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What you’ll learn: In this blog, we will discuss the natural changes your body goes through as you age, how it impacts your performance as an athlete, and dive into which nutritional steps you can take to help keep you active and competitive as an older athlete.

By: Heidi Harris, RD-N, LD-N, CD-N

Have you noticed hitting your personal bests in your 30s, 40s, or 50s isn’t coming as naturally or frequently as it used to when you were in your 20s? That’s normal and part of the natural aging process. Typically, most people start to lose efficiency in their aerobic capacity and drop in peak performance starting in their 30s.¹ As we age, our recovery efficiency between workouts, competitions and overall physical performance slows. Not to mention, bone mass declines and the risk of physical injury becomes more prevalent.

To continue with our healthy dose of reality, our muscles become less responsive to the anabolic effects of protein and exercise as we age. This is often referred to as anabolic resistance or anabolic blunting. This may be part of why building muscle as we age gets harder. Which, conversely, is also why it’s important to focus on muscle gain during training. Some research suggests this slowdown of the anabolic effect partially regulates protein synthesis signaling.²

Luckily, with an appropriate combination of strategic physical training and nutrition interventions, you may help limit age-related declines in performance to keep you performing at your optimal best and keep you competing for longer.

How Nutrition Helps Aging Athletes

As our bodies change with age, so do our nutritional needs. As I mentioned a little earlier, our muscle mass naturally declines as we age, so we are going to discuss three critical areas you can focus on as an athlete to help keep up with the competition amongst younger athletes.

Protein

This may not sound like a change from what you’re already doing. However, given that with age, your muscles become less responsive to the anabolic (or process of building muscle mass) effect of protein and exercise, research has found that eating more protein helps curb the potential for natural age-related muscle mass loss.

Research suggests that in comparison to younger athletes, older athletes should aim for approximately 1.2 - 1.5 grams of protein intake per kilogram of body weight per day to offset this muscle mass depletion and help maintain roughly 40% more muscle mass compared to those who may not have a lean protein-rich diet.³ This recommendation is considerably higher for protein intake than that of a more youthful athlete.

Sources of lean protein that may provide 20 - 25 grams of protein per serving include white fish like cod, haddock, halibut, tilapia and bass.⁴ Dairy, like plain Greek yogurt and cottage cheese, is another great source of lean protein. Did you know plain Greek yogurt provides 15-20 grams of protein per serving?⁵ It’s a perfect option for a protein-filled snack!

White meat poultry is another optimal lean protein source – a 3.5 oz. serving of white chicken or turkey can provide 30 grams of protein.⁶ 90% lean beef can provide a whopping 24 grams of protein per serving!⁷

Looking for additional support to help meet that 1.2 - 1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight per day? Klean Athlete is an NSF certified for sport and our Klean Isolate provides 20 grams of protein per scoop. Not to mention, it comes in various flavors - now, that’s efficient!

Carbohydrates

While protein gets a lot of love in the fitness and nutrition world, I’m here to remind you about your friend, carbohydrates. Research over the years has consistently pointed to carbohydrates as a vital energy source for high-intensity performance.

Carbohydrates are the primary macronutrient for sustaining and improving physical performance. In fact, it’s been found that athletes who purposefully restrict energy intake or eliminate certain food groups from their diet (such as carbohydrates) fall short of meeting their nutritional requirements, ultimately impacting their overall performance.⁸

Competitive athletes have increased carbohydrate needs in order to replenish their glycogen stores. When an athlete participates in consistent and strenuous physical performance, glycogen stores become depleted and as an athlete gets older, it takes longer to replenish those stores and recover. That’s why while carbohydrate needs are individually specific, research has found that an athlete who heavily participates in a vigorous activity greater than 4 hours per day needs approximately 8 - 12 grams of high-quality carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight per day.^{8, 9}

Carbohydrates go beyond just glycogen store replenishment. There are different types of carbohydrates and each impacts your physical performance differently. For example, rapidly absorbed carbohydrates have been found to enter an athlete’s bloodstream faster, helping support exercise intensity and duration. As we age, our stamina and endurance may decrease; therefore, we rapidly release carbohydrates to help support our energy needs while performing.¹⁰ Meanwhile, complex carbohydrate consumption in the hours after exercise helps replenish glycogen stores to help nourish and aid your body as it recovers.^{8, 11}

Struggling to meet your carbohydrate needs for optimal recovery? Klean Recovery provides a 4:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein to help support glycogen re-synthesis and muscle protein synthesis immediately after a workout.^‡

Hydration

For this next section, when I’m talking about hydration, I’m talking about both water and electrolytes.

Electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium and calcium help balance the amount of water in your body while also balancing the electrical gradients for your heart, nerves, muscles and brain to help support optimal function during performance.^12‡

I’m looking at you, the older athletes who cramp up during pivotal competitions in your athletic career!

