emryrean

Recovery Science

Am I ingesting the proper nutrients to maximize recovery? With Insu-Pro there is a whole new meaning to post-workout recovery. To answer this very important question we must first cover some scientific FACTS. We left no stone unturned with Insu-Pro. First of all conventional wisdom has taught us that protein digestion starts with hydrolysation of protein to free form amino acids which are then absorbed into the blood stream. Numerous current studies have proven this not to be the case. In fact we know through this current research that more than 70% of amino acids appear intact in the form of di- & tri-peptides in circulation to be transported to peripheral tissues. Moreover recent research has shown that hydrolysates composed mostly of di- & tri-peptides are absorbed FASTER than free form amino acids & hydrolysates containing larger peptides, & even faster than whole food proteins. The absorption of free form amino acids gets a little fuzzy due to competition for absorption. The intestinal lining has peptide transporters that aid in the transport of peptides. When presented with competition for absorption the body absorbs peptides at a much greater rate than that of free form amino acids. Also there is no guarantee that specific free form amino acids will absorb in their native state. The human body’s physiology dictates that peptides, especially di- & tri-peptides are absorbed over free form amino acids. A recent study comparing the absorption of free form L-Glutamine & peptide-bonded Glutamine showed that peptide bonded Glutamine increases intestinal tissue Glutamine. Where as supplementing L-Glutamine had little or no effect on intestinal Glutamine. This is significant because the human intestinal tract is almost entirely composed of Glutamine. We have the ability to make Glutamine as it is considered to be a non-essential amino acid. However due to it being the most abundant amino acid in the body it has been classified as conditionally essential. If you do not ingest enough glutamine through diet your body will go to skeletal muscle to manufacture Glutamine. Since it is needed in such abundance, especially following exercise it is essential to ingest enough Glutamine to prevent muscle catabolism. This is one of many research studies that validate the claim that peptides are superior to free form amino acids.

The rate limiting step in digestion is the assimilation of protein in the gut. Therefore it would only make sense to get amino acids into the bloodstream as fast as possible. Many have been led to believe that all you need to do is ingest a bunch of sugar & whey protein. Not true, in fact too much protein only slows the assimilation of protein, remember assimilation is the rate limiting step. Also too much protein can cause metabolic acidosis which only works to slow absorption.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

  • Amino acids did not obtain GRAS classification (Generally As Safe) in the US and are not allowRecognizeded for use in food production in Europe. They are unstable in drinks and react with sugar (so-called Maillard reaction). And finally, they raise the osmolality of the drinks, which leads to poorer sugar, water and mineral absorption.
  • Peptides obtained by ‘classic’ hydrolysis are extremely bitter, are absorbed slower, and can cause some allergic reactions and have no or only a low effect on raising the insulin level after exercise
  • The di- and tripeptides in PeptoPro® are completely water soluble. They form a clear and stable solution, which is not bitter. They are quickly absorbed by the body and stimulate insulin production. They are hypoallergenic, and were thoroughly tested during the Athens Olympic Games in 2004.
  • The intestinal lining has peptide transporters. In a competitive environment, i.e. substances competing for absorption into the bloodstream, di- & tri-peptides are much more stable & therefore are absorbed into the bloodstream much more efficiently.
  • Assimilation is the rate limiting step in digestion.

Post-Workout

As we all know there is an "anabolic window" following strenuous exercise. During this period of time your muscles are like a dry sponge waiting to absorb nutrients & take your body into an anabolic state. If you do not fuel your body during this time catabolic hormones such as cortisol take over & the hard work to put on muscle tissue is wasted. Who in their right mind wants to do that?

After reading all of this you must be asking yourself where can I find a protein source that is composed primarily of di- & tri-peptides? The answer is Peptopro®. Peptopro® is a patented protein that is very rich in di- & tri-peptides, stable in an acidic environment, has no bitter taste, hypoallergenic, stimulates the release of insulin, & provides fast & total body absorption. Specifically Peptopro® is a hydrolyzed casein protein, but it is not obtained via 'classic' hydrolysis. This ‘classic’ form of hydrolysis leaves proteins tasting bitter, is absorbed slower due to left over larger peptides & free form amino acids, & can cause some allergic reactions. Peptopro® patented enzyme technology breaks proteins down into the smallest of parts. The resulting di- & tri-peptides are water soluble, no longer bitter, & are immediately absorbed into the bloodstream. To make proteins soluble and available faster for the body, they are split into peptide pieces with the help of proteases. There are different enzymes available, depending on their preference for the place where they break through the amino-acid chain. The broken-up protein pieces are called peptides; they consist of at least two amino acids.

Casein hydrolysis

If standard enzymes are used to cleave the milk protein casein, then this creates dissolvable oligopeptides with a bitter taste. Exoproteases detach the first amino acids from a peptide chain, one at a time. Also, these free amino acids are bitter and, what is more, unstable.

