Timing of whey before running?

[Tom Marcello]

I was wondering how long before a run or ride should I stop whey intake. I frequently take recoverite at the end of a hard work day for strengh recovery but like to run after work. Is there a time frame that would help me minimize acid build up?

[sfitzner]

I'm also interested in the answer to this. I believe the glutamine is the key for this question.

I sometimes break up my training rides into 2 sessions on days that I don't have to work. So...after consuming Recoverite or Hammer Whey, how long should I wait before the starting the next training session?

[steve-born]

Hello Tom -

We recommend a 3-hour window between the completion of consumption of Hammer Whey (or Recoverite) and the commencement of an exercise session. sfitzner (first name please!) is correct in that it has to do with the glutamine component, which is in both Hammer Whey and Recoverite.

Glutamine is somewhat of a paradox in that it produces ammonia when first metabolized, but then becomes an effective ammonia scavenger later on. In the article "15 Simple Ways to Improve Your Athletic Performance Now" (http://www.hammernutrition.com/knowledg ... .2227.html), I write:

"Now, there is some confusion regarding glutamine and ammonia that we’ll clear up. Yes, glutamine does eventually scavenge ammonia. The key word, however, is 'eventually.' When glutamine metabolizes it increases ammonia initially, but then scavenges more than originally induced systemically, taking approximately three hours or so for it to accomplish this. Again, since you’re already producing ammonia during endurance exercise and since ammonia is a primary culprit in fatigue, it seems logical that you’d not want to increase ammonia levels. However, that’s exactly what you’ll do when you consume glutamine supplements or glutamine–enhanced whey protein during exercise."

So as long as you have a good 3 hours or more prior to your workout, there's no problem at all consuming Hammer Whey or Recoverite.

I hope this helps answer your question!

Sincerely -

Steve