Dr. Shannon O'Grady, gettin' psyched.
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This is the first in a series of posts on performance supplementation and sports nutrition by Dr. Shannon O’Grady, Redpoint Nutrition’s Scientific Advisor. Dr. O’Grady has a Ph.D. in Biology (with an emphasis on Digestive and Nutritional Physiology) and is an accomplished multi-sport athlete.
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A sensible diet complete with five-plus servings of fruit and vegetables, limited meat, and exercise is a great prescription for a healthy lifestyle but not necessarily the equation for pushing the limits of climbing performance. Diet and nutrition should form the backbone of any training plan, regardless of sport, but as we demand more of our bodies, performance supplements (like CRANK Forearm Fuel) can provide the energy needed to push harder and recover more quickly.
An ideal climbing nutrition plan incorporates 1) good daily nutrition, 2) smart training nutrition, and 3) supplements designed to improve performance and recovery. In future posts I will focus on the first two factors, for now I want to emphasize how the formulation of CRANK Forearm Fuel helps improve climbing performance and enhances recovery.
CRANK Forearm Fuel is a pre-climbing supplement intended to increase energy and enhance muscle performance. Over the last 15 years, scientific research in the fields of exercise physiology, cardiology, and neuroscience have proven, without a doubt, that lactate produced by working muscles is an important and necessary source of fuel for muscles (skeletal and cardiac) and even neurons. The formulation of CRANK is based on this science, including lactate salts for fuel, as well as a number of other compounds proven to aid in performance and recovery. Here's a breakdown of the ingredients in CRANK and how they impact your climbing performance:
Ingredient: Calcium Lactate, Magnesium Lactate, and Sodium Lactate
We are all quite familiar with the “burn” felt in our muscles after intense exercise and often attribute this burning pain with lactic acid build up. Interestingly, there is minimal “lactic acid” in the body. Lactic acid is represented by two ionic species, and it is these ions that are common in the body: lactate ions (La-) and hydrogen ions (H+). Lactate is produced from pyruvate, an end product of glycolysis, and is a metabolic fuel (like glucose). Importantly, lactate supplementation has been shown to enhance exercise performance in humans [3, 32]. Specifically, lactate can help during exercise by providing another source of energy for working muscles [1, 2]. Up to 75% of ingested lactate is oxidized and used for energy by working muscles [5]. During exercise, lactate is used preferentially, when compared to glucose, and thus ingestion of lactose may be glucose sparing [3, 4]. In addition, lactate can combat other physiological processes that have been shown to cause muscle fatigue (like extracellular K+ accumulation) [6, 7]. Finally, lactate may be important in muscle recovery and the replenishment of liver glycogen stores, as up to 25% of ingested lactate is used by the liver to make more glycogen [5].
Benefits for Climbing: All forms of climbing involve sustained contractions of the forearm. Forearm muscles contain ~50% slow twitch fibers and might therefore be expected to have a considerable capacity to take up and use lactate for energy [33]. Additionally, research into the energetics of sport climbing suggests that as climbers attempt more difficult routes, there is an increase in energy expenditure and oxygen consumption (VO2) [34, 35]. Therefore, efficient fuel usage becomes of utmost importance when pushing the limits of our climbing abilities. Ingestion of lactate spares glycogen stores in the muscle, buffers the blood against fatigue-inducing acidosis, counteracts the negative impact of extracellular potassium on performance, and speeds muscle recovery by replenishing liver and muscle glycogen stores. Additionally, the lactate in CRANK is bound to calcium, magnesium, and sodium, all of which are needed by muscles to contract and produce force over extended periods of time.
Ingredient: Citrulline Malate
Citrulline malate (CM) is a mix of citrulline (involved in the urea cycle and the detoxification of ammonia) and malate (a TCA cycle intermediate and critical to aerobic ATP production). CM has long been prescribed as an antiasthenic (anti-fatigue) treatment and previous studies have shown that intake improves muscle performance in subjects suffering from muscle weakness [8, 9]. In healthy exercising subjects, CM supplementation increased lactate and ammonia clearance after exercise [11, 36]. Increased lactate clearance is indicative of increased lactate oxidation by working muscles, and suggests a complimentary effect of combined CM and lactate supplementation. Accumulation of ammonia in muscle reduces muscle performance and can lead to early fatigue, thus CM induced ammonia clearance would improve muscle function and recovery. Additionally, CM accelerated the rate of phosphocreatine (PCr) recovery after exercise, and increased aerobic ATP production [12]. Finally, Citrulline regulates nitric oxide (NO) production. Nitric oxide is a cell-signaling molecule integral to the regulation of blood flow, oxygen delivery, glucose uptake, muscle firepower, and muscle growth.
