I’ve been taking one Whey protein shake after workouts. This is about twice or three times a week. I read that this improves muscle recovery, especially when you are working out later in the day. I also read about BCAA and two months ago started taking two pills with my shake. BCAA focuses on a chain of non-essential (not naturally occurring in the body) amino-acid credited to be important for recovery and muscle growth.
The results? Unknown and probably not worth it. The original intent was to speed the recovery from P90X which I consider a catabolic AND anabolic workout. I have not noticed any gains in muscle or weight and I’m unclear as to whether this has helped my recovery. After reading further, I’m convinced that I should drop BCAA. I’ll keep doing the shake from time to time, but I’m on the hunt for a good alternative recovery product. Continuing with the P90X workouts while doing tournaments this summer will not be easy without some help.
The basic and most popular compound related to muscle recovery is L-glutamine which is contained in many foods and is a non-essential (naturally produced by the body) amino acid. The body may loose up to 50% of its l-glutamine during workout. Hence, people believe that boosting its intake is the best approach. L-glutamine has a bigger following and for good reasons - read more about l-glutamine benefits here.
So here’s my dilemma, two friends have suggested two different products that I’m now considering.
Friend #1 says to take Max GXL
The research behind glutathione as a powerful antioxidant is clear. However, I found some references suggesting that while glutathione is marketed as a nutritional supplement, it does not appear that it actually hits the blood stream or is effective as it dilutes in the digestive track. Other more effective deliver mechanisms include IV. Clearly, I’m not into this! Further, glutathione is widely available in common foods and supplements including vitamin C, whey protein and alpha-lipoic acid which to help restore intracellular levels of glutathione. So is Max GXL effective? Not sure. I’m a big fan of Acai, pomegranate and mango as high source of antioxidants. On the other hand, L-glutamine promotes the body’s natural production of glutathione, although it puts some strain in the liver and gut. So all things considered, is MaxGXL a better product than just taking l-glutamine? Taking glutamine is much cheaper given the abundance of supplements in the market vs. glutathione.
Friend #2 says to take Endurox
Based on a research of 4:1 ratio (4 carbs for every 1 protein), the company claims to be the best muscle recovery formulation. Again, there is quite a bit more information on this topic, here’s a good article. Many of my volleyball friends take this and so there is more consensus on Endurox as a strong recovery after workout. Here too, you’ll find 450 mg. per service of l-glutamine.
When you are in your 40s and want to stay active, you tend to look for good helpers. Recovery becomes an important factor in the equation of being competitive at this stage. Max GXL and glutathione make claims on several areas of latic acid prevention, muscle ‘cool-down’ for sustain recovery, joints… which sounds a bit like a kitchen sink to get you hook. Endurox is more focused on after workout muscle recovery containing the more populate l-glutamine form.
Who should I listed too? I’ll try these out and come back with a full report later on. If you have any experience with any of these, let’s hear it!