Have you ever had sweat drip into your mouth while exercising? That salty taste is a mix of electrolytes and loss of hydration. You’ve probably heard you need to replenish whatever you’ve lost in hydration from sweat. Well, it’s more than just replenishing what you’ve lost and it’s much more individualized.

As we age, our perception of thirst decreases, as does our sweat rate and the ability of our kidneys to concentrate urine. As discussed earlier, muscle mass (which stores water) naturally decreases in your 30s. All this can lead to dehydration amongst competitive athletes and all the more reason why increasing your hydration intake is important for competitive aging athletes.¹³

When it comes to rehydrating post-exercise, it’s not a one-size-fits-all. An athlete’s individual factors such as age, sweat rate and overall health, affect hydration status. The general rule of thumb for supporting proper hydration for athletes consists of hydrating more than 16 oz. 2 - 3 hours before exercise and another 8 oz. at least 15 minutes before competition or exercise. During training or competition, it’s recommended to hydrate enough to limit dehydration to less than 2% body weight loss. Finally, it’s also recommended to measure how much fluid an athlete has lost during exercise and to drink approximately 16 - 24 oz. of water for every pound of body weight lost.¹⁴

Our Klean Hydration offers 6% carbohydrates with additional minerals to replace fluid and electrolytes lost through sweat during physical activity. Meanwhile, our Klean Electrolytes replenish important minerals in the body during or after exercise in an easy-to-dose capsule form. As hydration needs are individualized to the athlete, our Klean Athlete® products are easily customizable to meet individual training and performance needs.^‡

Beta-Alanine and Its Impacts on the Aging Athlete

It’s time we switch gears and focus on beta-alanine and carnosine.

Let’s rewind to the concept that we become less efficient at recovering from physical activity as we age. Ever felt that muscle burn post-exercise? The process of converting glucose to energy in muscles (tapping into those glycogen stores) produces lactic acid. This then gets broken down into its building blocks, lactate and hydrogen. You can thank those pesky hydrogen ions in your muscles for causing that muscle fatigue and discomfort.^{15, 16}

Beta-alanine is used to make carnosine, which buffers the hydrogen ions, a byproduct of physical exercise.¹⁶  More carnosine delays the “burn,” enabling you to sustain intense efforts and train more effectively. Some research has found support for overall performance in older adults, such as supporting physical work capacity and delaying the onset of neuromuscular fatigue.^{18, 19‡}

So, you’re probably wondering, why aren’t we supplementing with carnosine instead of beta-alanine? Carnosine is degraded in the digestive tract into its building blocks, beta-alanine and histidine.  In muscles, beta-alanine is in short supply, so supplementing with beta-alanine results in a higher concentration of carnosine than supplementing with carnosine directly.¹⁷

Our Klean SR Beta-Alanine is meant for athletes training at high intensities, such as sprint and strength/power athletes whose performance is limited by acid buildup. Our Klean SR Beta-Alanine delays fatigue and supports muscle endurance and exercise capacity during short periods of intense effort. This allows you the opportunity to train harder, stronger and more effectively.^‡

Keeping Consistent as an Athlete as You Age

As an athlete, it’s never too early to start planning your nutritional needs to help support your future physical performance, understanding how your body changes and how that impacts your nutrient needs and diet. Healthy nutrition, proper hydration and understanding what macronutrients are impacted by your changing needs are just a few ways you can prepare to help remain competitive and consistent during your athletic career. Klean Athlete® has done its due diligence and offers various products to support your unique nutritional needs as you age.^‡

