# Most Popular Cycling Supplements?



## scarab$

Wondering what the most popular/most effective OTC supplements are for cycling? Does anyone talk openly about this?

Other posts I searched seem to turn into 6th grade conversations... Seems odd there is so much available out there, but little actual discussion.


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## MR_GRUMPY

Water and food.


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## sdeeer

Most supplements don't really do much extra for you. Water, carbohydrates, and electrolytes are key to long duration high intensity exercise.

From a carb perspective, the use of a carbohydrate source that contains glucose (as glucose, sucrose, maltodextrin) in combination with fructose in a glucose:fructose ratio of 2:1 has been shown to maximize carb availability. That only leads to performance benefit if you are exercising for more than 1.5 hours when glucose availability becomes an issue. 

Caffiene tends to have ergoenic effects. A recent review (Burke 2008) is pretty detailed on this topic. 

Bicarb and other buffers work to increase lactate threshold. But the response/negative response to the dose is individual. Most people don't get it right and thus negate any positives.

Quicerin has some data coming out of AP state (can't remember the researcher). 

But overall, supplements aren't worth the money other than for convience.


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## Salsa_Lover

*E*au et *P*astis *O*live


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## vontress

I starting to agree with sdeer that most are not worth the money. There are real food ways of getting your needs met. For anything over an 1.5 or so though I'll still stick with my Cytomax and sportlegs. The rest isn't worth it to me.


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## Alaska Mike

On the bike I'll eat Honey Stinger chews. It's one of the few things that I actually _want_ to eat on a ride, as opposed to something I know I _should_ eat.
Before I just eat normal food and take Sportlegs.
After the ride I'll use Endurox R4 if I won't be eating a regular meal for a while, just to re-hydrate me and keep me from grazing on junk.

I've tried some of the more basic Hammer supplements, but they really didn't do much for me. YMMV.

For the most part, it is about convenience more than an incredible performance boost. I take a good multivitamin, Omega 3s, and a Vitamin D supplement, which help round out my often deficient diet.


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## woodys737

Many guys I know speak highly of Optygen. I have not tried it because it is $50/bottle and one bottle lasts 30 days.


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## capt_phun

600mg of Ibuprofen before the ride


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## rydbyk

woodys737 said:


> Many guys I know speak highly of Optygen. I have not tried it because it is $50/bottle and one bottle lasts 30 days.


I think lots of cyclists use optygen as a supp. for race day and those really diff. club days only. They train w/o it most of the time correct?


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## woodys737

rydbyk said:


> I think lots of cyclists use optygen as a supp. for race day and those really diff. club days only. They train w/o it most of the time correct?


The makers of Optygen recommend continued use for "many months". The guys I know that use it will take it daily throughout their season (training and racing) which is 8-10 months. 

IMHO $500/year for 1 supp seems a bit excessive for a never-has-been, never-will-be.


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## rydbyk

woodys737 said:


> The makers of Optygen recommend continued use for "many months". The guys I know that use it will take it daily throughout their season (training and racing) which is 8-10 months.
> 
> IMHO $500/year for 1 supp seems a bit excessive for a never-has-been, never-will-be.


maybe i was thinking of sportlegs?


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## woodys737

rydbyk said:


> maybe i was thinking of sportlegs?


Interestingly, the same guys I know that use Optygen don't seem to be big users of Sportlegs. Reading the threads regarding Sportlegs (Cal/Mag with Vit D and a bunch of Lactate) the general consensus is that there is no consensus. Again, a lot of money for a supp that may or may not do anything to aid performance. I would have to think that any supp that really increases performance in a measurable way would be banned/illegal to use for the big guys. So, I choose to save money by eating smart, getting quality sleep and training efficiently.


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## mimason

BCAA. Branch Chain Amino Acids. This is the only thing I take and I use them sparingly.


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## dwgranda

Out of curiosity, I tried this stuff called Dark Rage. You can get it at GNC or online I noticed a difference, and was able to maintain higher power numbers with less feeling of exertion. I compared identical rides one day to the next of 2 hrs and my avg heart rate was 10 bpm higher on the dark rage. I've read in other forums that the effects wane with regular use, but if you want to get a kick, that will do it. It also felt like I wanted to eat everything after a ride, but it could have been the nausea which is a known side effect.


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## skip

Lots of Fruits and Vegatables. Quality protein, eggs, lean meat and whey protein. Complex Carbs.


