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Multiple-Transportable Carbohydrates
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Whey Protein Isolate
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Ribose, Glutamine, Vitamins and Minerals
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Silky Smooth
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Natural Flavours
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No Colours, Artificial Sweeteners or Preservatives
TORQ recovery is a highly advanced post-exercise nutritional drink formulation that has been designed to repair, recharge and refuel fatigued muscle tissue after heavy exercise. TORQ's unique matrix of Glucose Polymers, Fructose and Whey Protein Isolate stimulate the rapid absorption of carbohydrate to re-stock vital glycogen stores. TORQ's active ingredients, D-Ribose, L-Glutamine and blend of carefully selected vitamins and minerals work together to repair and recharge over-stressed muscle fibres. We believe TORQ recovery to be the most thorough and effective formulation of its kind on the market today - yet we flavour it NATURALLY and use no colours or artificial sweeteners. There is not a single ingredient within TORQ recovery's formulation that isn't derived from a NATURAL source, or doesn't naturally-occur within the human body.
It is generally accepted that consuming Multiple-Transportable Carbohydrates and Whey Protein at a 3:1 ratio immediately after exercise will speed up glycogen synthesis (see fully referenced information below). In other words, it will help you to store carbohydrate more effectively than consuming carbohydrate alone and/or waiting until 'glycogen storage' window of opportunity has passed. It is also generally accepted that Whey protein is faster acting, more soluable and absorbed/synthesised more any other kind of protein, thus it provides the amino acids necessary for muscle repair with little delay. TORQ recovery represents this 3:1 blend of Multiple Transportable Carbohydrates and high quality Whey Protein.
It is TORQ's unique blend of D-Ribose, L-Glutamine, Vitamins and Minerals that sets it apart from other recovery products on the market. L-Glutamine helps to protect the muscles from catabolic (muscle degrading) processes after exercise and also strengthens the immune system. D-Ribose re-charges the muscle cells after exercise so that they have the energy to contract to their full potential within 24 hours, a process that would take up to 3 days without supplemental Ribose. These are particularly expensive ingredients (they represent about 50% of this product, yet are only 9% of the ingredient pool) and it is not unusual for nutrition companies to claim that their products contain components like these, whilst providing too small a dose to have a significant effect. Most other products don't contain them at all. We do not believe in compromise, so every serving of TORQ recovery contains a dose of D-Ribose and L-Glutamine that has been verified by the available research (see fully referenced information below).
Finally, the vitamins and minerals we blend into TORQ recovery are comprehensive. Heavy exercise takes an inevitable toll on the body and our recovery formulation wouldn't be complete without a generous serving of these essential micro-nutrients.
So, there's a summary of the unique properties of TORQ Recovery, but please read further if you really want to understand the science behind this product. No stone has been left unturned and every decision we have made is substantiated by peer-reviewed, published research.
The Science Behind TORQ Recovery’s Ingredient Matrix
Replenishing carbohydrate stores: The body has a very limited amount of endogenous carbohydrate, stored in the muscle and liver. In total these carbohydrate stores equate to around 5% of the body’s total energy stores, however carbohydrate is the preferred fuel source and during exercise can equate to over 50% (or more) of total energy expended, depending on the intensity and duration of the exercise (1). These limited stores combined with a limited capacity to reabsorb carbohydrate can result in them becoming almost completely depleted during an intense endurance training session or competition.
Once depleted, the body can replenish these stores in around 24hours to full resting levels, provided sufficient carbohydrate is taken in (2), however this process can take much longer if inadequate carbohydrate is consumed. Due to the time it takes the body to restock these stores during heavy bouts of training and competition where sessions are completed with limited rest and recovery, getting in sufficient fuel becomes critical to performance in subsequent sessions and has been shown restore exercise capacity more rapidly (3).
Post exercise, there are two main phases to replenishing carbohydrate stores. Initially there is a very rapid phase which occurs independent of the hormone insulin and lasts around 30-60 minutes and this is followed by a much slower phase which can last several hours. During this initial phase, the body is able to rapidly convert carbohydrate in glycogen thanks to an exercise-induced insulin sensitivity. Delaying carbohydrate intake by 2 hours or more has been shown to reduce the rate of carbohydrate storage (re-synthesis) by 50% (4) which is not advisable with another competition or hard training session looming! It is therefore important to make best use of this immediately after exercise by ensuring adequate carbohydrate and this is why we recommend that TORQ Recovery is consumed within 15 minutes of finishing exercise.