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References

1. Mitchell, W. K. et. al (2012). Sarcopenia, Dynapenia, and the Impact of Advancing Age on Human Skeletal Muscle Size and Strength; a Quantitative Review. Frontiers in Physiology, 3. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2012.00260
2. Kumar, V., et. al, (2009). Age-related differences in the dose-response relationship of muscle protein synthesis to resistance exercise in young and old men. The Journal of Physiology, 587(1), 211–217. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2008.164483
3. Witard, O. C., et. al. (2016). Growing older with health and vitality: a nexus of physical activity, exercise and nutrition. Biogerontology, 17(3), 529–546. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10522-016-9637-9
4. FoodData Central. USDA. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/175177/nutrients
5. Desai, N. T., et, al. (2013). Sensory properties and drivers of liking for Greek yogurts. Journal of Dairy Science, 96(12), 7454–7466. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2013-6973
6. FoodData Central. USDA. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/1098445/nutrients
7. FoodData Central. USDA. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171790/nutrients
8. Kanter, M. (2018). High-Quality Carbohydrates and Physical Performance. Nutrition Today, 53(1), 35–39. https://doi.org/10.1097/nt.0000000000000238
9. Havemann L, et al. Fat adaptation followed by carbohydrate loading compromises high-intensity sprint performance. J Appl Physiol. 2006;100:194–202.
10. Keep Your Energy As You Age. https://www.rush.edu/news/keep-your-energy-you-age
11. ‌Little JP, et al. Effect of low- and high-glycemic-index meals on metabolism and performance during high-intensity, intermittent exercise. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2010;20(6):447–456.
12. Fluid and Electrolyte Balance. (n.d.). Medlineplus.gov. Retrieved September 19, 2023, from https://medlineplus.gov/fluidandelectrolytebalance.
13. Meade, R. D., et al. (2020). Ageing attenuates the effect of extracellular hyperosmolality on whole‐body heat exchange during exercise‐heat stress. The Journal of Physiology, 598(22), 5133–5148. https://doi.org/10.1113/jp280132
14. United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee. Nutrition & Hydration. (n.d.). Www.usopc.org. https://www.usopc.org/nutrition
15. Dunnett M, et al. Influence of oral beta-alanine and L-histidine supplementation on the carnosine content of the gluteus medius. Equine Vet J Suppl 1999;30:499-504.
16. Harris R, et al. The absorption of orally supplied beta-alanine and its effect on muscle carnosine synthesis in human vastus lateralis. Amino Acids 2006;30(3):279-289.
17. Giannini Artioli, et al. (2009). The Role of β-alanine Supplementation on Muscle Carnosine and Exercise Performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 1. https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0b013e3181c74e38
18. McCormack W, et al. Exp Gerontol 2013;48(9):933-939.
19. Stout J, et al. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2008;5:21.

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By: Heidi Harris, RD-N, LD-N, CD-N

I get it. There’s a lot of demand when it comes to being an athlete. Between the pressure to perform, all eyes on you and the heavy weight of doing your absolute best for yourself and your team, that’s a lot of responsibility on your shoulders! Not to mention the actual physical demands of putting your body through so much exercise and practice. There’s a lot for you to take on mentally and physically as an athlete.

One thing to be mindful of is overtraining. Overtraining your body without taking the time to rest may affect both athletes and physically active individuals both mentally and physically. Studies have even found that overtraining has been linked to mood changes such as occasional stress. Overtraining and constantly fatiguing your muscles have also been linked to potential injury and burnout.¹

In this blog, we are going to discuss how you can spot overtraining and burnout, the common pitfalls athletes succumb to with overtraining and how to overcome it to power an optional season.

How to Spot Overtraining

As an athlete, you’re exercising for a longer duration and a higher power output than the average individual. You do this to help achieve your peak performance. But, conditioning for athletes requires a balance between work and recovery. This means, too much work output combined with too little recovery, or time to let your body rest, may lead to complications of overtraining.^2‡

If you think you’re experiencing overtraining, the things to be on the lookout for are major fatigue (more than just feeling tired), reduced performance and changes in mood and sleep. All of which are necessary for optimal peak performance.¹

Trainers and coaches can be on the lookout for overtraining in their athletes by noting which of their athletes show up to practice feeling exhausted, indicate decreased competitiveness, exhibit muscle soreness, difficulty concentrating, lack training capacity and reduced intensity of performance.¹

All of these red flags may lead to burnout in athletes or the state of emotional, mental and physical exhaustion brought on by repetitive and physical stressors. But, not to worry! With a combination of healthy hydration, nutrition and recovery, overtraining can potentially be mitigated or avoided.^‡

The Common Pitfalls of Overtrained Athletes

It’s no secret that many athletes want to do their best and be the best in their sport. It’s just the nature of competition. Still, a perfectionist outlook may also be contributing to overtraining and burnout.^‡

Overtraining and burnout isn’t just about personality, environment plays a big role too! Athletes may run into overtraining or burnout due to many factors. Some of these include having high training volume or competing and performing multiple times per week. Another physical example is inconsistent coaching practices. For example, are you an athlete that competes in university or school sports and club sports? That’s at least two different practices and two different coaching techniques.³

Mentally, overtraining and burnout may occur when an athlete feels as though their expectations haven’t been met or they may be feeling overly critical of themselves or their performance. A good example of this would be when an athlete perceives their performance evaluations are more critical versus supportive.³

Let’s switch gears and discuss some strategies to help manage athletes to help minimize the potential for burnout and overtraining.

How to Manage Overtraining and Burnout

One of the most important things an athlete can do, should they suspect themselves of overtraining, is to rest and recover. I know, it sounds easy right? Well, not really. When you’re constantly pushing yourself to perform you may have that “go, go, go!” mentality. It may be hard to overcome that nagging feeling and allow yourself to turn your mind off so you may focus on rest and recovery.

Rest and Recovery

When an athlete overtrains, their muscles and organs are constantly undergoing physical stress. This constant contraction of the muscles may take a toll on the body. For this reason, reducing or taking a break from exercise to allow yourself time to rest for a few days may help provide your body with the resources it needs to help recover from your training days.