Endopeptidases

Peptopro® used only endopeptidases and a new patented endoprotease with a ‘preference’ for the amino acid proline. This specifically cuts the bitter peptides into pieces which are not bitter anymore. The resulting di- & tripeptides are constructed from two or three amino acids are water soluble and no longer bitter. In this way the unique PeptoPro® production process ensures that no single amino acids are formed and, equally important, that the bitter peptides are removed! In addition, di- and tripeptides do not cause any allergic reactions. Also they do not lie in your stomach like a brick, which means that PeptoPro® can also be taken before or during a sports performance. Remember single amino acids have been shown to have a problem with absorption.

So now you must be wondering why other companies haven’t picked up on this?

The short answer is COST. Peptopro® is an expensive ingredient & putting a significant amount in a product is costly. Specifically Peptopro® costs approximately 7 times more than whey protein isolate. When we decided to make this product we wanted to make the absolute best product in the eyes of science. This is our passion & we wanted to make a product that set a new standard. Think about it, if we know what the absolute best ingredients are, why not make it.

Why not just use a whey protein hydrolysate?

Remember we discussed the ‘classic’ form of hydrolysis which leaves proteins tasting bitter, are absorbed slower due to left over larger peptides & free form amino acids, & can cause some allergic reactions. Well the problem with whey protein hydrolysate is that there is yet to be a hydrolysation process to cure this problem. Also when compared to Pepropro® whey protein hydrolysate was inferior. R Demling and L DeSanti carried out a study with 34 American police officers who were overweight. They all followed a hypo caloric diet (80% RDA) for 12 weeks. The second group received extra whey proteins (1,5 g/kg/day) and the third group was given extra casein hydrolysate (1,5 g/kg/day).

All three groups lost similar amounts of body weight. The protein enriched diets lead to a greater loss of body fat and increased lean body mass which resulted in a definite increase in muscle power!

Both proteins, whey and casein, were given in the form of hydrolysates. Therefore the uptake and the digestion of the proteins were very similar. The only difference lays in the amino acid composition between casein and whey. The results show that the amino acid composition in casein was better for building up new muscle tissue than whey.

We do believe that whey is a very good source of protein. Whey protein is a very rich source of branched chained amino acids (BCAAs). BCAAs make up approximately 33% of muscle tissue. Therefore we have added 15 grams of undenatured whey protein isolate per serving. This makes Insu-Pro a diverse source of amino acids.

As we all know carbohydrates are needed to replenish depleted glycogen levels. If you were to just ingest protein after a strenuous workout, your body would go through gluconeogenesis. This is the process where your body takes glycogenic amino acids & converts them into sugar to replenish glycogen. To avoid this process of wasting amino acids needed for the construction & repair of muscle tissue you need to ingest carbohydrates. Research suggests carbohydrates ingested in a 2:1 ratio to protein are optimal for recovery. Carbohydrates elicit a spike in insulin. Insulin can be a very anabolic hormone as it is responsible for driving nutrients into cells.

Faster recovery convinces Olympic Committee

The NUTRIM department of Maastricht University (The Netherlands) compared PeptoPro® Sports (4.2 g PeptoPro® and 8.2 g carbohydrate per 100mL) with a ‘normal’ sports drink (8,2 g carbohydrate per 100mL). Exhausting exercise was followed by a short recovery time of 5 hours. During this time the athletes were given a PeptoPro® drink (330mL) every half an hour. Then followed a second training session.
PeptoPro® doubled the production of insulin after exercise and significantly reduced plasma glucose levels, showing the uptake of the glucose into the muscle was accelerated. The faster the glucose is taken up by the muscle, the faster the muscle produces glycogen, as our battery is reloaded and recovered. Even though the recovery time was very short, PeptoPro® accelerated the maximum performance by 5% in comparison with a ‘classic’ sugar drink, which was not significant because of the low number of only 12 athletes. These results convinced the Dutch Olympic Committee (NOC*NSF) to such an extent that they advised their athletes to use PeptoPro® as a recovery drink in their preparations for and during the Olympiad in Athens 2004.

Insu-Pro contains:

  • 10 grams of Peptopro® hydrolyzed casein protein the only hydrolysate that is very rich in di- & tri-peptides, stable in an acidic environment, has no bitter taste, hypoallergenic, stimulates the release of insulin, & provides fast & total body absorption.
  • 5 grams of undenatured whey protein isolate proving a rich source of BCAAs
  • 48 grams of Glucose-Pro tri-staged carbohydrate recovery blend formulated with recovery specific carbohydrates. These carbohydrates have been selected to cover a full range of glycemic indices to guarantee full transport of nutrients to skeletal muscle. High molecular weight waxy maize starch, glucose, & fructose.
  • Available in 3 delicious flavors: Chocolate, Orange Creamsicle, & Watermelon