Intra Protein Drink is a new product we developed in order to satisfy a very specific niche. It’s a special product, a novelty in the world of sports nutrition.
What is it?
In simple terms, Intra Protein Drink is an electrolyte protein drink.
But don’t be deceived by this simple phrasing. Underneath its simplicity lies an extremely useful product that many athletes will be sure to appreciate.
Intra Protein Drink is an electrolyte protein drink designed to protect your muscles when you train without carbohydrates.
To understand why we are so excited about this new product, let’s jump straight into the first question.
Why we created Intra Protein Drink?
If you have been following us for some time, you sure know we are fierce advocates of carbohydrates.
Our fueling line is based on the Nduranz Carbohydrate Ratio, the optimal combination of glucose-based carbohydrates (maltodextrin) and fructose in the 1:0.8 ratio, which is proven to enable the best absorption of carbohydrates and allows intakes of 90 grams of carbs per hour or more.
And yet, sometimes you don’t want carbohydrates in your sports drink.
When is that, you may ask?
- When you are intentionally doing a training session with a low carbohydrate availability.
- When you are doing an ultra event and you need some protein on the go.
Since many of our products focus on consumption during exercise, and we listen to the feedback of our athletes, we realized there is a need for a product that fills that niche.
This lead to the creation of Intra Protein Drink, an electrolyte protein drink that contains the best source of protein, 90% whey protein isolate (WPI 90), and our Nduranz Electrolyte Mix, which contains only the minerals you actually lose in your sweat.
Training with a low carbohydrate availability may have positive effects on your training adaptations.
Who should use Intra Protein Drink?
Intra Protein Drink is designed especially for elite athletes, who are after a very specific and specialized training plan that very often includes training with low carbohydrate availability (i.e., fasted training).
Want to train without carbs? Think about protecting your muscles.
The question of who should use Intra Protein Drink is simple, so let’s tackle something a little more complex.
Intra Protein Drink is intended for elite athletes with very special needs.
Why should you use Intra Protein Drink?
Training after an overnight fast or with low carbohydrate availability in general means that more fat is being used as an energy source. However, this is a bit of an oversimplification.
The preferred fuel during exercise are carbohydrates, and thus when there is not enough carbohydrates around, be it glycogen in the muscles or glucose coming from the liver or an ingested drink, the body starts creating carbohydrates on its own from protein. In simple terms, we end up eating our muscles to get the energy required. We could also say that we are in a state of catabolism.
While this might sound counterintuitive, many coaches believe that by doing training with reduced carbohydrate availability, we are creating a greater stimulus for adaptations, making athletes better in the long term.
When carbohydrates are not available, the body will create glucose from protein. That is, your muscles.
And this is the first instance where Intra Protein Drink comes into play. By providing the complete source of amino acids, you provide the body with the amino acids that it would otherwise be taking from its own muscles. In other words, you prevent the breakdown and make the recovery quicker.
Also, evidence shows that ingesting protein during such training sessions does not affect fat oxidation rates, which are thought to be an important stimulus for successful training with low carbohydrate availability.
If your goal is to stimulate fat oxidation rates while preserving muscle tissue, Intra Protein Drink is the way to go.
And there is another scenario when Intra Protein Drink would be useful. And this is in ultra-endurance events.
Research shows that daily protein balance is very important when it comes to recovery. Protein balance consists of protein breakdown and protein synthesis. In case we are in a positive protein balance, we build more muscle than we break, and the opposite happens when we are in a negative protein balance.
A positive protein balance is extremely important to build muscle.
In ultra-endurance events lasting pretty much the whole day, it is impossible to eat sufficient amounts of protein, as there is simply no time for proper meals. As intensity at ultra-endurance events is usually not very high, it is actually possible to increase protein synthetic rates during exercise itself, and thus by providing protein during exercise, we enable these processes to occur.
Why not simply drink a protein shake?
The answer to this question is also quite simple.
While a protein shake is a reasonable option to protect your muscles during exercise, there are some downsides to its use. Mainly, a protein shake contains a moderate amount of carbohydrates, and its density makes it not ideal to be consumed during exercise.
Intra Protein Drink is designed specifically to be used during exercise, and it contains only the purest forms of the nutrients your body requires - 90% whey protein isolate (the best source of protein) and electrolytes. While there is still a very small amount of carbohydrates present in the drink, that amount is negligible.
Since Intra Protein Drink is so clean, it does not carry the weight of a protein shake, and it is extremely drinkable and easy to consume.
Intra Protein Drink is easy to drink and contains the minerals you need.
Speaking of which.
Let’s not forget about hydration.
Another thing protein shakes lack is electrolytes.
Whatever it is you want to do with your body, electrolytes (minerals) are what supports those functions. Without the necessary electrolytes, your body simply won’t be able to perform the necessary functions with the same efficiency.
Before you go, think about your hydration plan. It is important.
If during exercise you consume a lot of liquid that doesn’t contain electrolytes, you will naturally dilute the concentration of minerals in your body, which leads to dehydration.
Intra Protein Drink contains the Nduranz Electrolyte Mix, which is an important aspect that differentiates it from protein shakes and BCAA supplements.
Hydration is possibly the most important aspect of sports nutrition.
Final thoughts
Intra Protein Drink is an electrolyte protein drink designed specifically for elite athletes who are undertaking training sessions in a state of low carbohydrate availability and would like to reduce the recovery time after such sessions.
Use it to protect your muscles from catabolism during low-intensity exercise with low carbohydrate availability.
Main benefits of Intra Protein Drink:
- Feed your muscles with the 90% whey protein isolate (WPI 90).
- Stay hydrated and preserve your body functions with Nduranz Electrolyte Mix.
- Maximize fat utilization rates while reducing the breaking down of muscle tissue.
Use Intra Protein Drink to protect your muscles during exercise without carbohydrates.