Our Klean Recovery was formulated with an athlete’s recovery in mind. It contains a 4:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein to help support glycogen re-synthesis and muscle protein synthesis immediately after workout. It’s also rich in amino acids, including branched-chain amino acids (BCAA), glutamine and arginine, which are crucial for muscle building and nitrogen balance.^‡

Why do carbohydrates matter so much for the recovery process? Research suggests that a combination of carbohydrates, protein and fluids help support healthy recovery and fuel for the training athlete.⁴

Hydration

A common misconception amongst athletes is that they just need some water and electrolytes to replenish their hydration. Well, it goes beyond that. Your body also needs simple and complex carbohydrates. These carbohydrates help support the intestine’s ability to absorb fluids in order to help maximize hydration efficiently.⁵

That’s why our Klean Hydration consists of 6% carbohydrates (the simple sugars glucose and fructose) and the complex carbohydrate branched dextrin. This is in combination with minerals and electrolytes like calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium to help replace fluid and electrolytes that were lost during physical activity.^‡

Getting adequate fluids and staying properly hydrated is part of the key to both recovery and limiting the effects of overtraining.²

Sleep

Striking a balance between training and recovery is essential to prevent overtraining. One way to achieve this is by getting enough sleep. If you haven’t already, you can read my blog about the importance of sleep for athletes here.

Sleep is essential. Athletes know that exercise improves sleep quality, but too much exercise can make it hard to fall asleep and/or stay asleep. The American Sleep Foundation suggests athletes receive at least 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night, and this need increases for those experiencing burnout or overtraining.⁶

Studies have also found that sleep helps support overall athletic performance. For example, one study found that both male and female swimmers who slept for at least 10 hours had faster reaction times off diving blocks, improved turn times and increased kick strokes increased. Plus, it was found that these athletes experienced improved mood and less daytime sleepiness and fatigue.  As we learned earlier, fatigue and mood are major indicators of overtraining and burnout!^7‡

Conversely, research has found that a result of overtraining, causes fatigue and may impair athletic performance. Athletes should prioritize sleep during periods of high training volume to adapt better to training and season demands.⁸

Our Klean Melatonin contains 3 mg of pure melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone and supplemental melatonin works by supporting the body’s natural sleep cycle. External factors such as physical stress affect the body’s ability to produce melatonin. This is another option an athlete may consider when trying to support their sleep quality and allow optimal resting time for recovery.^‡

Nutrient-Rich Diet:

During periods of high volume or high intensity training, your body needs proper nourishment to help replenish and fuel the nutrients lost during energy expenditure.

In general, athletes and exercising individuals are encouraged to consume foods rich in healthy whole grains such as carbohydrates like fruit and vegetables, lean proteins and healthy fats. Lean protein includes foods such as fish, poultry, beans, lentils and for our vegan-friendly athletes, tofu. Healthy fats are found in olive oil, avocados and nuts.  Fish and flaxseeds provide the essential omega-3 fatty acids.⁹

Traditionally, the Western Diet tends to be low in omega-3 fatty acids and higher in omega-6 fatty acids, owing to heavy consumption of processed foods and refined vegetable oils. Omega-3 fatty acids play a key role in muscle recovery.^10‡

Our Klean Omega provides a total of 1,250mg of fish oil concentrate consisting of 500mg of EPA and 250 mg of DHA, which are the two active omega-3 fatty acids.

Another macronutrient essential for athletes to consume is protein. Protein supports muscle growth and recovery after physical exercise. 

Collagen is a different type of protein that provides connective tissue support. Collagen peptides help to maintain cartilage health by promoting its regeneration via collagen production.^11‡

Our Klean Collagen+C contains 15 grams of hydrolyzed collagen to help aid any athlete’s recovery and provide connective tissue support.‡

Overtraining Awareness to Overcome and Perform

Now that you’ve familiarized yourself with overtraining in athletes, the common pitfalls of overtraining and how to harness the power of nutrition to overcome overtraining, you can take the next steps in optimizing your peak performance this season. Check out our Klean Athlete products today and see which products are right for you and your physical goals.^‡