Benefits for Climbing: Citrulline malate supplementation enhances the fueling impact of lactate supplementation, and would therefore have a direct and immediate affect on climbing performance. Additionally, CM removes ammonia, promotes NO production, enhances ATP production, and leads to faster PCr recovery thereby leading to a faster and STRONGER recovery between climbing sessions.
Ingredient: Taurine
Taurine is an amino acid that is naturally present in high concentrations in various tissues, including the heart and skeletal muscle. Although the role of taurine in muscle function is still being investigated, research has shown taurine to be cell-protective and suggests taurine may play a major role in antioxidation, detoxification, osmoregulation, membrane-stabilization, and intracellular calcium (Ca++) flux regulation [13, 37, 38]. Taurine supplementation has been shown to improve cardiac output, enhance exercise performance, and reduce oxidative damage of skeletal muscles [14, 15]. The impact of taurine suplementation on muscle damage is greatest in muscles containing a high proportion of Type II fast-twitch muscle fibers.Benefits for Climbing: The positive impact of taurine supplementation on climbing performance is two-fold: 1) taurine supplementation may improve climbing endurance through its impact on cardiac output and VO2 max and 2) taurine supplementation may reduce oxidative muscle damage and improve muscle recovery, particularly in the forearm, which contains 50% type II fibers.
Ingredients: Panax Ginseng and Green Tea Extract (Camillia Sinensis, leaves)
Panax ginseng or Chinese ginseng has been used for >2000y in Chinese medicine to restore Qi, or life energy. Other benefits cited by the Chinese include appetite stimulation, immune benefit, pain relief, improved mental function, and enhanced physical stamina [16]. While the mechanism of action is unknown, research has demonstrated panax ginseng to effect the production of stress hormones, reduce oxidative damage, modulate carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, and stimulate nitric oxide (NO) production [17, 18, 20]. Panax ginseng has been shown to improve endurance by preferentially using fatty acids to fuel cellular energy demands [21, 22], reduce muscle damage [23, 24], improve maximal oxygen uptake, post exercise recovery (as measured by heart rate recovery, increase pectoral strength, and improve quadriceps strength [25]. Additionally ginseng may improve perfomance in skill sports, such as rock climbing and bouldering, that rely on quick reactions and quick thinking [26].Green Tea Extract (GTE) ingestion has been proven to improve exercise endurance by stimulating fat oxidation [27, 29]. Additional studies have shown that beyond promoting the use of fat as a fuel during exercise, GTE improves insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance [28, 30].
Benefits for Climbing: Panax ginseng and green tea extract benefit climbing performance by enhancing mental acuity and physical stamina.
Ingredients: Potassium Chelate, Vitamin D3, Vitamin B Complex
Potassium (K+) plays an integral role and both muscle and nerve function. Specifically, K+ regulates the frequency and degree to which our muscles contract and our nerves become excitable. Beyond the direct role K+ plays in muscle contraction, it is also involved in the storage of carbohydrates for use by the muscles as fuel and maintenance of the body’s proper electrolyte and acid-base balance.Vitamin D3 promotes calcium absorption (extremely important for muscle function), bone mass building, the prevention of bone loss, and it protects against muscle weakness.
Benefits of B vitamin supplementation include support and enhancement of metabolic rate, maintenance of healthy skin and muscle tone, enhancement of immune and nervous system function, and promotion of cell growth and division (importantly that of red blood cells).
Benefits for Climbing: Potassium, Vitamin D and a Vitamin B complex help ensure the proper functioning of muscles.
Consuming a carbohydrate source while climbing can help with energy and consuming protein and fat directly following a workout helps with recovery – but the benefit of a supplement such as CRANK Forearm Fuel goes above and beyond the benefits of smart dietary planning (and it doesn’t significantly impact your caloric intake).