Isotonic

Interview Ramon Zenhäusern

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«Entre deux courses, je mange des pâtes ou une HIGH ENERGY BARRE Salty+Nuts»

He is the one «on the top» of all the slalom riders. With his two-meter height, Swiss ski racer Ramon Zenhäusern is literally standing out. Especially when ending up on the top of a podium, as was recently the case at the 2019 World Ski Championships in Åre (team) or the 2018 Olympic Games in Pyeongchang (gold with the team, silver in the individual race). We were able to meet the charming Swiss for a short interview and find out about his nutrition strategy before important races.

Ramon, what are your plans for the upcoming season?

My goals are always the same: I want to stay as healthy as possible and have fun while racing. And if that is given, I am convinced that good results will follow. I also try to continuously develop and improve my skills.

Do you have a favourite race that you are already looking forward to?

My favourite races are principally the races in Switzerland: Adelboden and Wengen. There I can really feel how the fans push me to a top performance!

What does your breakfast look like on race day?

Before an important race, I make sure that I eat a balanced breakfast. That means: A good mix of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. That's why I usually eat my way through the breakfast buffets.

Do you have enough time to eat between two runs?

Although I would have enough time between the runs to eat, I am usually so nervous that I don't eat a lot. But in order to have enough energy for the second run, I have a little meal or a snack. I usually eat some pasta and/or a HIGH ENERGY BAR Salty+Nuts from SPONSER.

Which SPONSER products do you like best?

With my size I burn an enormous amount of calories on a training day on the glacier at 3000 m above sea level. Therefore, it is essential that I quickly recharge my energy stores with a protein or a recovery shake. Immediately before a competition I take a LIQUID ENERGY GEL and drink an ISOTONIC sports drink.

Is there a sports nutrition product that still needs to be invented for you and your preferences?

No at all! SPONSER has such a wide range of products that every athlete will be satisfied. I am perfectly happy with SPONSER!

Which menu do you prefer to celebrate your victories and medals with?

I don't really have a special winners' menu, but with a Fondue Chinoise you can always make me happy.

Nutrition hockey sur glace

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Nutrition in ice hockey: what ice hockey players should be aware of

Ice hockey is a fascinating sport: fast-paced, physical and in some cases highly dramatic. Although the regular match time is usually three times 20 minutes with breaks of 15 minutes, the effective play time is much longer. Depending on the interruptions during the game, the five field players and the goalie can spend up to two and a half hours on ice. It is obvious that a competition of over two hours requires a targeted and carefully balanced nutritional strategy if an athlete is to fully exploit his performance potential on the ice. We explain in the following what ice hockey players nutrition-wise need to consider before, during and after the competition and make recommendations for product selection from the SPONSER range.

BEFORE COMPETITION

Filling glycogen stores
Full energy reservoirs are the be-all and end-all in a sport with long performing times such as ice hockey. Studies confirm that glycogen supercompensation (carboloading) with a concentrated, carbohydrate-containing drink provides a considerable energy advantage on the day before the competition. Suitable products:

• CARBO LOADER: High energy sports drink for replenishing glycogen stores, contains Vitargo®, a barley starch hydrolysate specially developed for this purpose.
• LIQUID ENERGY GELS: Those who prefer it quick and comfortable can take carbohydrates directly from the tube with these gels. They deliver easily tolerable energy, which is available within a few minutes after ingestion.
• HIGH ENERGY BAR: Competition bars for long-lasting energy. Ideal up to one hour before use.

Increased lactate tolerance
The relatively short, but high-intensity blocks, with sprints and hardly any breathers, as they occur again and again in ice hockey, result in high lactate accumulation. Beta-alanine and soda loading (sodium bicarbonate and sodium citrate) in advance increase the extracellular buffer capacity, which in turn delays the muscle acidosis and fatigue. Athletes benefit also from creatine supplementation, especially when it comes to speed and interval performance - two factors that play a central role in ice hockey. Suitable products:

• LACTAT BUFFER: For professional soda loading during 4-5 days before important games.
• BETA ALANINE: In contrast to soda loading, it does not increase the extracellular but the intracellular buffer capacity and thus ideally complements the LACTATE BUFFER. Loading is necessary for approx. 8 weeks and should be paused after approx. 12 weeks for several weeks.
• CREATINE MONOHYDRATE: Loading phase during 1-2 weeks, but can also be used throughout the entire season. For even better absorption, a combination with CREATINE PYRUMAX is also possible.