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References

1. Kreher, J. (2016).. Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine, Volume 7(7), 115–122. https://doi.org/10.2147/oajsm.s91657
2. Cadegiani FA, et al. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/3937819  J Sports Med (Hindawi Publ Corp). 2020;2020:3937819. Doi:10.1155/2020/3937819)
3. Integration, C. (2021, July 27). Overtraining and Burnout in Young Athletes: What to Know. UPMC HealthBeat. https://share.upmc.com/2021/07/overtraining-and-burnout/
4. Kanter, M. (2018). High-Quality Carbohydrates and Physical Performance. Nutrition Today, 53(1), 35–39. https://doi.org/10.1097
5. USADA. (2019). Fluids and Hydration | U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). https://www.usada.org/athletes/substances/nutrition/fluids-and-hydration/
6. Fry, A. (2021, January 22). Sleep & Athletic Performance. Sleep Foundation; Sleep foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-activity/athletic-performance-and-sleep
7. Vitale, K. C. et al. (2019). Sleep hygiene for optimizing recovery in athletes: Review and recommendations. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 40(8), 535–543. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31288293/
8. Campbell, E. H., et al. (2021). Evidence That Sleep Is an Indicator of Overtraining during the Competition Phase of Adolescent Sprinters. Journal of Sports Medicine, 2021, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6694547
9. Eidel, S. (2022, July 5). Runner’s Diet. Www.hopkinsmedicine.org. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/runners-diet
10. Anzalone, A., et al. (2019). The Omega-3 Index in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Collegiate Football Athletes. Journal of Athletic Training, 54(1), 7–11. https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-387-18
11. Shaw et al, Am J Clin Nutr. 2017 Jan;105(1):136-143

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By: Heidi Harris, RD-N, LD-N, CD-N

What You’ll learn: In this blog you’ll learn about the nutrients needed to help support power, strength, and speed to help maximize your baseball season.^‡

It’s finally here! All the hard work and training you put in during the off season has now paid off. Baseball season has finally arrived! The stands are filled with loyal fans and you’re ready to hit that homerun, make the crowd go wild, and elevate your team to new levels of success ranking!

While the excitement of the game and the energy of the crowd may fuel you on a mental level, what are you doing to fuel your nutritional needs as an athlete during baseball season? In this blog, we’re going to talk about the nutrients to help support your power, strength and speed on the field.^‡

How to Fuel for The Game

Carbohydrates

Have you ever heard of the term “Carbo-loading?” It’s a common term usually most well associated with runners before a big race. Did you know this concept applies to all athletes and not just endurance athletes? Why? Simple! Carbohydrates, or sugars, starches and fibers, are an athlete’s primary fuel source during exercise.¹ These carbohydrates get broken down into smaller complexes, or sugars, which your body uses as an immediate source of energy during exercise.

Some examples of carbohydrates that would be good options to consume before a game include:

• Starches and whole grains. Examples of these starches and whole grains include healthy whole wheat bread, cereals low in added sugar, oatmeal, crackers, rice, potatoes and even pasta.¹
• Fruit is another carbohydrate source that provides not only simple sugars for energy, but fruits are also a good source of many vitamins and minerals essential for your body’s needs.¹ Fruits also contain fiber which is another type of carbohydrate to help fuel an athlete’s nutritional need.^‡
• Milk and yogurt is another good source of carbohydrates. I like to think of these two dairy products as half a carbohydrate and half a protein source. Milk and yogurt are a great source of both carbohydrates for energy support and lean protein.¹

Since carbohydrates provide immediate fuel for your body, it’s a very popular way to help provide your body with energy to optimally perform on the field.^‡

Protein

Another important macronutrient to consider is protein. By protein, I mean lean protein. Simply put, lean protein is a protein source that is low in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol. More specifically, the USDA, or United States Department of Agriculture, defines lean protein as having less than 10 grams of total fat per 3.5 ounce portion, 4.5 grams of saturated fat per this portion and fewer than 95 miligrams of cholesterol in the same 3.5 ounce portion size.²

It's generally recommended that athletes intake their protein roughly 3 to 4 hours before a game. This will allow for ample amount of time for protein to be digested and not leading to potential gastrointestinal discomfort while exerting high amounts of physical energy output.³

Some healthy sources of lean protein include:

• Beans and Lentils are great sources of proteins low in total fat and high in fiber. Fiber is another type of carbohydrate essential for performing athletes.^{4 ‡}
• Lean meat such as 93% ground beef, pork loin or even skinless poultry like chicken breast, of white meat turkey.⁴
• Seafood and fish are other great sources of lean protein. These include white fish and even fatty fish like those high in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon, anchovies, and trout. Shellfish such as shrimp, lobster, clams and mussels are also great lean protein sources and very nutritious. ⁴

Protein in a Time Crunch

What if you’re in a time crunch and you don’t have time to prepare a well-balanced meal before the big game? We’ve got you covered. Our Klean Isolate is a clean whey protein isolate that can easily be added to any beverage (shout out to milk from earlier!) to help enhance your daily protein and amino acid intake.^‡

Studies suggest that protein needs may be affected by age and activity level. Scientists have also found that when carbohydrate intake is limited, adding protein may help power performance. Research also suggested that increased protein synthesis follows prolonged exercise.⁵ If you’re looking for a different flavor option, our Klean Isolate comes in natural chocolate, vanilla and strawberry too! So many to choose from.^‡

Are you a vegan athlete? If you are, I’m guessing you’re well-versed in the supplement world especially as an athlete. We hear you loud and clear! Our new Klean Plant-Based Protein is a blend of pea and organic brown rice protein providing amino acids for muscle protein synthesis. Want to know what else is great about our Klean Plant-Based Protein? It is specifically formulated to include ProHydrolase® enzymes to help break down protein for amino acid absorption and ease of digestion. That’s something particularly helpful for when you’ve got to batter up for the big game later!^‡

How to Support Your Power Output

It might not seem like it to the fans in the stands, but believe me, I know there’s a lot of intense power that goes on during a baseball game. From momentum and muscle training to swinging that bat and sprinting to the next base, power is a huge part of the game. That’s why we’ll focus on nutrients to support your power while on the field next.