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## Undecided

capt_phun said:


> 600mg of Ibuprofen before the ride


You may be interested in this article:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/01/phys-ed-does-ibuprofen-help-or-hurt-during-exercise/

The most dramatic paragraph: "Those runners who’d popped over-the-counter ibuprofen pills before and during the race displayed significantly more inflammation and other markers of high immune system response afterward than the runners who hadn’t taken anti-inflammatories. The ibuprofen users also showed signs of mild kidney impairment and, both before and after the race, of low-level endotoxemia, a condition in which bacteria leak from the colon into the bloodstream."


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## scarab$

Great feedback... Thank you all. As a returning cyclist, milk, eggs and honey just weren't doing the trick. 

On the bike, Accelerade Low Cal has done the trick for me. Having a glass an hour or two afterwards also really helps with cramps if the weather is hot. Haven't had much luck with the GU shots... likely because there's still too much fat to harvest in times of need for this older body. 

Off the bike, IsoPure has been a good low-cal/low carb protein supplement. Combined with an OTC prohormone, it's helping build back a bunch of the muscle lost over the past 15-years of sitting around. Pretty amazing gains, especially where endurance is concerned. Muscle workload just keeps improving weekly, along with lung capacity and heartrate.

I'm going to check into the Optygen and BCAA... Appreciate the pointers.


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## myfun

scarab$ said:


> Great feedback... Thank you all. As a returning cyclist, milk, eggs and honey just weren't doing the trick.
> 
> On the bike, Accelerade Low Cal has done the trick for me. Having a glass an hour or two afterwards also really helps with cramps if the weather is hot. Haven't had much luck with the GU shots... likely because there's still too much fat to harvest in times of need for this older body.
> 
> Off the bike, IsoPure has been a good low-cal/low carb protein supplement. Combined with an OTC prohormone, it's helping build back a bunch of the muscle lost over the past 15-years of sitting around. Pretty amazing gains, especially where endurance is concerned. Muscle workload just keeps improving weekly, along with lung capacity and heartrate.
> 
> I'm going to check into the Optygen and BCAA... Appreciate the pointers.



which OTC prohormane are you taking?


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## cyclesport45

Water and food. Oh, wait. Mr. G said that.


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## Creakyknees

I've found that a steady diet of intervals really tends to help my riding performance.


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## waldo425

MR_GRUMPY said:


> Water and food.


Ill admit to being a fan.


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## Hank Stamper

scarab$ said:


> Great feedback... Thank you all. As a returning cyclist, milk, eggs and honey just weren't doing the trick.
> 
> On the bike, Accelerade Low Cal has done the trick for me. Having a glass an hour or two afterwards also really helps with cramps if the weather is hot. Haven't had much luck with the GU shots... likely because there's still too much fat to harvest in times of need for this older body.
> 
> *Off the bike, IsoPure has been a good low-cal/low carb protein supplement. Combined with an OTC prohormone, it's helping build back a bunch of the muscle lost over the past 15-years of sitting around. Pretty amazing gains, especially where endurance is concerned. * Muscle workload just keeps improving weekly, along with lung capacity and heartrate.
> 
> I'm going to check into the Optygen and BCAA... Appreciate the pointers.


umm, you could take Slim Jim's and Bubble Yum and you'd see amazing gains when you start working out after 15 years of sitting around.

I'd caution against blaming supplements when you have a bad day as well as attributing any good days to them. That will just lead to your choice of supplement being based on superstition.


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## prs77

*Supplements*

Your diet and training have to be in proper order first. If those are dialed in, then some people respond well to supplements on top of everything else. They are definitely not a shortcut or a replacement for hard work. However, I have noticed that some of the best rides of my life have been while using a supplement. It could be the placebo effect or it could be the actual supplement. Regardless, I had some really great rides. The only real way to tell is to buy something and compare results. Some people on the forum will only give you advice for a supplement if it was part of a double blind study that was published in a scientific journal. My advice is from personal experience, so keep that in mind.

Espresso - Try a double or a triple 15-20 minutes before you ride or post ride if it's several hours and you need a kick on the way home. It's nice because it's not a large amount of liquid sloshing around in your stomach.

SuperPump 250 by Gaspari Nutrition - you can order from bodybuilding.com or numerous other websites. It's basically caffeine, creatine, and nitric oxide. Similar to NO Explode. Only take maybe once a week for a really hard club ride or a race. You don't want to gain water weight from the creatine. In addition, caffeine loses it's impact when you take it regularly. If you stop taking caffeine for 4-5 days and start again you get the nice stimulating effect. Everybody will notice an impact when they try this! No joke!

