[Gatorback]

I'm kind of a health nut, and don't ever touch soft drinks, but don't agree that sucrose is always bad when you are doing serious training. Added sugar (or sugar in processed foods) is bad the vast majority of the time. But not all the time.

Check out the link listed below. I got it from either this site or mtbr.com, not sure which. I watched the whole thing and saved the link. I've also read a bunch about food and dietary issues to research this stuff myself.

Here is a description of the lecturer's qualifications and his topic:

Robert H. Lustig, MD, UCSF Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology, explores the damage caused by sugary foods. He argues that fructose (too much) and fiber (not enough) appear to be cornerstones of the obesity epidemic through their effects on insulin. Series: UCSF Mini Medical School for the Public [7/2009] [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 16717]

So the guy has some legit credentials.

Bottom line from his lecture? Added sugar, including sucrose, is bad for you. Added Fructose is even worse. (Sucrose is common table sugar, such as from sugar cane, and is half fructose and half glucose--but it is processed so that all the fiber in sugar cane is removed and you are left with pure sugar). However, the lecturer does indicate an exception to his advice of "no added sugar" or "no processed sugar" for elite athletes--and I think he should have framed it as "well-trained athletes." During high intensity exercise and during the immediate recovery period, added sugar such as in sports drinks has its place for serious athletes.

But for people exercising for basic fitness, those trying to lose weight, and sedentary folks they should stay the hell away from soft drinks and other processed foods with added sugar.

Here is the link:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM

 

[Gatorback]

Watching the whole lecture, and reading other stuff, I tend to think the sugar is bad advice for serious athletes is a little overblown. The lecturer would probably suggest sucrose is better than something with pure fructose.

The problem I find with figuring out sports drinks is that there are so many different types of sugar out there now that it seems you do need a degree in chemistry and training in endocrinology to figure that stuff out: sucrose, glucose, fructose, lactose, maltodextrose, xylitol, etc. It is kind of crazy.


Here is what I try to do: try to stick with stuff that is natural. Hammer Nutrition claims their stuff is natural. I'm drinking their stuff at the moment. But I have used Accelerade and its sister recovery drink, Endurox R4, and I have liked it. I didn't notice any bad affects, but of course I'm not monitoring things like insulin resistance, blood pressure, and all kids of stuff like that. I just felt like it was helping me stay feuled and recover well and I wasn't gaining weight--it was just helping me keep weight on.