Creatine

Creatine has made a name for itself with athletes, and there’s a good reason for it. Creatine monohydrate supports ATP regeneration and enhances work output in activities such as weightlifting and sprinting. Creatine’s primary role is to regenerate the energy molecule ATP, which works to fuel muscle cells. Creatine may also serve as a buffer during exercise, potentially delaying muscle fatigue and discomfort.⁶ Creatine may help you build muscle strength and mass and may even help you recover from strenuous exercise. Our Klean Creatine contains pure creatine to support muscle strength, performance and recovery.^{7 ‡}

• Creatine is an energy carrier that is naturally present in your muscles, brain and other organs. In muscles, creatine in the form of phosphorylcreatine acts as a reserve of high-energy phosphate to provide energy during anaerobic exercise by regenerating ADP to ATP.^8‡
• By increasing the rate of creatine phosphorylation, ammonia and lactate levels in the blood are lowered resulting in faster recovery from exercise. Creatine also promotes growth factor signaling and glycogen storage to support gains in muscle strength, size and other adaptive responses to training.^9‡
• Animal muscle – such as fresh meat and fish – contains significant amounts of creatine. Dairy products contain only small amounts.
• It also may be of benefit in other modes of exercise such as high-intensity sprints or dynamic movements for improved performance.^9‡

Beta-Alanine

Another supplement that’s a great addition to an athlete’s portfolio, but maybe not as popular as creatine, is beta-alanine. Klean Athlete offers a SR Beta-Alanine, which helps delay fatigue, supports muscle endurance and supports exercise capacity during short periods of intense effort. Unlike most beta-alanine supplements, this is a patented, sustained release formula that improves muscle retention of carnosine. The sustained release profile allows for higher BA daily dosage which leads to greater retention of carnosine in the muscle.¹⁰

A loading phase is optional. Athletes may choose to obtain optimum beta-alanine intake by employing a “loading” phase into their workout regimen by ingesting higher amounts per day for a set amount of time before reducing the beta-alanine intake amount to a more typical maintenance dose of 3.2 g.  

The administration and dosing of beta-alanine may be a unique part of an athlete’s training and nutrition routine. Be sure to follow the instructions for use on the label or product information sheet.  It’s best to work with a trainer, coach or healthcare practitioner to find the right protocol for you.

Hit a Homerun

From healthy carbohydrates, lean proteins and nutrients like creatine and beta-alanine, you have a whole array of options available to you to help support your nutrition for more power, strength and stamina on the field! Before you step up to the plate to bat, make sure you fill your plate with nutrients to help nourish you for success and optimal performance.^‡ Which Klean Athlete products will you choose to help get you game-day ready?

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References

1. The Best Fuel for Your Body Before Playing Sports. Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic. Published March 1, 2018. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/the-best-fuel-for-your-body-before-playing-sports/
2. Proteins | Nutrition.gov. www.nutrition.gov. https://www.nutrition.gov/topics/whats-food/proteins
3. University of Chicago Medicine. What young athletes should eat before and after the game. https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/forefront/pediatrics-articles/what-young-athletes-should-eat-before-and-after-the-game
4. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Protein Foods | MyPlate. www.myplate.gov. Published 2020. https://www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/protein-foods
5. Walker T, Smith J, Herrera M, et al. International Journal Of Sport Nutrition And Exercise Metabolism [serial online]. October 2010;20(5):409-417.
6. Dabidi Roshan V, et al. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2013 Jun;53(3):232-9.
7. Aaserud R, et al. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 1998 Oct;8(5 Pt 1):247-51
8. Buford et al. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2007;4(6)
9. Izquierdo M, et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2002 Feb;34(2):332-43
10. Décombaz J, et al. Amino Acids. 2012 Jul;43(1):67-76.

