Nutritional drinks, particularly those with high calories, are helpful for those who struggle to gain weight and muscle mass. We’re also now hearing that they are also being used by to support athletes. For those who regularly take part in vigorous exercises and activities, having a high-calorie beverage that can be consumed quickly with easy drinkability and digestibility, can be a gamechanger in boosting their energy and performance.
We recently sat down with Eric Johnson, a long-distance runner from Los Angeles, CA who shared his insights on the benefits of high-calorie beverages when he hits the pavement.
How are high-calorie beverages good for athletes, like yourself?
A couple years ago I didn’t know much high-calorie beverages. I see them at my local pharmacy, but assumed they were for people who had trouble gaining weight. As someone who burns hundreds of calories with each workout, for many years I have been looking for foods and drinks that can help restore my energy after a run but don’t wear me down when being digested. I can’t exactly be eating a full steak dinner after each run! I decided to try out some high-calorie beverages last year and was blown away by the results. Since I worked them into my routine, I’ve seen a significant improvement in my performance. Consuming 1-2 of these beverages after my run helps to restore the lost calories and leaves me feeling refreshed and re-energized. And the beverage can be consumed quickly and on-the-go which is great as you don’t need to prepare anything when you get home.
Instant fuel for your workout – Reason’s Nutrition Beverage contains 14 grams of Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). Unlike other types of fats, when digested MCTs go straight to your liver, where they can be used as an instant energy source.1 This makes them ideal for athletes, like Eric, requiring energy restoration immediately after their workout.
What do you like about Reason’s Nutrition Beverage?
I have tried many varieties of high-calorie drinks and Reason is my go-to. It tastes amazing and you can feel the clean, high-quality ingredients. As a distance runner, while I am looking for products with a high number of calories, I’m also looking for the best nutritional supplements. Reason has only three main ingredients that are all-natural and non-GMO, which is nice. I also like that the products don’t contain artificial sweeteners like stevia or sucralose. When you consume it as much as I do, you want to know that you’re putting the right stuff in your body. I should also note that Reason’s products are helpful when it comes to my post-run recovery. With other products, I would get the energy needed after my run, but my muscles would take a long time to recover. The milk protein used in Reason’s beverage leaves my muscles feeling good and I’d recommend it over whey or soy protein that is found in other nutritional drinks.
Make sure to “milk” your recovery – Recent evidence shows milk-based proteins promote greater muscle recovery and growth compared to soy-based proteins when consumed after exercise.2,3 Reason’s Nutrition Beverage contains high-quality European milk proteins making them ideal to support people in muscle recovery after vigorous exercise.
Any other advice for runners on eating or drinking before/after a workout?
For long distance runners, I recommend you have some food in your stomach before you start your session. Even a small snack a couple hours before a long run will be helpful. If you are looking to try high-calorie beverages, I would suggest having it 30-60 minutes after your workout. The protein can be difficult to digest during a long-distance run, so I’ve found drinking when you get home is best approach to see optimal results. I also like to throw in a banana and an electrolyte supplement to help my body fully restore after a run. Finally, get lots of water before, during and after a long run. Dehydration can impact your progress so make sure you are always hydrated during a workout.
REFERENCES
- MCT Oil 101: A Review of Medium-Chain Triglycerides, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mct-oil-101
- Consumption of Fluid Skim Milk Promotes Greater Muscle Protein Accretion After Resistance Exercise Than Does Consumption of an Isonitrogenous and Isoenergetic Soy-Protein Beverage, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17413102/
- Impact of cow’s milk intake on exercise performance and recovery of muscle function: a systematic review, https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-019-0288-5
