- Compared to Gu ® Accel Gel increased endurance by 13% and reduced post exercise muscle damage by 50%
- Decreased ratings of perceived exertion by 19% in collegiate ski racers
- Increased sprint performance and decreased 24-hour post-exercise muscle damage in swimmers
- Compared to a carb only sports drink, Accel Gel decreased markers of muscle damage 24 hours later in individuals during indoor rock climbing
Studies
1.
Effects of a Carbohydrate-Protein Gel on Endurance and Post Exercise CPK in
Male/Female Cyclists, Saunders MJ, Herrick JE, Luden ND. Journal of Strength
and Conditioning Research J Strength Cond Res, 2007 Aug; 21(3):678-84.
This study demonstrated that "Supplementation
of a (carb-protein gel [AccelGel®]) provided significant improvements in
cycling time to exhaustion compared to a (carb-only gel [GU Energy
Gel®])." It also demonstrated that "post-exercise CPK (a biomarker of
muscle damage) was not significantly elevated following the carb-protein gel
trial, while it was significantly elevated following the carb-only gel trial."
Thirteen recreationally competitive male (8) and female (5) cyclists completed
a stationary bike ride to exhaustion while consuming either the carb-only gel
with water or the carb-protein gel with water in double-blinded fashion. After
each ride blood samples were taken and analyzed for CPK. Subjects performed 13%
longer in the carb-protein gel trial than in the carb-only gel trial. CPK
levels were significantly elevated after the carb-only gel trial, but not after
the carb-protein gel trial. Responses between treatments were similar for both
males and females.
2.
Carbohydrate and Protein Gel Increases Finishing Success During Slalom Ski Race
Training, Kipp R, Seifert JG, Bacharach D. European College of Sports Medicine,
Belgrade, Serbia-Montenegro. Kikic, Zivanic, Ostojic, Tornjanski, eds. PP9-3, p
218, 2005.
This study involving slalom ski racers demonstrated
that "consuming a (carb-protein gel [Accel Gel®]) and water increased
training run finish success, increased the number of gates trained per session,
and resulted in a lower rating of perceived exertion over a group that drank
only water." Thirty ski racers, 14 to 19 years old, were matched by
gender, age, and slalom points. During a 2-hour slalom training session, one of
the pair ingested a carb-protein energy gel with about 150 mL of water, while
the matched skier ingested 150 mL of flavored water after each training run.
Skiers using Accel Gel and water missed only 13% of their gates, while skiers
using just water missed 34% of their gates. Ratings of perceived exertion were
19% lower on average in the gel group.
3.
Effects of a Carbohydrate/Protein Gel on Exercise Performance in Male and
Female Cyclists, Saunders MJ, Herrick JE, Luden ND, et al. Journal of the
International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2(1):1-30, 2005.
This study showed that "[Carb-protein] gels
provide significant performance advantages over [carb-only] gels, as similarly
demonstrated in studies using [carb-protein] beverages." Thirteen
recreationally competitive cyclists completed two timed trials to exhaustion on
stationary bikes. At 15-minute intervals throughout these rides, subjects
received either a carb-only gel (Gu Energy Gel®) or a carb-protein gel (Accel
Gel™), which were matched for carbohydrate content. Subjects rode 13% longer
when using the carb-protein gel.
4.
Training Impulse is Lower for Alpine Skiers When Consumig a
Carbohydrate-Protein Gel, Harmon JH, Burckhard JR, Seifert JG, Bacharach DW.
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 38(5):S408, 2006.
This study found that "Using Accel Gels in
conjunction with a hydration pack can reduce training impulse of alpine
skiers." Fifteen alpine ski racers/coaches completed a study to address
training effort when daily water consumption was controlled (1.5 L/session)
using a CamelBak. Over a four-day period, on two consecutive days, subjects
received carb-protein energy gels (Accel Gel™) throughout a 4-5-hour training
session. On the other two days they received only water. Perceived effort was
significantly lower on the days when skiers received Accel Gels, although they
skied the same vertical distance during both trials. Training impulse equals
perceived efforts x vertical distance skied. Therefore training impulse was lower
in the Accel Gel trial.
5. A
Carbohydrate/Protein Energy Gel Improves Performance in Collegiate Swimmers,
Seifert JG, McKenzie R. Presented at the 54th Annual Meeting of the American
College of Sports Medicine.
This study showed that "A carbohydrate/protein
energy gel improves swimming performance in collegiate swimmers." Twelve
swimmers completed a workout consisting of a 15-minute warm-up, followed by a
timed 200-yard freestyle, 3 sets of 8 x 100-yard freestyle (24 sprints total),
and then a timed 200-yard swim. They received either a carb-protein energy gel
(Accel Ge™l) or flavored water after the first 200-yard swim and again after
each set of 100-yard sprints. They received 4 oz. of water with each gel. Each
swimmer did the workout twice (on separate days): once with gels and once
without. The swimmers' times slowed down significantly more over the course of
the workout when they received only water than when they received the gels.
Every timed 100-yard sprint from the 4th interval to the 24th interval was
significantly faster for the carb-protein gel compared to the water. Swimmers
maintained their times through 21 intervals while ingesting the carb-protein
gel; only the 24th interval was slower than baseline. While ingesting water,
however, swimmers slowed significantly by the 4th sprint in the first set and
they continued slowing through the 24 intervals. On average, their time for the
final 100-yard sprint was two seconds faster in the carb-protein gel-fueled
workout than in the other workout. Blood samples were taken from the swimmers
and analyzed for the concentration of creatine kinase (CK), a marker of muscle
damage, before training and 24 hours after training, to determine how much
muscle damage occurred during the workout. Swimmers experienced 25% less muscle
damage during the Accel Gel workout.
6. The
Effect of Energy Supplementation on Markers of Muscle Stress During Indoor Rock
Climbing: Conder, Brian; Davila, Edward; Croxford, Kristen; Seifert, John,
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise
This study examined the effect of nutrition
supplementation on markers of muscle stress in individuals during indoor rock
climbing. Eight experienced climbers performed three bouts of climbing with a
week between each bout. During exercise, subjects consumed a carbohydrate
drink, a carbohydrate protein gel or a placebo. Blood samples were collected
and CK (a marker of muscle damage) was measured 24 hours after each climbing
bout. The study showed that the carbohydrate protein gel was significantly more
effective in reducing muscle stress compared to a carbohydrate beverage or a
placebo.
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