Cytomax - My regular drink in the water bottles. It buffers lactic acid really well and your legs won't hurt even though your heart might be redlined.

ZMA by Optimum Nutrition - Take at night for a great nights sleep. I wake up noticeably less sore than when I don't use it.

Rhodiola - The main ingredient in Optygen, but it's way cheaper when you buy it from a health store. Not sure I noticed much.


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## den bakker

https://www.proximedia.com/catalogue/photos/90864_a.jpg


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## rubbersoul

Coenzyme Q10.


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## mimason

Spanish Beef Jerky with special ingredient C12H18Cl2N2O


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## scarab$

Hank Stamper said:


> umm, you could take Slim Jim's and Bubble Yum and you'd see amazing gains when you start working out after 15 years of sitting around.


LOL! Great advice.


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## e34john

prs77 said:


> Espresso - Try a double or a triple 15-20 minutes before you ride or post ride if it's several hours and you need a kick on the way home. It's nice because it's not a large amount of liquid sloshing around in your stomach.
> 
> SuperPump 250 by Gaspari Nutrition - you can order from bodybuilding.com or numerous other websites. It's basically caffeine, creatine, and nitric oxide. Similar to NO Explode. Only take maybe once a week for a really hard club ride or a race. You don't want to gain water weight from the creatine. In addition, caffeine loses it's impact when you take it regularly. If you stop taking caffeine for 4-5 days and start again you get the nice stimulating effect. Everybody will notice an impact when they try this! No joke!
> 
> Cytomax - My regular drink in the water bottles. It buffers lactic acid really well and your legs won't hurt even though your heart might be redlined.
> 
> ZMA by Optimum Nutrition - Take at night for a great nights sleep. I wake up noticeably less sore than when I don't use it.
> 
> Rhodiola - The main ingredient in Optygen, but it's way cheaper when you buy it from a health store. Not sure I noticed much.


I drink coffee during my midride break too. 

I think a lot of the Gaspari products are good. I took Super Pump before and I stacked it with Size On. These were during my fighting phase before I realized my body was more built for cycling. The size on did help with recovery. But then most cyclists won't bother with these supplements.

The ZMA was good, I always took it a few hours before going to sleep probably about 10 hours before I had to wake up because it did make me sleep well.

But now that I mostly ride and don't really go to the gym. I take a multivitamin, because my diet isn't always good, along with fish oil and flaxseed oil. Either Adam by NOW or Optiman by Optimum Nutrition are my favorite mutivitamins. And Ultima Replenisher during rides. 

I am thinking of getting back on Activate Xtreme. It is a testosterone booster, that always gives me the next gear when I feel the need to push myself a little harder.


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## thumbprinter

dwgranda said:


> Out of curiosity, I tried this stuff called Dark Rage. You can get it at GNC or online I noticed a difference, and was able to maintain higher power numbers with less feeling of exertion. I compared identical rides one day to the next of 2 hrs and my avg heart rate was 10 bpm higher on the dark rage. I've read in other forums that the effects wane with regular use, but if you want to get a kick, that will do it. It also felt like I wanted to eat everything after a ride, but it could have been the nausea which is a known side effect.


from what i can gather the sign of improved fitness would be a *lower* heart rate at the same power output..... also i tend to avoid things that make me nauseous...

i'm solidly in the food/water camp. on the bike i bring dried apricots and sometimes a mojo bar or larabar (just dates and nuts usually). i'll use nuun tablets in one of my water bottles if its going to be a particularly sweaty ride..


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## Sherpa23

sdeeer said:


> Caffiene tends to have ergoenic effects. A recent review (Burke 2008) is pretty detailed on this topic.


That's a pretty neat trick since he passed away in 2002.


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## sdeeer

Sherpa23 said:


> That's a pretty neat trick since he passed away in 2002.


Buzz. (there can be more than one person with the same last name who writes about the same topic)

He passed away in 2002. She lives in Australia and is married to John Hawley. 

http://article.pubs.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/ppv/RPViewDoc?issn=1715-5312&volume=33&issue=6&startPage=1319


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## teddysaur

With all the calories burned from cycling, the best cycling supplements are the sinful foods you craved for. I swear your body will thank you for that.


