Glucose Questions Revisited

Ok, as per Mr. Berardi’s instructions, I’ll stop drinking fruit juice during my workout, but before my post-workout meal. However, I still would like to consume a glycogen-replacing drink/food with creatine during the last portion of my workout. I’m not too concerned with minimal fat gains right now, as I’m concentrating on getting bigger. From your knowledge and experience, what have you forum folk used as a glucose source? Should I head to the pharmacy and try to find some stuff? Could I not just check the GI list and pick a food from the top? Also, since I’m drinking Surge post-workout, maybe it wouldn’t hurt me too much to just skip the drink during my workout… opinions? Thanks for help!

Ive posted this ALL OVER the forum…50% glucose/50% malto with some bcaa and glutamine in it (just 4-5g of each). You can add creatine into the surge or into this drink.

John, I respect your opinion and wanted to discuss this. Basically, you know my athletes get abused pretty badly and we supplement like horses. I have always utilized huge dosages of BCAA’s and Glutamine, along with electrolyte replacements in particular during camp. Training volumes through the last 3 weeks have tapered off considerably and my boys are chomping at the bit (continuing the equine theme). I havn’t heard you discuss larger doses (but I also havn’t researched all your writing either) on “Surge” typically but in a “win at all costs mode”, do you think it will assist, within reason. You know I am prone to radically increase use but I would like your opinion as well. I appreciate your expertise. If you prefer to respond in private feel free. In faith, Coach Davies

Coach Davies, funny, I do some consulting with horse trainers and some of my clients use Surge with their horses.

Anyway, Im glad you asked. The funny thing with bcaa and glutamine supplementation is that in the preworkout or workout periods, more may actually be ergolytic and decrease performance due to 1) the increased acidity of the blood that high doses of aminos (like glutamine) can promote via ammonia 2) in order to rid the body of these metabolites, much water is lost so dehydration is a serious concern.

You know, during exercise in the heat about 2.5-3 L of water can be lost per hour but the body can only replace about 2L per hour but only when using a beverage with electrolytes and a small concentration of carbs (4% solution). If you throw big amino doses in, you increase the concentration of the solution and decrease fluid replenishment. In addition, all the extra aminos, once in the body, draw more water out. I know during camps the biggest concern is dehydration so pre and during supplementation with aminos should be quite small.

After exercise however, a modest dose of both carbs and hydrolyzed protein is required in addition to bcaa, glutamine, and some other free form amino acids. However although the label of surge says that there are only a few grams of bcaa and glutamine, remember that the protein content (peptides) contain a pretty big amount of each. Although I cant give specifics (for that would give away the ever important ratio of the aminos), lets say that the total amount of bcaa and gln in surge is pretty big and exceeds 20g total.

Now, when training most intensely (camps), you could do 1 of 2 things. What you could do in this case is add another scoop of malto to take the ratio from 2:1 up to 3:1 or even 4:1 for my athletes who do the most glycogen depleting work. However, even more effective would be to have the athlete take 1 serving (bodyweight adjusted) of surge immediately after training then another about 1 hour later. Then eat a big food meal about 1 hour later. That should get them recovering well without dumping in ridiculous amounts of unnecessary aminos.

Hope that helps you out.

JMB, I don’t mean to piss you off by asking a question that you’ve answered a thousand times. I found the formula ALL OVER the forum, as you mentioned. What I should have asked was this: where on earth do I go to purchase plain glucose and malto? I’m fairly sure I could get ALL of the other stuff at a Vitamin World or GNC. If ANYONE has an answer, just throw it down. Thanks again.

Choad, check out a local beer or wine-making shop. If you want to buy in bulk, they have great prices. I picked up a 50lb bag of malto and a 50lb bag of glucose - less than $100 for both.

thanks for the info. We’ve got everything covered in meals/hydration and basically have an unlimited budget. We’ll put it in place. In faith, Coach Davies