Would whey protein help with stiff tired legs?

[Globalti]

I'm 57 and pretty fit but with every year that passes I'm finding it harder to build and hold muscle tone and strength. In the last week I've done three rides totalling 113 miles and about 8000 ft of climbing, yesterday's ride was about 38 miles and 2000 ft of that but today I feel tired and my legs ache as usual on a Monday.

All this is a consequence of slowly dwindling testosterone levels; another consequence is an increasing tendency to lay down fat as you age, for which reason I eat carefully and sparingly. I probably don't eat enough at home because when I go away on two-week overseas trips, during which I do zero exercise and eat lots of good quality food I always feel surprisingly strong on my return to cycling but I lose fitness and gain weight.

I have some For Goodness Shakes recovery drink sachets, but these are a mix of whey protein and maltodextrin and when mixed with milk I find them hard to digest. A gastroenterologist buddy tells me this is because as you age you become less able to digest carbohydrates and milk.

Has anybody of my age tried using whey protein as a supplement to a balanced diet and does it help with repairing muscle fibre damage caused by exercise?

 

[ayceejay]

Nutrition is a tricky subject with very few 'rules' that apply to everyone, I suggest you read up on your specific problem as you may be fighting a natural aging process. A general rule that does apply in my opinion is that you will be better off finding the nutrients you need from a well balanced diet rather than supplements.

 

[numbnuts]

you need from a well balanced diet rather than supplements.

I would say the same

 

[Rob3rt]

I'm 57 and pretty fit but with every year that passes I'm finding it harder to build and hold muscle tone and strength. In the last week I've done three rides totalling 113 miles and about 8000 ft of climbing, yesterday's ride was about 38 miles and 2000 ft of that but today I feel tired and my legs ache as usual on a Monday.

All this is a consequence of slowly dwindling testosterone levels; another consequence is an increasing tendency to lay down fat as you age, for which reason I eat carefully and sparingly. I probably don't eat enough at home because when I go away on two-week overseas trips, during which I do zero exercise and eat lots of good quality food I always feel surprisingly strong on my return to cycling but I lose fitness and gain weight.

I have some For Goodness Shakes recovery drink sachets, but these are a mix of whey protein and maltodextrin and when mixed with milk I find them hard to digest. A gastroenterologist buddy tells me this is because as you age you become less able to digest carbohydrates and milk.

Has anybody of my age tried using whey protein as a supplement to a balanced diet and does it help with repairing muscle fibre damage caused by exercise?

Mix them with water? The sachets I have said to mix with 450 ml of water.

However, I don't think your tired or aching legs is anything to be concerned about, only my opinion, not knowing your medical history (and not being a doctor, lol).

 

[GrasB]

Mix them with water? The sachets I have said to mix with 450 ml of water.

^^ This. As a general rule if you find something hard to digest it doesn't matter how 'good' it is for you, it almost certainly isn't going to be an effective method of getting nutrition into you.

A general rule that does apply in my opinion is that you will be better off finding the nutrients you need from a well balanced diet rather than supplements.

Problem is someone who is basically an athlete can't actually get all their needs sorted without 'supplements' in the wide description you're using. Something like a whey based recovery shake isn't really a supplement, it's very close to saying that a glass of milk is a supplement.

 

[Rob3rt]

Confirmation: They are designed to be used with water, not milk!

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8bfx1ZYSXGQ

 

[Globalti]

Oh, I thought I read that instruction on the packaging? They taste very nice made with milk!

I wish these had been invented 20 years ago when I used to do Polaris trailquests with my brother; we used to neck sachets of Complan at the overnight camp.

 

[Rob3rt]

I have only used them once or twice, hence the reluctance to just say "you are doing it wrong", but I could have sworn the one I used on Saturday (Chocolate flavour, I don't use supplements usually, but was a long journey home and couldn't have taken food and kept it fresh for the duration of the trip) said to mix with 450 ml water. Which I did and it tasted okay.

Maybe it is a lactose overload? Mixing an instant-i-fied milk drink with milk? Not a clue!

 

[Globalti]

You may be right on the lactose overload; last time I took one mixed with milk it hung around in my stomach for hours and I kept burping strawberry flavour.

Back to the whey protein... any suggestions?

 

[Rob3rt]

You may be right on the lactose overload; last time I took one mixed with milk it hung around in my stomach for hours and I kept burping strawberry flavour.

Back to the whey protein... any suggestions?

Re. Whey, I would have recommended you mix up a recovery drink using whey and carbohydrate powder + some electrolytes. But this is what you seem to be wanting to move away from though!

 

[ayceejay]

A general rule that does apply in my opinion is that you will be better off finding the nutrients you need from a well balanced diet rather than supplements.
What I mean by this, that I thought was obvious, is that if the problem is related to a nutrient deficiency the first place to look to correct this would be in real food, like milk . I accept that an athlete has needs in excess of a non athlete and serious athletes get advice on this subject on a one to one basis from professional people, about as much as we can do here is suggest that Globalti tries the whey protein (mixed correctly) and suck it and see. I suggest that label reading is a prerequisite as a lot of supplements are loaded with flavouring and sugar.

 

[ayceejay]

Sisu
WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE POWDER - Unflavoured / Unsweetened
1 Kg Powder
Sisu WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE POWDER - Unflavoured - A convenient, high-quality protein supplement which provides a full compliment of essential and non-essential amino acids. Sisu Whey Protein Concentrate Powder can help prevent muscle wasting caused by excessive work, dieting, stress, injury, disease, infection and high volume exercise, and helps support immune functions. Also beneficial in reducing sugar cravings and enhancing the body's metabolic rate, Sisu Whey is also an excellent alternative to eggs, meat and commercial animal proteins.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

You may be right on the lactose overload; last time I took one mixed with milk it hung around in my stomach for hours and I kept burping strawberry flavour.

Back to the whey protein... any suggestions?

It can depend on the type of whey you purchase too. The cheapest forms (82% concentrate) are generally higher in lactose by default, 97% the highest I've seen is totally carb (and thus lactose) free but at £25 a kilo

Generally FGS/Whey's and such should really be made with water - supposedly the milk's fat content slows down the rate of absorption .

 

[Crackle]

Maybe changing your riding style would help more than whey protein. In general terms, recovery time goes up as you get older, so maybe you need to reduce your effort levels on more rides, active recovery, varying your workload more, etc..

There's an interesting blog post here http://theactivepursuit.com/recovery-and-aging-athletes-a-guide-to-train-smart-and-stay-strong/

 

[Hobbio]

Use BCAA (branch chain amino acid) tablets or caps. I weight train, and the difference in DOMS for the 2 days after working out between taking them and not taking them is night and day.

Simply put - Don't take BCAA, do get bad DOMS, or do take BCAA, don't get DOMS. It's the only supplement that I swear by.