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## d-town-3-

As others have already stated proper nutrition is optimal but there is no reason why supplementation cant be used as well. In terms of cycling "supps", some have mentioned sportlegs, i have tried this and felt it does work. Although i felt as if i was on something or high if you will. You def know you took something after the first dose, these effects linger long after your workout is over. I stopped taking because of it. Other supp. that are applicable and have positive documented human studies are beta-alanine, l-citrulline, L-arginine, lesser known and less studied are Cordyceps, and Rhodiola rosea. All of these can be found very cheap on amazon. Optygen HP has a few of these mentioned supps. Just a note on beta alanine, my own personal exp. is that fatigue is noticeably delayed while talking this. The only caveat is some may not enjoy its side effects. I actually enjoy the feeling, tingling of the skin but only lasts for an hour or so after taking. If your not super dosing these side effects are minimal. As for post workout nutrition i have always been a fan of endurox as well as First Endurance Ultragen Recovery Drink Mix both expensive the endurox is more bang for your buck. If you splurge for the Ultragen the cappuccino flavor is the best tasting sport/protien/energy drink i have ever had. If you heated it up and placed it next to an actual cappuccino youd be hard pressed to pick the imposter. What i have been doing lately to save money on my post workout nutrition is a simple delicious recipe that takes seconds to make and is all that the store bought post workout drinks claims to be. My room mate devours chinese food and always has extra white rice in the fridge. He doesnt mind me making use of his desiccated long grain. Place a cup of white rice in bowl with 1/4 cup of water 1/4 cup of raisins, tablespoon of honey and a pinch of salt, cover with plastic wrap pop in microwave for 1:30. While this is heating up heat up a nonstick egg pan add tablespoon olive oil and fry up two eggs. Cook as you wish i enjoy over easy and add to warmed up rice and raisins....devour. The italian in me cant help but at some tomato sauce, canned is actually good here as it has a high sugar content, this would be akin to eggs in purgatory with a hint of sweetness from the honey and raisins. Dorian Yates pro body builder swears on this recipe as do I. Enjoy!


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## vetboy

Beetroot juice


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## dgeesaman

Back when I was in college the NCAA nutrition experts recommended for endurance athletes to consider 1) a multivitamin and 2) a protein supplement.

The multivitamin was to help manage any individual deficiencies you might have, and the protein is simply to assist recovery because it's difficult to get enough raw protein if you're working really hard.

The other trick is to have an amount of recovery food to eat within 15 min of the end of your workout. It's been shown that your body begins absorbing calories and nutrients within 15 min and the sooner you get the nutrients in the better and faster your recovery. So this practice is a no-brainer.


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## Wicked2006

EPO seems to work well too. Lol!! Though food and water does best!!


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## kmunny19

Its really very different for every person. Frank and Andy Schleck, with their very similar genetics and training, may have totally different nutritional needs. Others who train tons, may not be deficient in much. Some who train little, and still eat right, may have notable nutritional deficiencies. Its as much about what you absorb from your food, drink, and and additional supplements you choose, as it is about how much of any of it you present to your stomach. 
The sure way to know what you are lacking is to go to a sports nutritionist and have a complete work up of your blood, and probably urine and stool to see what chemicals are winding up where. This is expensive and for most of us, not very useful in training. But if you are losing ground in training, or constantly getting colds etc, or suffering from depression that you did not have before becoming an athlete, then maybe this would be worthwhile. 
I am not recommending everyone spend a bunch of money and get checked this way, or that we all spend a bunch of money buying supplements based on what deficiencies have a tendency to develop in athletes. I am saying that finding out what you do or do not need, is one option.


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## mike.

I've had good luck with Scivation Xtend (Freeform BCAAs) as well as supplementing with glutamine for quick recovery. Just realize the body isn't a textbook and it will take some time/experimentation to find what works for you.


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## chris1911

vontress said:


> I starting to agree with sdeer that most are not worth the money. There are real food ways of getting your needs met. For anything over an 1.5 or so though I'll still stick with my Cytomax and sportlegs. The rest isn't worth it to me.


Do you take both at the same time?


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## drummerboy1248

Creatine Monohydrate is an excellent lean muscle mass builder. It's cheap. I have not had any side effects. Some might have concerns with weight gain. But I actually have to watch for too much weight loss in heavy training, so it's no issue for me. 5g/day. Latest research shows no benefit from loading at the start (taking a higher dose to load your system with the chemical initially). There are studies that show it works to build muscle mass even in sedentary people and the elderly. As a climber, I notice that it has helped me in TT and in head winds where prolonged high power output is required, which is where I suck and needed the boost. I first used it when my main form of exercise was weight lifting. The results were quite profound with significant increase of strength and lean mass. Beyond that, proper nutrition and rest are the big factors for me. Post ride recovery nutrition is an area that I am especially diligent to cover.