DURING THE GAME

Ensure regular liquid supply
Despite the obviously cool temperatures on the ice field, the loss of liquid is significantly higher than one would expect, due to high-intensity performance and the hindered thermoregulation by full-body clothing and protection gear. For this reason, professional athletes make sure to drink 0.5 to 1 litres of an energy- and electrolyte-containing sports drink per hour during a match. Suitable products:

• ISOTONIC: The classic sports drink with 5 fruity flavours.
• COMPETITION: The less sweet, less intensively flavoured and acid-free alternative and therefore the first choice in elite sports.

Avoiding blood sugar fluctuations and muscle cramps
In competitive sports, energy supply plays a central role because the body's fuel stores are not sufficient for a duration of more than approx. 90 to 120 minutes. LIQUID ENERGY Gels can therefore also be used in addition to carbohydrate-electrolytes drinks. They provide fast energy, can be taken easily and do not strain the digestion. Players with high sweat losses and/or cramp tendency may benefit from our MUSCLE RELAX Shot. Suitable products:

• LIQUID ENERGY GELS: Best tolerated liquid energy concentrate from quick and slow available carbohydrates. The energy kick par excellence! With or without caffeine.
• MUSCLE RELAX: 30 ml bottles of cucumber juice and vinegar. At first signs or acute muscle cramps, rinse your mouth briefly with it and drink afterwards.

EXPERT ADVICE

Keeping coordination and concentration high
Reaction time, attention, coordination, concentration and a high focus are elementary performance components in a technical and fast discipline like ice hockey. Suitable products for increased cognitive performance and delayed fatigue:

• ACTIVATOR: Ready-to-drink flask with 200 mg caffeine from guarana, mate and green tea. Ideal from the second third or to manage mental fatigue. To be taken approx. 30-60 min before the desired time of effect. Take in two portions depending on tolerance.
• MENTAL FOCUS: Caffeine-free formulation with green tea active ingredients and Rhodiola Rosea. Promotes focusing without increasing anxiety.

AFTER COMPETITION

Ensure fast recovery
«After the match is before the match» is a bon mot in ice hockey. It is therefore crucial to take care of regeneration immediately after a match. A high-quality regeneration supplement supplies the body with fluid and electrolytes, fills the glycogen stores and repairs endured muscle damage. Suitable products:

• RECOVERY DRINK: Fruity regeneration drink, lactose-free. Preparation with water.
• PRO RECOVERY: Efficient, highly professional protein-based regeneration product to balance muscle stress. Lactose-free and without artificial sweeteners. Preparation with water.
• NITROFLOW PERFORMANCE²: The professional tip! Its vasodilatory effect enables better nutrient supply and reduction of metabolic end products (e.g. lactate). Ideal for supporting regeneration.

Author: Remo Jutzeler
Head R&D SPONSER SPORT FOOD
Ing. Applied Food Sciences UAS
MAS Nutrition & Health ETHZ

Alimentation crossfit

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Nutrition plays an important role when it comes to crossfit workouts

Most crossfit trainings last about an hour and therefore correspond to high intensity train; apart from warm-up, coordinative units and cooldown. In other words, the training is rather short, but extremely intensive, similar to interval training.

Nutrition before training
If you want to do a high intensity training, it is essential to start the training with filled stores. Not with a full stomach, of course, but not sober either. Ideally, a few easily digestible bites should be taken shortly before training: depending on preferences and tolerance, this can be a small banana, an easily digestible sports bar, a honey bread, a carbohydrate-containing sports drink or something silimar.

During training
During a crossfit training there is usually no or very little time for food intake. Sports drinks that contain a carbohydrate-electrolyte solution and thus support endurance performance and fluid intake are particularly suitable for this purpose. ISOTONIC or the mildly aromatic, acid-free COMPETITION are the beverages of choice for crossfit athletes. If the training lasts longer than one hour, a LIQUID ENERGY GEL tube (with or without caffeine) can help to keep the blood sugar level high and to avoid hangers during the workout. Solid food is not appropriate during a crossfit workout, as the athlete has neither the time to chew nor the energy to digest.