So there is a well established need for carbohydrate post exercise, but how much is required and in what form? Due to the limited timeframe in which the body is able to rapidly store carbohydrate after exercise, it pays to make maximum use of this time and get carbohydrate into the body as quickly as possible. The most effective way to do this is by ingesting some fast absorbing (High Gylcocemic index) forms of carbohydrate to ensure that it is delivered into the system quickly. High GI carbohydrates not only cause a rapid rise in blood sugar by delivery carbohydrate quickly, but also after the initial ‘insulin independent’ stage of recovery provokes a rapid release of insulin (the hormone responsible for the storage of carbohydrate) which further aids in the replenishment of the body’s endogenous stores of carbohydrate.
Multiple-transportable carbohydrates: The speed of carbohydrate absorption can also be further enhanced through the use of multiple transportable carbohydrates (i.e. two forms of carbohydrate that don’t compete for absorption in the gut) such as Maltodextrin:Fructose (as used in TORQ Recovery). Research by Wallis et al. (5) has shown that the use of Glucose and Fructose combined can give glycogen re-synthesis rates comparable to some of the highest reported in research. Further to this Decombaz et al. (6) recently demonstrated that using Maltodextrin and Fructose post exercise resulted in a two fold increase in the rate of carbohydrate re-synthesis in the liver, one of the major stores of carbohydrate. For short term recovery this has massive implications as a faster re-synthesis rate of carbohydrate will leave you fresher ready for the next training session/competition.
Continued Carbohydrate Consumption: In order to ensure maximum re-synthesis (storage) rates, research has pointed towards consuming around 1-1.2grams per kg body weight (7, 8) immediately after exercise. Anymore is unlikely to offer any further benefit and any less and it will potentially compromise the effectiveness of your recovery. This initial feed should then be followed up with regular carbohydrate feeding in frequent doses afterwards. This is where TORQ Energy Natural Organic steps in as an easy way of increasing the carbohydrate content of food. You can of course use normal food, but the convenience of a product like TORQ Energy Natural Organic and the compact nature of the carbohydrate calories can make it an attractive choice. So, after consuming a recovery drink straight after very heavy exercise, especially if you plan to train hard the next day, aim to consume between 1-1.2grams of carbohydrate per hour for 3-4 hours. Research has also shown frequent (every 15-30minutes) provision of carbohydrate after exercise further stimulates the re-synthesis of the body’s stores of carbohydrate better than at longer intervals, so little and often will help aid the recovery process (9, 10).
The Role of Protein: Prolonged endurance exercise not only causes a strain on the body’s carbohydrate stores, but also induces muscle damage and causes a breakdown of proteins within the body. The addition of protein to a recovery drink can not only prevent the breakdown occurring, but also increases the rate of post exercise muscle synthesis (11, 12), having an anabolic effect through offering substrate for muscle repair and aiding training adaptation. Protein synthesis and oxidation rates can be further increased through the use of Whey isolate (the protein used in TORQ Recovery), a soluble protein that has a fast intestinal absorption (13,14) further speeding up the rate of recovery.
Significantly also, the addition of Whey Protein to a carbohydrate recovery drink has also been shown to elevate the circulating insulin concentrations and aid the storage of carbohydrate in the muscle and liver further, with a comparatively lower dose of carbohydrate (15,16).
D-Ribose is present within every living cell of the body and is used to manufacture ATP (the energy currency of the cell) from scratch. Whilst the body can manufacture its own ribose from glucose, this requires energy and is a very slow process. Research into ribose supplementation (17,18) has proven that taking as little as 3-5grams per day will return cellular levels of ATP to normal within 6-22 hours of exhaustive exercise. Without supplementation, this is likely to take between 26 and 93 hours (this represents a 340-430% improvement in recovery when supplementing with ribose).
