So what makes chocolate milk such a great post-workout recovery beverage? It seems unlikely that people would spend so much money on expensive supplements and powders when they can get similar results from this simple drink you can buy in any supermarket. However, it’s true. In many ways, chocolate milk is just as good as expensive commercial carbohydrate-protein beverages. Here are five reasons why:

1. Protein

It’s no secret that your body needs protein following workouts, especially resistance training. The protein turnover cycle, or the rate at which protein is depleted versus synthesized, occurs at a higher rate after exercise. You need to consume protein to help balance this turnover rate, and allow sufficient nutrition to restore and grow new muscle tissue. Chocolate milk is packed with natural, high-quality protein. In fact, the protein you find in commercial protein powders is often derived from milk powder.

2. Carbohydrates

Your body uses glycogen, or the metabolized version of glucose, as its main source of energy for exercise. Glycogen is stored primarily in the muscles, and when the body runs out of glycogen it becomes fatigued. Following exercise, you need to consume carbohydrates to restore depleted glycogen. Simple carbohydrates (sugars) are effective immediately following exercise because they are digested quickly and have a rapid effect on restoring glycogen. Milk contains the natural sugar lactose, a simple carbohydrate that can help restore glycogen, while chocolate milk contains additional sugars.

3. Carbohydrate-Protein Ratio

Also important to your post-workout beverage is the ratio of carbohydrates to protein. About 30 to 60 minutes following exercise, your body is at its greatest need for protein and carbohydrates. Research has shown that the ideal ratio of carbohydrates to protein is between 3:1 and 4:1. Greater amounts of protein can prevent hydration and glycogen restoration. Chocolate milk contains about 25 g of carbohydrates and 8 g of protein, or a ratio just greater than 3:1.

4. Price

Chocolate milk is cheap and you can find it anywhere. Commercial post-workout supplements are expensive and you can often only find them at special nutritional supplement stores. With supplements, you may also be consuming additional ingredients that you don’t want, or that your body doesn’t need. For example, many commercial powders contain vitamins, which can be toxic when consumed in excess.

5. Taste

While some are fine, commercial powders sometimes have a bitter, chemically taste. Unless you’re one of those rare people who doesn’t like chocolate, you’ll probably agree that chocolate milk tastes great.

How much Vitamin D to take?

The latest recommendations for Vitamin D are higher then previous recommendations due to the positive links between Vitamin D status and disease/condition prevention,  As of 2010, the daily reference intake or DRI for people ages 1-70 years of age, as well as pregnant or lactating women, has increased to 600 IU daily.  People over the age of seventy should receive 800 IU daily.  People who are currently deficient in the vitamin will need larger doses to get their levels within a normal range and should consult a doctor.

How do I get Vitamin D?

The sunshine vitamin is just that- available to our bodies through ultravoilet light in sunlight.  Since it is available through sunlight, Vitamin D is considered “conditionally essential.”  However, factors such as less hours of sun in the winter months, wearing lotions or makeup with SPF, and hours of working indoors prevents many from receiving the Vitamin D they need daily from the sun. Wearing sunscreen with an SPF as little as eight will reduce the production of Vitamin D by 95%. That said, sunscreen is essential for reducing risk of skin cancer and I wear it daily!

Vitamin D is available in some foods.  Refer to the list below to find food sources of Vitamin D.

• 1 Tbsp cod liver oil, 1360 IU
• 3 ounces herring, 765 IU
• 3 ounces salmon, 425 IU
• 3 ounces canned sardine, 255 IU
• 1 C fortified milk, 100 IU
• 3 ounces shrimp, 90 IU
• 1 C fortified cereal, approximately 40-50 IU
• 1 medium egg yolk, 25 IU

From this list, you can see why many people find it hard to fit in enough Vitamin D each day from diet alone.  This is why I usually recommend my clients, and practice what I preach myself, to take a multivitamin or Vitamin D3 supplement daily.  Remember to take this supplement with a source of dietary fat, since it is a fat-soluble vitamin.

When deciding to supplement Vitamin D, too large of doses can be toxic. Hypervitaminosis D (Vitamin D toxicity) can result from Vitamin D supplementation of 10,000-50,000 IU/day over several years. Consult with your doctor before making decisions about large doses of Vitamin D.

Sources:

• “Vitamin D.” Eatright.org. The American Dietetic Association, Web. 21 Nov. 2011. <http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=6795>.

• “Vitamin D: Dosing – MayoClinic.com.” Mayo Clinic. Web. 21 Nov. 2011. <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vitamin-d/NS_patient-vitamind/DSECTION=dosing>.

• “Vitamin D: MedlinePlus Supplements.” National Library of Medicine – National Institutes of Health. Web. 21 Nov. 2011. <http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/929.html>.

• Higdon, Jane. An Evidence-based Approach to Vitamins and Minerals: Health Implications and Intake Recommendations. New York: Thieme, 2003. Print.

How Does It Work?

