With its blend of energy-supporting vitamins and minerals, AMPED™ Hydrate can benefit anyone—the young, the weekend warrior, and the athletic—as an excellent during- or post-workout supplement to replenish nutrients in active bodies.
A study from researchers at the Nestle Research Institute in Switzerland (1), and published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, found sports drinks that contain fructose, like AMPED Hydrate, may be better at replenishing energy stores depleted during exercise compared with other sugars.
This study found that liver glycogen stores were more quickly restored in athletes that consumed beverages containing fructose or galactose (milk sugar), but not glucose. Glycogen is a polymer of glucose stored in liver and muscle. It’s readily broken down during periods of fasting or during physical activity providing the necessary glucose for cellular energy.
In this double blinded, triple cross-over, randomised clinical trial, ten healthy male athletes exercised to exhaustion on three separate days and then ingested a carbohydrate drink containing 65 grams of fructose, galactose, or glucose. Liver glycogen stores were then monitored every two hours during recovery.
The researchers reported that the beverages containing fructose or galactose restored liver glycogen faster than those consuming the glucose beverage. During exercise, low-glycogen stores can lead to low-blood sugar, the researchers explain, and may be a significant factor in exercise-induced fatigue.
“The liver plays a crucial role in preventing hypoglycemia during exercise and it is generally believed that strategies that enhance liver glycogen post-exercise will increase exercise capacity in a subsequent exercise bout,” the authors wrote.
Glycogen to Go
Glycogen stores are responsible for regulating blood sugar at night and providing cells with a continuous supply of glucose, the authors explain. These findings suggest that fructose leads to faster recovery and more readily supplies the body with energy for additional activity.
“Carbohydrate drinks containing fructose and galactose could help in situations where athletes have to exercise twice in one day with relatively little recovery,” the authors wrote.
While previous research has targeted muscle glycogen levels, the researchers felt that liver glycogen was a better indicator of exercise recovery. This study helps to demonstrate the importance of a variety of carbohydrates to support physical activity and glycogen status.
Facts on Fructose
Fructose, often the target of harsh criticism, is a natural sugar found in most fruits and vegetables. Food manufacturers often prefer fructose because of its higher stability and perceived sweetness, which means the same sweetness can be achieved with less sugar.
This latest study shows that consuming fructose, particularly after exercising, replenishes glycogen stores efficiently and is an effective fuel source for the body. Drinks like AMPED Hydrate provide the body with fructose—8 grams per half stick, an amount comparable to eating an apple—that may facilitate recovery and support intense and prolonged physical activity.
Reference
Decombaz J, Jentjens R, Ith M et al. Fructose and Galactose Enhance Post-Exercise Human Liver Glycogen Synthesis. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2011. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e318218ca5a