Every cell in your body contains ATP (adinosine triphosphate), an energy-rich compound that provides virtually all the energy needed to function on a second-by-second basis. When ATP is broken down into ADP + Pi (adinosine diphosphate + inorganic phosphate) energy is released and this is used to power all our bodily functions. Naturally then, it is the breakdown of ATP within the cells of the working muscles that provides the energy for exercise. Without it you wouldn't be going anywhere!
It is through the metabolism of carbohydrate, fat and protein that ADP + Pi is reformed to make ATP. This ATP is then available to be used for muscular contraction. As the muscle uses it, once again it will break down to ADP + Pi and so it goes on. When exercising, this cycle rapidly and continually takes place in order to satisfy the substantial turnover of energy required.
Research has shown that after maximal high load exercise, the pools of ATP and ADP + Pi in skeletal muscle cells are reduced by as much as 20-28 percent. The mechanisms behind this are rather complex and involve the loss of a compound called AMP (adinosine monophosphate). However, the net effect is that the overall pools of ATP and ADP + Pi within each cell is reduced, which seriously limits their energy potential. It doesn't matter how much carbohydrate you ram into your body, if these nucleotide levels are low, you're not going to have the raw materials available to produce power effectively. To further compound the problem, once AMP has left the cell, there's no getting it back and so ATP and ADP + Pi levels will remain low, perhaps sinking further if another high intensity bout of exercise is experienced.
It’s worth noting that most of the studies in the Sports Science arena have tested D-Ribose supplementation in relation to improvements in muscular power and they have drawn a blank. This is correct and there’s no evidence that D-Ribose will make you stronger. Its effects on cellular recovery (returning strength levels to normal after heavy exercise) however cannot be denied – it’s a physiological fact. TORQ recovery contains the full research-recommended dose of D-Ribose (3-5 grams depending on body size). 3% of TORQ Recovery’s ingredient matrix is D-Ribose.
L-Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body, in a large part because it is needed a lot by the brain, intestines, kidneys, lungs and immune system and also because you can manufacture your own. It is actually termed a 'non-essential amino acid', but this can be misleading, because under times of high training stress, if you leave your body to produce its own supply, it will break down muscle tissue in order to make it available.
Logic dictates that this is not desirable when you are a training athlete. Therefore, supplementation with L-Glutamine immediately after exercise stops the body scavenging for an alternative supply and eating into your well-earned muscle. It also ensures that plenty of L-Glutamine is available to fuel the immune system. Numerous studies have considered the effects of L-Glutamine supplementation on immune function and although the findings are mixed, there appears to be enough evidence to support its worth (18,20). TORQ recovery contains the full research-recommended dose of L-Glutamine (4-8grams depending on body size). 6% of TORQ Recovery’s ingredient matrix is L-Glutamine.
About Torq - TORQ is a Fitness Consultancy. It always has been and always will be. Their roots are firmly entrenched in both Fitness Consultancy and Cycling and believe this provides them with their unique edge and integrity. Their range of performance nutrition products have been developed through a need to offer the highest standard of support to the athletes they work with. TORQ have uncompromising standards, yet also have a conscience. They absolutely refuse to use ingredients that are not derived from a NATURAL source, or don’t naturally occur within the human body and are firmly of the opinion that artificial ingredients like sweeteners offer no performance advantage, can cause stomach discomfort and could potentially harm your health long term. Advanced compounds like D-Ribose, HMB and L-Glutamine naturally occur within the human body and represent some of the most potent supplements available on the market today, so why would you want to use anything artificial? Every ingredient they use is included to the levels recommended by available research. TORQ do not cut corners and do not accept compromise.
About Energy Drink - A variety of physiological and psychological effects have been attributed to energy drinks and their ingredients. Two studies reported significant improvements in mental and cognitive performances as well as increased subjective alertness. During repeated cycling tests in young healthy adults an energy drink significantly increased upper body muscle endurance. Restorative properties were shown by a combination of caffeine and the sugar glucose in an energy drink, and some degree of synergy between the cognition-modulating effects of glucose and caffeine was also suggested. In one experiment, a glucose-based energy drink (containing caffeine, taurine and glucuronolactone) was given to eleven tired participants being tested in a driving simulator. Lane drifting and reaction times were measured for two hours post-treatment and showed significant improvement.
Buy Torq Recovery Drink 1.5 Kg Strawberry and Cream online at Fatbirds