The long article goes into details about the effects of the supplement on fat cells, muscle cells, and liver cells, but the entire article can be summarized in the following sentence:

Indigo-3G will tell your body to resist storing fats, oxidize fatty acids, and pull glucose and nutrients into muscle cells.

So pretty much, the more you eat, the more muscles you get.

Where to Get Indigo 3G?

As of 5/20/2011, Biotest just released Indigo 3G to 81 lucky beta testers. It sounds like they have plans to make the pills available for purchase through the T-Nation store as soon as the next 6 weeks (that’s how long an I3G cycle is). The last I’ve heard is that one batch of pills with cost you something like $390 per batch.

As of 7/18/2011, Biotest just announced that they are starting to distribute Indigo 3G. A few things you need to know:

• It seems to be working for the I3G beta testers.
• There is a Three-Bottle minimum on your first purchase.
• There are no refunds.
• It’s $480 for the 3 bottles (6 week cycle)

Ways to Keep Track of Indigo 3G Results?

Here are a few training logs of T-Nation Indigo 3G participants:

• hockeydawg
• jason01
• citydawg926
• bwbski
• Cr Powerlinate

Keep an eye out for how they are doing and look at their progress. Also pay special attention if they mention any illnesses after taking I3G.

Don’t Want to Spend That Much Money?

Whenever something this new comes out into the wild, I’d like to wait until enough people try it and read their feedback to make sure it won’t permanently damage me (like make my bleed out of my eyes or something random like that). Also, I’d wait till the thing gets cheaper. I remember when N.O.Xplode first came out and it cost something like $40 per bottle, now you can find it at $25 per bottle when it’s on decent sale.

Until then, I prefer to opt for time-tested (and much cheaper) supplements with plenty of studies done on them. Some supplements that are okay in my book (and you might want to look into taking) are:

• Whey protein
• Vitamins and mineral (I take OptiMen)
• Fish oil supplements
• Choline promoting supplements (like lecithin)
• Creatine (okay in my book, but I personally don’t take it because I don’t want bulk)

I hope this helps, and please think twice and do your research before you put some random stuff into your body.

• 

  Photo © Mark Henspeter

  Hydrate: It is recommended that an athlete consume 20-24ounces of water for every pound of body weight lost during exercise.  In general, drink enough water that your urine is a light yellow color.

• Count your calories: Make sure that you are eating enough calories to replenish your system and satisfy the energy demands of your sport/activity.  Use this calculator for a general idea of the amount of calories you should be consuming
• Eat your vitamins and minerals: Don’t overdose on vitamins/minerals/antioxidants.  Consuming an excessive amount of vitamins can actually create pro-inflammatory environment, leading to possible muscle damage and immune decrements.  A healthy diet will typically provide you with all of the vitamins and minerals you need. (For more information, see this quick guide to vitamins and supplements)
  
  

  Photo © Michael Cavén

• Carbohydrate suggestions: Generally, athletes should consume between 6-10 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram body weight each day, depending on the intensity and duration of exercise.
• Protein suggestions: Generally, athletes should consume between 1.2-2.0 grams of protein per kilogram body weight each day.
• Fat is good for you: Approximately 20-25% of your total caloric intake should be from fat.  It is recommended to eat at least two servings (8 oz) of fatty fish  per week (salmon, trout, halibut, sardines, herring, anchovies).
• Try a post-workout shake: If you are a strength/power athlete, it is recommended to consume a post-workout nutritional mixture that is 2 parts carbohydrate to 1 part protein.Endurance athletes should consume a mixture that is 4 parts carbohydrate to 1 part protein, and team athletes should consume a ratio of 3 parts carbohydrate to 1 part protein.  The amount of protein should be between 0.25-0.50 grams per kilogram body weight, and this mixture should be consumed every 1-2 hours for 6 hours post-exercise.

The Facts About These Tiny Berries

Acai (pronounced ( ah-sigh-EE ) is a fruit that grows on Acai Palm Trees in the Amazon Rainforest of Brazil. The Acai berry is smaller than a grape in size and is dark purple in color. Acai is 90% seed, covered in a small amount of pulp. It is important to note that no one eats the Acai berry seed, which contributes to the fruits expensive cost. Acai has a berry flavor with a subtle chocolate after taste, and it turns out that Acai contains tremendous health properties that may be one of the best possible foods you can eat to stay healthy. In addition to antioxidants, Acai is also rich in Omega 3, 6, and 9 fats, amino acids, electrolytes, fiber, protein, vitamins A, B1, 2, 3, C and E.

Acai Berry ORAC (Antioxidant) Rating

ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. ORAC measures the ability of just about any substance to subdue oxygen free radicals in the test tube. In short, ORAC is a lab assay that can measure the antioxidant activity of any substance and give it a number. The higher the ORAC number – the stronger the antioxidant properties of the substance.