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By: Heidi Harris, RD-N, CD-N, LD-N

What You’ll Learn: In this blog we will discuss how sleep and athletic performance may be related and how healthy sleep hygiene can help power your peak performance.^‡

Powering Peak Performance Through Sleep:
We’ve all likely heard the phrase, “Get a good night’s rest.” This isn’t just an empty platitude, there’s significant meaning behind this saying. Sleep is an overall healthy component of any lifestyle as it helps promote healthy wellness, hormone metabolism and even immune support.¹ But, did you know that sleep and athletic performance go hand-in-hand? Physical activity has long been touted for its ability to help promote sleep quality. But, it works both ways, sleep also has been shown to help support athletic performance.^2‡

Despite these benefits, research shows that many athletes fail to obtain the recommended amount of sleep which can threaten performance. Obstacles such as training schedules, travel, stress, academic demands and even over-training can affect proper sleep.² Want to learn how you can help support your healthy sleep hygiene? Keep reading to find our why your inner athlete may want a new bedtime routine to power your peak performance through healthy sleep.^‡

Sleep, Recovery & Overall Health:
Sleep is an essential component of health and overall well-being.² Along with sleep being an integral part of any athlete’s rest and recovery, research supports that increased sleep duration and quality of sleep are associated with improved physical performance and competitive success.^2‡            

Ultimately, sleep allows for your heart rate to slow naturally and encourages the onset of rest for your smooth muscles, allowing time for cellular and tissue repair.³ This is particularly helpful for workouts where you’ve demonstrated a high amount of physical output.^‡

Needing a little extra support for muscle relaxation? Magnesium is a mineral involved in various aspects of metabolism, with key roles in muscle contraction and relaxation.⁴ Our Klean Magnesium provides 120mg of elemental magnesium per serving. In addition to sleep, this is another way add a little extra relaxation into your sleep routine.^‡

Have you ever heard the phrase, “Let me sleep on it?”. There’s science behind this phrase too, I promise. When you sleep, you allow your brain to retain and consolidate memories. This is particularly important because as an athlete, you are constantly learning new skills, remembering new plays, memorizing new muscle movement.⁵ During sleep, these new skills and memories are better retained and maintained.⁵

Sleep & Athletic Performance:
We all know how good it feels to get a good night’s sleep. In addition to this feeling of replenishment and rest, we now know that both quality and quantity of sleep help athletes improve their peak performance.² For example, a study that measured both male and female swimmers found that those who slept for ten consecutive hours or more had faster reaction times off the starting diving blocks. Not to mention, their turn times, kick strokes and sprints were also found to be improved with longer durations of sleep.⁶ See? Extra snoozing time may lead to more than just a positive mood and less sleepiness during the day!^‡

On the flip side, inadequate sleep has also been linked to declines in performance. You may already be aware of the effects from lack of sleep. For me, I tend to have low motivation, feel sluggish and can become a grouch if I’m running on less than 8 hours of sleep. Did you know that lack of sleep can lead to irritability, drowsiness, inability to focus or pay attention and the overall feeling of being physically exhausted?⁷ This is just another way that inadequate sleep and athletic performance may contribute to hindering an athlete’s peak performance.^‡

A study found that male sprinters who didn’t receive adequate sleep on average had a decreased total sprint time.⁸ Another study found that both male and female tennis players had decreased accuracy with inadequate sleep.⁹ Now, imagine you’re a quarterback on a football team -- inaccuracy just isn’t going to fly.^‡

Another study looked at a younger population, middle and high school athletes. This study found that a lack of adequate sleep impacted their risk for injuries.¹⁰ If that was found in a younger population, you may wonder what that may mean for the older athletic individual… Instead of pondering that, I’d suggest turning down the lights and hopping into bed for a good night’s sleep.^‡

So, How Much Sleep Do You Need?
That’s a great question! The answer isn’t so easy. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the average non-active adult requires between seven to nine hours of sleep for optimal performance and health. It also notes that adolescents generally require more sleep, closer towards eight and ten hours.¹¹ However, for those who are more active, it’s been suggested that these more athletic individuals may require closer towards nine to ten hours of sleep each night. This allows for adequate recovery and adaption between bouts of exercise.¹¹

Now, let’s go back to recovery. We talked a lot about how when you sleep, you allow your body the time and ability to recover. The hormone melatonin is a key player in helping you fall asleep.¹² Research indicates that supplemental melatonin can decrease the time needed to fall asleep and support overall sleep quality. Just two sprays of our Klean Melatonin provides 3 mg of melatonin, a dose that is commonly used in clinical studies. The convenience of this travel-sized bottle means you can take it with you on-the-go!^‡

The How-To’s for Healthy Sleep Hygiene:
Healthy sleep hygiene may help cultivate an appropriate sleep environment to support the onset of sleep and help promote sleep quality. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute’s Healthy Sleep Guide, some sleep habits athletes may benefit from implementing into their bedtime routine include^‡:

