I read a couple articles today on the impact of exercise on the immune system. Exercise has a negative short-term effect on the immune system. Both articles stated that eating carbs and protein immediately after exercise is key to helping the immune system bounce back. The first article is on the Hammer Nutrition website, and is titled “The 10 Biggest Mistakes Endurance Athletes Make”. This article is loaded with information. One point that stood out is that you can and should sustain yourself on a liquid diet of complex carbohydrates and protein for up to twelve hours of exercise. Also noteworthy was the fact that whereas you might burn 800 calories in an hour of exercise, you should only try to replace about 250 of those calories. You body simply can not keep up with digestion while you are exercising.
I had heard of Hammer before. I had assumed that Hammer Gel was full of high fructose corn syrup, but it is not. I think they should change their marketing. As it stands right now my first impressions were along the lines of Red Bull or Full Throttle.
Scott Jurek
I ordered some sample packs of their base products, Endurolytes capsules (electrolytes), Perpetuem (liquid carbs and protein to take during exercise), and Recoverite (liquid carbs and protein for immediately after exercise). The Recoverite has whey protein in it so it is not vegan, but I’ll give it a shot and see how I feel. I have started to question the veganism now that I am sick (of course I got sick a lot last fall when I was a full on meat eater). Chrissy (my wife) borrowed a book for me written by a vegan triathlete. Scott Jurek, the greatest ultra runner of all time, is a vegan, so it is definitely possible. I’m just going to be a little more cautious in getting there.
The second article I read about recovery nutrition is from an Australian institute. It agrees with the hammer article that refueling immediately after exercise is key to boosting the immune system, but it puts an emphasis on carbohydrates over proteins.