After the workout
The immediate nutrition after a high intensity workout pursues the following goals: hydration, supply of electrolytes and energy, regeneration. For these reasons it is important to supply the body with carbohydrates, liquids and protein within 30 minutes after the training. Besides protein-rich ready-to-drink products such as PROTEIN SMOOTHIE or PROTEIN DRINK, regeneration products such as PRO RECOVERY or RECOVERY SHAKE, which are mixed with water or milk, are indicated. But also a PROTEIN 50 Bar or a PROTEIN LOW CARB Bar, a low-sugar quark dish or a small cheese roll serve regeneration.

Protein for crossfit athletes
Protein fulfils many important functions in your body. To perform its tasks optimally, your body must be provided with the necessary basic protein requirements. The Swiss Society for Sports Nutrition therefore recommends athletes a daily amount of approx. 1.3-1.8 g protein per kg body weight. For a woman of 60 kg this means about 80-110 g protein per day, while a man of 80 kg body weight needs about 105-144 g dietary protein. For special phases such as strength building, diets or weight training, higher recommendations of 2.0-2.7 g protein per kilogram body weight apply. With our protein calculator the recommended daily requirements can be calculated to cover your individual needs.

Protein: timing of intake
The body protein is in a dynamic equilibrium. It is constantly built up and broken down. This is called anabolism or catabolism. Therefore, you are dependent on a regular intake. For optimal protein synthesis, about 20-30 g of protein should be consumed every 3-4 hours.

» download infographic «protein synthesis» (PDF)

High-quality protein products by SPONSER

WHEY ISOLATE 94
Use: recovery, muscle build-up
Properties: best whey protein quality, 100% grass-fed from Ireland, lactose-free

MULTI PROTEIN
Use: basic protein, night protein, muscle build-up, recovery
Properties: high-quality multi-protein blend, wide range of application, contains whey, casein and egg albumin origin Switzerland

PRO RECOVERY
Use: recovery
Properties: high-quality recovery, with colostrum

LOW CARB PROTEIN SHAKE
Use: weight management, basic protein blend, meal replacement
Properties: sustained satiety, with fibres, L-carnitine and choline

Conclusion
With the right nutrition, crossfit training does not get easier, but definitely more effective. Above all, it should not be forgotten that individual tolerance and personal taste preferences are always to be taken into consideration.
So get ready for your next crossfit training, the kettlebells are waiting!

Author: Remo Jutzeler
Head R&D SPONSER SPORT FOOD
Ing. Applied Food Sciences UAS
MAS Nutrition & Health ETHZ

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Game, set, match

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All you need to know about sports nutrition in tennis

During the short breaks after the sets you can see cracks like Roger Federer eating half a banana and or having a drink from time to time. Does a tennis athlete need specific sports nutrition and if so, what do you need to know?

Short breaks on the court
Numerous, but short breaks during sets mean that sports nutrition in tennis has to meet special needs: Sports nutrition must not only be consumable quickly, but must also be as tolerable as possible. So if you see tennis stars eating half a (ripe) banana during the sets, there is nothing wrong with that. For a match lasting several hours, however, this snack is definitely not enough.
Tennis players can therefore rely on liquid energy from the tube, for example with a LIQUID ENERGY GEL (with or without caffeine), a high-quality, carbohydrate sports drink such as COMPETITION, LONG ENERGY or ISOTONIC or a few bites of a HIGH ENERGY BAR. In search of a noticeable caffeine kick that reawakens motivation and concentration, we recommend an ACTIVATOR ampoule or a few POWER GUMS out of the bag. The previous and regular use of MENTAL FOCUS can offer clear advantages in terms of cognitive performance both in technical training and in competition.

Indoor or outdoor
From a nutritional point of view, it makes no difference whether a tennis match is played indoor or outdoor on sand, grass or hart court. However, the climatic conditions can vary significantly and thus have a corresponding influence. Temperature and humidity are central parameters that must be taken into account when eating on the tennis court. In the cold and in low humidity, nutrition has primarily to cover the energy demands of an athlete. In the heat or in great humidity the body needs considerably more liquid. If matches over three, four or sometimes five sets including tie-break are expected, a carboloading two days before the competition is recommended. If the heat on the court is high, a previous soda loading with LACTAT BUFFER can be very useful. Players with a high sweat rate and a tendency to cramp additionally use SALT CAPS or MUSCLE RELAX shots.

