A complete recovery product, like REGO Rapid Recovery provides a simple solution but which one is for you? SiS supplies more than 330 professional sports teams and associations globally and is also Performance Research Partner to the English Football Association. Each serving provides a whopping 22g of protein, coming from a combination of pea and fava bean isolate, meaning the full amino acid profile is covered. With only 3.9g of carbs per serving, you'll need to ensure that your glycogen stores are topped up post-workout by some alternative source of carbohydrate, such as an oat-bar or a larger helping of pasta with a meal. Add 50g (approx. 3 full scoops – scoop included) to 500ml of water in a shaker or bottle and mix well, ensuring the lid is firmly closed.

REGO Rapid Recovery Plus is tested under the Informed Sport Certification program. This approach involves testing every single batch of Science in Sport finished product which leaves the Company’s factory, screened against the 2017 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) list. Banned substances including steroids are tested to the level of 10 Nanograms per gram, and stimulants to 100 Nanograms per gram. Batches (sampled at the beginning, during and end of each product batch) receive the recognised and respected Informed Sport certificate and Science in Sport provides the documentation to athletes on request. Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAA’s) boost muscle growth, decrease muscle soreness, reduce fatigue and prevent muscle wasting. Hearris, M. A., Hammond, K. M., Fell, J. M., & Morton, J. P. (2018). Regulation of Muscle Glycogen Metabolism during Exercise: Implications for Endurance Performance and Training Adaptations. Nutrients, 10(3), 298.Holeček M. (2018). Branched-chain amino acids in health and disease: metabolism, alterations in blood plasma, and as supplements. Nutrition & metabolism, 15, 33. Coming in only a raspberry flavour, REGO Rapid Recovery Plus provides all the benefits of REGO Rapid Recovery, but with increased carbohydrate content, use of whey protein and inclusion of additional 2g of Leucine and 5g of L-Glutamine. This is an ‘all in one’ product that is relevant for both endurance and team sport athletes to facilitate recovery after intense exercise by simultaneously promoting muscle glycogen re-synthesis, muscle protein synthesis and rehydration. Dietary protein is necessary to support metabolic adaptation, repair and remodelling. After resistance training there is a response of upregulation of muscle protein synthesis (MPS) for at least 24 hours afterwards, also an increased sensitivity to the intake of dietary protein. A similar response occurs following aerobic exercise or other exercise types (sprint activities, intermittent sprints). There have been many research studies that promote a good rationale to intake protein well above the recommended daily allowance (RDA) to maximize metabolic adaptation to training.

Another benefit of adequate protein is reducing muscle catabolism, as cycling is a weight limited sport (however, always focus first on the ‘Watts’ part of ' watts per kilogram'), when trying to burn fat in a safe manner, it is important to maintain high dietary protein so as to reduce muscle loss during a calorie deficit. So that one is a little up in the air, but for most people without allergies or specific medical dietary requirements, a diet mixed of lean animal proteins, different carb sources, plenty of fruit and veg, and good levels of dietary protein, will be optimal for gut health. Say you are doing an hour of intervals, consuming 60-80 grams of carbs ~3 hours beforehand will ensure that you have adequate carb availability to complete the session without the dreaded ‘bonk’. Also, drinking enough fluids before and during the session, as well as keeping cool if you’re training indoors. BCAAS (valine, leucine, and isoleucine) are essential amino acids. BCAAS two main functions once consumed after exercise is to help increase muscle growth and decrease muscle soreness. The ingestion of carbohydrate and leucine stimulates protein synthesis through the mTOR signalling pathway. Torq recommends a different serving size dependent on the duration and intensity of exercise, from one 50g sachet for a moderate workout up to two for a hard session (or none for a light workout).If there had been a higher carb content, this drink would be perfect for a vegan recovery drink. Conclusion The drink mixes very well with no lumps and has a nice flavour without any artificial taste. A nice addition is a full profile of electrolytes, which makes this a great drink for rehydration – an aspect sometimes forgotten by other recovery drinks and a big bonus. The great taste and value of MyProtein's Vegan Protein Blend is very hard to match. The single-scoop, 30g serving size mixes very easily with minimal shaking, and we found there are never any lumps or grittiness in the resulting shake. It has a neutral colour and MyProtein assures that no artificial colours and flavours are used in this product. Depending on the nature of your workout, it can take your muscles up to 24 hours to recover. A more intense workout may take longer! Getting your macronutrients is key, alongside quality rest and recovery time. Some key steps for good recovery after an intense session include focusing on your protein intake, getting a good night’s sleep and ensuring adequate hydration. Try our Rest+ capsules or Juice, designed to improve sleep quantity and quality, so that athletes can recover better from training or competing.

My personal favourite for value and taste was the Wiggle recovery drink. It surprised me as I thought the lower cost would mean it might not mix as well or might taste artificial. The SiS rego offers the best option for those racing who need to ensure sport supplements are batch tested and not contaminated – OTE also offers this but at a higher price and I wasn’t as keen on the taste, personally.All the drinks would be beneficial to add into a recovery routine for those who train intensely during the week, or are perhaps time limited, so post session meal prep is more difficult. I always advise that people should try to get their macro and micro nutrients from their diets, but I also found that having these shakes was very effective with a hectic work/life/training schedule during the testing period. This means less pain in our legs, and greater muscle development post training, especially those wanting to build greater muscle mass. Ideally, we want between 20-30 grams of protein, as more than that has been found to be surplus to requirements. The drink also features branched chain and essential amino acids, as well as a very long list of vitamins and minerals that are essential to recovery and hydration.