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ISSN conference

Just a quick update.
I got in late on sunday night and I was just exhausted. I was super tired but when arriving at the hotel, I suddenly woke up. The Red Rock is absolutely amazing and I've never seen a hotel like this before. The hotel is off the strip and in the desert/mountains and the layout of the hotel is beautiful. I will post pics when I return on wed morning.
I have seen a lot of familiar faces and met some nice people. Today I met a researcher from Gener8 which is a new sport drink which I've seen in various magazines. I was interested in the ingredients in the powder and how it is "better than the rest" in the field of sport drink. I still need to see more research to validate the claims. More so, I will let Karel try it out and see what he thinks. He is my subject for all new products so lucky for me, I have someone who either says Yes or No if products work. I think because I have created a steady diet for karel and I, as far as stabilizing our blood sugars on a daily basis, so when I need to try something out (or Karel trying it out) we are able to try the product in a controlled situation. That is my feel on sports supplements/drinks/gels...if your body isn't in a stable environment than it is very hard for it to properly accept a product in terms of performancing enhancing. Anyways.....
I listened to a lot of great talks today. I was in conference rooms from 8:30 until 12 and then again for most of the afternoon. I had to start my day early by taking my mid-term exam (90 minutes, 100 questions) online for my food science class. I passed fine but it was tough with traveling and lack of sleep. It was a tough exam and as my first dietetic exam I am glad to have it under my belt. I have another quiz tomorrow morning for nutrition education and counseling. I of course had to start my day with starbucks so I was stalking the starbucks at 545 as I waited and waited until they opened at 6am.
Among the talks today I can sum up a few points...
-Whey still appears to be the highest biological protein and a must in post-workout foods. I will learn more tomorrow as there are more talks on whey and soy.
-Nitric oxide is all about hype. Apparently, there are no peer reviewed manuscripts demonstrating that NO works in athletes/humans. Among the few studies which companies are claiming in order to sell their products, the research is done on cultured cells, the dose is extremely high and the NO is given by IV. I still need to see more research to say that NOExplode and other vasodilators help performance.
-Caffeine is a winner when it comes to pre-workout/race nutrition. The research is now showing that Caffeine affects the adenosine receptors in the brain to improve physical exertion and also spare glycogen by promoting the release of fatty acids. No more than 3 mg/kg body is needed for athletes and it is best to consume an hour before a workout/race. Studies show that more is not better and if you are a regular coffee/caffeine user you are less likely to see the effects. I wouldn't suggest getting off the morning cup of joe if you are going to suffer headaches and withdrawl (remember, caffeine is a drug!) but if you can get off of it for a day or two before a race you may show significant effects in caffeine use and glycogen sparing during exercise. Dr. John Ivy (author of nutrient timing and researcher for the 4:1 ratio seen in accelerade) also showed that caffeine was better than a pre-carb meal 45 min. before a workout. The carb meal showed a hyperglycemic response which is very detrimental to effort and time to fatigue.
-When it comes to eating protein, athletes (endurance) should aim for around 1.4-1.8 g/kg body weight. Rather than focusing on daily protein, it is more important to think about each meal. Because of the rate limiting enzymes and pathways needed to break down protein and promote recovery and muscle growth, focus on eating a certain amount for every meal. If you need 150 grams per day of protein, eat 3 meals of 30g protein and focus on complete protein which includes all the essential amino acids (needed from the diet) such as eggs, cottage cheese, milk, whey, meat and/or fish. Then include 3 snacks with 20 g protein at each snack. This is just an example but you get the point. YOu are much better off spreading out your protein equally at meals rather than having one big meal of protein and then missing out on protein at another meal. However, I still feel that carbs should be emphasized in the morning and taper off during the day. IN saying this, you can still include the same amount of protein at each meal but the extra calories from carbs would be best after a morning workout (or long workout).
-Amino acids are still the best thing for athletes of all kinds, especially endurance athletes. Instead of taking seperate supplements of leucine (which is being talked about a lot in our conference...I will keep you posted on this branch chain amino acid which may help performance in endurance athletes), arginine and glutamine you are best taking whey protein on a daily basis. Aim for at least 18g whey protein in your recovery drinks. I suggest going for powder rather than pills in order to get the most for your money.
Well, I can't wait to learn more tomorrow! I will first hit the hotel gym early in the mroning and get in a good run. Today was a great day off from training but I am ready to get a few more red blood cells out here in vegas :)