The National Institute on Aging developed the ORAC method and the US Department of Agriculture have been instrumental in perfecting the ORAC assay procedure and testing various foods to determine ORAC levels. The USDA recommends we consume 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC units daily. In truth, 80% of the population is consuming less than 1,000 ORAC units a day. The USDA recommended “5-a-day” fruit and vegetable servings will give you an ORAC score of about 1,750 units. This means it’s time to heap the dark colored fruits and vegetables on your plate.

Acai Contains High Levels of Anthocyanins

Anthocyanins are flavonoid pigments that plants and fruits synthesize. Anthocyanins give plants and fruits their beautiful pigmentation and can act as a sunscreen for plants. The pigment in fruit can help attract animals to the disperse the plants’ seeds. An important thing to consider is that the antioxidant properties of anthocyanins are maintained even after they are eaten by another organism. This is why fruits with bright pigmentation tend to have the greater ORAC values. In comparison, Acai berry has over 30 times the anthocyanins as red wine!

How Do We Get More?

Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to obtain these precious nutrient rich berries unless you live in the Amazon Rainforest, as Acai is very perishable and spoils within about 24 hours of being picked from the Acai Palm tree.

But luckily, Acai pulp from the Amazon can be frozen and shipped to the US. A number of juice bars now have Acai smoothies, and Acai pulp can also be dehydrated into a powder and freeze dried. This powder can then be put into capsules to make pure Acai supplements that maintain all the nutritional properties of fresh Acai – just in a concentrated form.

Look Out for Scams!

Acai Berry has NOT been shown to work as a weight loss supplement. There are many publishings already out there that do not support the free trials for Acai berry powders or tablets for weight loss purposes.

Acai berry in any of its forms is a great find and a tasty addition to a healthy diet. The nutritional benefits are indeed impressive for such a small fruit!

A Little More About Vitamins

Although there is one exception, vitamin D which can be synthesized from sun exposure, our bodies cannot synthesize vitamins. To maintain adequate levels, all vitamins must be consumed daily from foods and/or supplements. Unlike proteins, carbohydrates or fats, vitamins are not metabolized to build tissues or organs. On the contrary, vitamins act as coenzymes for enzymes so that nutrients such as amino acids and glucose are enzymatically utilized for muscle growth or energy. Once the body is through with the vitamin, it must be filtered out of the system through the liver and then through the kidneys before it is released as waste. Each vitamin or supplement has a unique factor that it can contribute to the body, but the body only requires a very small amount of these external agents. One should take caution when deciding which supplements to take and how much of each to maximize the effects and maintain the safety and health of the kidneys and liver. It is also important to do a little research on the extra vitamins that you are interested in taking to make sure that there are positive benefits to the dollars you are spending.

Most Common Vitamins and Supplements

• Vitamin C
• Calcium
• Iron
• Folic Acid
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin B12
• Omega 3, Fish Oils (see article on the best fish oil out there)
• Ginko baloba
• Ginseng
• Bee Pollen
• Creatine
• Glucosamine (Not FDA approved)

Other Honorable Mentions

• Protein Shakes
• The ECA Stack

The Good

Many health professionals suggest that you should take some form of a multivitamin to “cover your bases,” if you do not receive all the nutrients you need out of your diet. Obviously, the natural form of the vitamin is the preferred method for consumption by your body, but studies have shown that the average American diet leaves the body in healthy nutrient debt. The key to shopping for multivitamins is looking for one that can be absorbed efficiently, one that dissolves well. It is also a good idea to find a multivitamin that is tailored to your needs. Women should take vitamins specialized for women and make sure to take calcium to prevent osteoporosis. In addition to vitamins, doctors suggest that people should take fatty acids like fish oil, or for vegetarians, flaxseed oil.

The Bad

However, sometimes, too much of a vitamin may be harmful. Dr. Daniel Hyman, a general internist with Cooper University Hospital in Camden said “overloading on iron can cause liver problems and in males it can cause testicular problems.”

Vitamin A can also be toxic in large amounts. Only double the government’s current daily value of supplemental Vitamin A in the form of retinol can increase the risk of birth defects and liver damage. Large doses of Vitamin C can cause gastrointestinal upset, diarrhea and other side effects. Since much of the food we eat is fortified, it is easy to overload on a particular vitamin or mineral if you’re also taking daily multivitamins and other supplements.

The Ugly

Often times, vitamins have little or no effect. A study conducted by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force revealed that for a healthy adult who regularly eats fruits and vegetables (which also happens to be natural fat burning foods), taking a daily multivitamin or other supplements will not make much of a difference. The body typically excretes excess vitamins especially multivitamins, which are particularly susceptible to being flushed because they aren’t attached to food.

Many of the extra vitamins that you can buy separately provide you with very large doses that tax your filtration systems and end up not being absorbed by your body. When purchasing vitamins, take a look at the recommended daily dose of the vitamin or mineral, then compare that to the serving in each pill. If you are taking 800% of the Vitamin C daily recommended dose, it might not be a good idea to take it everyday.