Originally Posted by
mudpuppy
Thanks for the hammernutrition link, Carbonfiberboy. Although I use both whey and BCAAs, you don't need really huge quantities of amino acids to prevent muscle catabolism. Maintaining blood glucose levels, as well as starting out with good liver and muscle glycogen stores is probably more important. The stuff that I drink while cycling has so much maltodextrin and waxy maize starch that it's almost like a syrup. I'm talking about 40-50g complex carbs per 750ml.
The info on nutrient timing was also good. I've lately been reading "
Nutrient Timing - The Future of Sports Nutrition" by Ivy & Portman. Very interesting reading.
Thanks for the HT and the book. No, it doesn't take huge quantities, though if you are on a long ride the totals of everything get quite large. I use one bottle with almost 200g of carb/protein, and one bottle of plain water. I've found flexibility to be key over long distances and yes, before, during, and after the ride, timing is critical.