The Endurox carb conentration is too high for optimal absorption _during_ exercise. The Accelerade concentration is in the optimal range (6 to 8%) that all major workout drinks use.

Second, the research has NOT shown that a 4:1 carb:protein ratio is optimal. In fact, it's pretty much the only ratio they tried (compared to straight carb). If you read the research papers you'll discover a couple of problems here. They never tested ratios such as 2:1, 5:1, 10:1, etc., to even get a sense of optimization. Further, they didn't keep total calories constant. If you add items to the drink, how do you know that an increased glycoen synthesis isn't because of additional calories, and not some synergistic carb:protein combination? (You don't.) Now I'm not saying that it CAN'T be so, just that the jury's out, so let's not all go rushing to the store.

There is an easy way to try this for yourself and save a bunch of money. All you have to do is get some whey protein (like unflavored Designer Whey) and add a scoop to a quart of your favorite whatever-Ade. You'll get about a 4:1 ratio, and save considerable $ (especially if you can nick some from your weight-lifter/thrower buddies). Then you can experiment for yourself and see if works.

For the record, no less a runner than Jon Sinclair advocates using plain old table sugar in water mixed with your flavor of choice (basically, make Kool-Aid at half sugar strength). Check out

www.anaerobic.net