“While every cell in the body has the ability to make ribose, the metabolic pathway used in ribose synthesis is slow and rate limited,” continues Lund. “In times of metabolic stress, the body’s inability to produce ribose limits ATP synthesis, restricts the formation of important cellular compounds and delays tissue recovery. Stressed cells simply cannot make energy fast enough to keep pace with demand. Ribose administration significantly accelerates energy recovery.”
For serious athletes, recovery time is paramount. “High-intensity exercise drains muscle energy pools, contributing to delayed-onset muscle soreness, fatigue, loss of peak performance and tissue damage,” says Lund. “The fundamental role of ribose in energy synthesis and salvage is to accelerate tissue energy recovery, helping to restore the physiological condition of the muscle, reduce cell damage, limit free-radical formation and protect the heart and muscles from the rigors of strenuous exercise.
“For those who exercise more sporadically, prolonged muscle soreness and fatigue can also be debilitating,” adds Lund. “Ribose shortens recovery time, reduces muscle soreness and limits the onset or severity of fatigue for athletes of all levels.” The company’s natural, GRAS D-ribose is white to slightly yellow in appearance and imparts a mildly sweet flavor (about half that of sugar) in beverage applications. It’s highly soluble in both hot and cold liquids. Benefits can be achieved when products are formulated to include about 5 grams of D-ribose per serving.
Functional fatty acids
Some beverage designers turn to specialty fatty acids for energy and lean muscle building. For example, MCTs become a fuel that quickly reaches the liver and provides energy through mitochondrial oxidation.
“The ketone bodies produced from fatty-acid oxidation are delivered to muscles as an energy source, thus potentially lessening glycogen utilization,” says Jenifer Heydinger Galante, senior research manager, Stepan Co., Northfield, IL. “Another potential benefit of the use of MCTs would be the avoidance of the insulin elevation and possible hypoglycemia during exercise that follows a high-carbohydrate meal. The optimal benefit of using MCTs for performance enhancement explored by exercise scientists is increased endurance as a result of delaying glycogen utilization during a bout of exercise.” The company’s triglyceride is made using glycerin from vegetable oil sources and medium-chain fatty acids—caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acids—from coconut or palm kernel oil. It’s GRAS for use in all types of sports and energy products.
“The nutritional benefits of MCTs are a result of their unique metabolic pathway,” explains Galante. “Rather than being metabolized like conventional saturated or unsaturated long-chain triglycerides (LCTs), MCTs are metabolized like carbohydrates. LCTs must travel through the lymphatic system for distribution to body tissues, while MCTs travel directly to the liver. As a result, MCTs are preferentially burned for energy and, therefore, do not accumulate as fat in the body.”
Another specialty fatty acid used in some sports drinks is conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a term used to describe a group of linoleic-acid isomers. According to a study published in The Journal of Nutrition (March 2008; 138(3):449-454), CLA reduced body fat accumulation but not body weight when given to piglets. The study involved 24 piglets who were fed either a low-fat (3%) or high-fat (25%) diet, with or without an added 1% CLA, for 16 to 17 days. “Both groups gained the same amount of weight, but the group fed the low-fat diet ate more formula,” says Jack Odle, lead scientist and professor, Department of Animal Science, University of North Carolina, Raleigh. “The piglets fed the high-fat diet accumulated 50% more body fat during the period than those on the low-fat diet. But, the CLA reduced body fat buildup, regardless of the dietary fat content.
“The study shows the mechanism of CLA reducing body fat involves the inhibition of fatty acid uptake and synthesis by adipose tissue, not increased fat oxidation in the liver or muscle,” concludes Odle.
Micro powers
A number of micronutrients make powerful contributions to sports and energy drinks. Some of these micronutrients are derived from macronutrients. For example, one sports-recovery ingredient derived from whey “is a blend of naturally derived insulin-like growth factors (IGF-I) and other small peptides recognized as assisting with muscle repair and recovery,” says Jonas. “The ingredient contains less than 2% protein, which minimizes the effect of protein overload that can be associated with gastrointestinal burdens and calcium losses after training. It is highly soluble and stable over a wide range of pH, especially acidic beverages.”