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## Kerry Irons

*Creatine*



drummerboy1248 said:


> Creatine Monohydrate is an excellent lean muscle mass builder.


But it's generally contraindicated for endurance athletes. Lots of research to support this. Just saying. Creatine was all the rage about 10 years ago, but then the side effects (dehydration, cramping) and the lack of benefit caused it to fall out of favor.


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## scarab$

Stacking Quake 10.0 with XTend (BCAA) pre-workout (interval on cycle and treadmill + weight/strength training) proving phenomenal. XTend during and after for recovery as needed is reducing soreness to nil.

Workload is way up, as is endurance. Also running through a bottle of Optygen HP, 4 caps per day. Not nearly as noticable as the Scivation products and it's expensive. Started Optygen HP 2 weeks ago, so it should be loaded. Wondering what it is supposed to do? 

Lastly, supplementing with daily multivitimins. Compared with just adding Protien to daily diet, the pre/post workout drinks from Scivation have really been the trick. Thanks for the recommndations gang.

Let's see how we perform on a live ride this weekend. Pray for no rain.


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## ms6073

dwgranda said:


> Out of curiosity, I tried this stuff called Dark Rage. You can get it at GNC or online


Based on the following excerpt of the product description from GNC's website, I got to think those who might be subject to WADA anti-doping controls would probably do well to take a pass on this one:

_Next Generation Pre-Workout Formula*


EPO Blood Doping Technology™

Increases EPO & NITRIC OXIDE for Insane Muscle Pumps & Vascularity*
_


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## drummerboy1248

Kerry Irons said:


> But it's generally contraindicated for endurance athletes. Lots of research to support this. Just saying. Creatine was all the rage about 10 years ago, but then the side effects (dehydration, cramping) and the lack of benefit caused it to fall out of favor.


The research I've read does not support what you are saying. The reports of cramping were exactly that, reports. Research on trained and untrained endurance athletes was unable to reproduce the alleged cramping. The reported cramping was thought to be the result of dehydration. Since creatine causes water retention in muscles it was recommended to drink more when using creatine. The main draw back for endurance athletes is the weight gain. That has been associated with the practice of loading (20 g / day). New research indicates that six .5g doses / day are as effective with much reduced weight gain. 

I don't propose using creatine as a race day performance booster. It is only proven effective for short high intensity power gains (ie sprinting). That indicates it will allow higher intensity training intervals, which should, in theory result in greater adaptations and performance gains. The studies are conclusive that it does boost power for short time periods.


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## Wicked2006

Well, I take multi vitamins, B-12 and protein. When I do a longer rides I take Sports-legs which works great for me. I also put ZYM in my water bottles! It's excellent tasting and helps keep my hydrated. 

Dieting is key for all riders. I went from 205 lbs to 180 lbs in about 3 1/2 months I use to be a collegiate wrestler and know what you have to do to drop the pounds. Stopped eating fast food and stopped drinking soda was one key. I do have one soda usually after a long ride. Just to get my engine going once again. 

I'm happy to say by trial and error I've found what works and what doesn't. I hope the same to all my follow riders. Happy riding!!!


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## rooksmith

*Can we talk science?*



scarab$ said:


> Wondering what the most popular/most effective OTC supplements are for cycling? Does anyone talk openly about this?
> 
> Other posts I searched seem to turn into 6th grade conversations... Seems odd there is so much available out there, but little actual discussion.


There is a need for some real information here. I know that supplements can help prevent cramping and lactic acid buildup in the legs. Also I'm not talking about blood doping EPO etc. 

Even EPO boost is just herbs and vitamins. 

Sportslegs work for me, used in moderation and in combination with Endurolytes. I also used FRS for a while, and wouldnt hesitate to take it in a pill or powder form. I just hated the taste of the chews in general, since they were like chewing a multivitamin. Instead I just take a multi in the morning before a ride or race.


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## Poncharelli

I've been racing consistently for over 10 years. Last couple of years I really concentrated on cleaning up my diet, i.e., no processed foods. Kinda doing the high fat low carb thing, but turns out I need some carbs (lots of sweet potato and plaintains). But bottom line, I've never been leaner faster lighter in a long time. Concentrating on sleep too, which has helped as well. Power is up, weight is down. 

As far as "supplements", Blended beet with other veggies and pineapple, morning of race. Coffee made from a Moka pot. That's it. 

I use hammer gel, but only for longer races. I'm staying away powders/gels for training rides because it seems overly processed. Bananas is what I'm using for training rides now. Also take a few of the non-chocolate Lara Bars only if I really need them.


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