Regeneration during tournaments
In tennis tournaments lasting several days or even two weeks, regeneration plays an important role. The recommendations are therefore: Regular carboloading with CARBO LOADER, every second or third day. In hot and humid regions, soda loading with LACTAT BUFFER is recommended to increase sodium levels and thus prevent dehydration and cramps. Always take a carbohydrate-protein shake such as PRO RECOVERY after every match and additionally consume a protein shake MULTIPROTEIN or CASEIN in the evening before going asleep. If frequent travel and/or contact with large crowds is necessary, the use of IMMUNOGUARD prevents the risk of infection.

L'eau et la réhydratation

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Be careful as an athlete - pure water reduces rehydration

A study of shows: Rehydration after a activity works better if a drink containing sodium - i.e. a sports drink - is taken in combination with a standard meal. The simple consumption of a meal with tap water without electrolytes leads to a worse rehydration. An important aspect in training camps, in high altitude as well as in high-intensity phases during heat periods!

Literature
Evans, G. H. et al (2017): A sodium drink enhances fluid retention during 3 hours of post exercise recovery when ingested with a standard meal. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab, Aug;27(4):doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2016-0196

Author: Yvonne Forster

Alimentation ultra-endurance

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Which meals are suitable for an ultra-run with self-catering?

The crucial question in «self-supported» ultra-competitions is always how self-sufficient and for how long you have to organize yourself. If it is only about 1 to 2 days, you can use «classic» sports food. It is formulated rich in carbohydrates and proteins, and is also extremely light and compact. «Light and compact» is basically everything that comes in dry form. In addition, the more fat a product/food contains, the higher the energy density.

Expect and plan for salt, protein and fat «hunger»
At events lasting several days, the high use of carbohydrate-rich sports food often leads to a hunger for salt, protein and fat. Normally at a stage where the body has already reduced the performance intensity (partly also from exhaustion) and can tolerate such food. At this stage, when the body has become hungry for fat, experience has shown that it can also tolerate such foods, including fatty ones. For this reason, fatty and long-durable foods are suitable for long endurance events, where typically high energy density at low weight, durability in the heat/cold and a rather low performance intensity are the limiting factors. For example, salami, dried meat, bacon, peanut butter, nuts, etc. These are also ideal from a convenience point of view, since a whole piece salami, wrapped in a clean and dry cloth, can be kept for more than a week without airtight packaging or refrigeration. In general, it makes sense to cover fat and protein needs with such high-energy and long-durable foods. Various ultra-sports events (for example Sahara Marathon, Race Across America, Idataho Race) prove that athletes successfully use foods such as peanut butter, nuts and the like without any problems.

Cover carbohydrate needs with sports food
Carbohydrates can be supplied ideally by sports nutrition. Sports drinks and compact sports bars offer advantages in terms of energy density over water and light, fluffy or crispy cereal bars. After all, also the volume that you have to carry around on your back is decisive. Other important parameters whey preparing your sports nutrition choice are variety, your individual gastrointestinal tolerance and satiation properties. For these reasons, taking also a few fibres is not entirely wrong.

Recommended SPONSER® products for ultra-running with self-supply
• ISOTONIC, COMPETITION® or LONG ENERGY sports drinks: The latter contains some protein, is hypotonic, but like the COMPETITION® very mildly flavoured. ISOTONIC (without protein), which tastes stronger and sweeter, is often perceived too intensively over a longer period of time.
• HIGH ENERGY BAR: very compressed, compact, «doughy» bars, therefore energy-rich and space-saving. To be worn on the body when cold, so that they remain chewable.
• OAT PACK: Oat bar with relatively high fat content. Somewhat fluffier, but due to the fat and the oat (beta-glucans) nevertheless energy-rich and very satiating. Contains nuts.
• ULTRA PRO in sachet with 1:1 ratio carbohydrate:protein as well as fat from coconut and olives. Preparation with water. This product constitutes as a «liquid solid food» so to speak.

Author: Remo Jutzeler
Head R&D SPONSER SPORT FOOD
Ing. Applied Food Sciences FH
MAS Nutrition & Health ETHZ