• Creating a dark, cool and quiet sleeping space.¹³
• Skip the alcoholic beverage or caffeine late in the day. Instead choose a glass of water or our Klean Hydration to help promote optimal adequate hydration.^‡ This way, you can avoid disrupted sleep associated with alcohol and caffeine intake.¹³
• Limit those electronics such as TV, cellphones and laptops before bed. These electronics can effect your circadian rhythm which in-turn may affect the quality of your sleep.¹³
• Create a bedtime routine that helps you limit the chaos in your mind and help alleviate occasional stress during the day. Helping yourself relax for the evening may include practices such as reading, meditation or even taking a nice warm shower or bath to help you find your calm.^13‡

Power-Up During the Day & Wind-Down during the Night:
Have I convinced you yet to change up your bedtime routine? Sleep and athletic performance are closely related. Creating a healthy sleep routine and acquiring adequate quantity of sleep have been shown to support peak athletic performance.² We will do our part here at Klean Athlete to provide you with the most up-to-date scientifically-backed research for nutritional supplements meant to optimize your peak performance. Now you can do your part and utilize the information we shared with you to help you optimize your sleep hygiene, encouraging you one step closer to peak physical performance.^‡

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References:

1. Spiegel, K., et al. Brief communication: Annals of internal medicine, 141(11), 846–850
2. Watson AM. Sleep and Athletic Performance. Curr Sports Med Rep. 413-418.
3. MedlinePlus: National Library of Medicine (US). https://medlineplus.gov/healthysleep.html
4. Siebrecht S. OM & Ernahrung. 2013 Jan;Nr. 144
5. Brain basics: Understanding sleep. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Understanding-Sleep
6. Vitale, K. C., et al. (2019). International Journal of Sports Medicine, 40(8), 535–543. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31288293/. 
7. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/sleep-deprivation.
8. Skein, M., et al. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 43(7), 1301–1311. https://journals.lww.com/00005768-201107000-00022
9. Reyner LA, et al. Physiol Behav. 2013 Aug 15;120:93-6 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23916998/
10. Milewski MD, et al. J Pediatr Orthop. 2014 Mar;34(2):129-33. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25028798/
11. Watson, A. Current Sports Medicine Reports 16(6):p 413-418
12. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/melatonin-what-you-need-to-know
13. Your Guide to Healthy Sleep. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/resources/your-guide-healthy-sleep

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The Axeon Hagens Berman Cycling Team, sponsored by Klean Athlete, made quite a splash during the month of May with daily stellar performances at its biggest race of the season, the Amgen Tour of California, followed by a stunning victory by Greg Daniel in the USA Cycling professional road race.*

But with only eight starting spots available in any given race, half of the team is not grabbing the spotlight or making headlines. Those riders are toiling behind the scenes and training hard to achieve their own moments of success.

Meet Chad Young, one of those riders on Axeon Hagens Berman who has played a supporting role in some of the team's successes this season. And while his teammates were tearing it up in California or at the national championships in North Carolina, the 20-year-old from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, was watching those performances on TV or via live stream from his training base in Golden, Colorado.



[caption id="attachment_3064" align="alignnone" width="700"] Photo © Davey Wilson • https://www.daveywilson.com[/caption]

"Since I had been with some of those guys earlier this year at training camp and at some of early-season races like the San Dimas Stage Race or the Redlands Bicycle Classic or at the Joe Martin Stage Race, I knew there was the potential for some killer performances," Young said. "It was great being part of the winning team at Redlands, and seeing Neilson Powless (who would go on to be the "best young rider" in California) come into his own was really incredible."

Young has come a long way himself. After earning a mechanical engineering degree from the Colorado School of Mines – a rarity for cyclists aiming to reach the professional ranks – he scored a pair of top 10 finishes at nationals. That earned him a role as a stagiaire (essentially a "pro team tryout") for the USA Pro Challenge, a major race in Colorado. It was his performance there that earned him a roster spot with Axeon Hagens Berman this season.

Stepping up to one of the world's top development teams – run by former professional and Olympic cycling medalist Axel Merckx – meant fine-tuning his training and recovery routines. One of the first steps toward that goal came when Axeon Hagens Berman Head Soigneur Reed McCalvin brought him some Klean Athlete nutritional supplements after the USA Pro Challenge last August. Since then, Young has come to rely heavily on two staples of Klean products: Klean Recovery, a chocolate-flavored powder drink; and Klean Isolate, an unflavored clean whey protein that is used to enhance daily protein and amino acid intake.^‡

"Before Klean, I did not use any recovery of any sort," Young said. "Now it is part of my regular training routine. And it's not only good for my recovery, it also tastes great, too."

Young said he reaped another benefit of using Klean products after undergoing two urine tests and one blood test as part of anti-doping protocol. Having the piece of mind that Klean Athlete's entire line of nutritional supplements are tested and certified through its partner, NSF International, and the prestigious NSF Certified for Sport® program, was reassuring, he said.

"Just this week, I was in a sporting goods store to buy a foam roller and they were selling a big canister of ‘get ripped quick’ protein powder for 30 bucks," Young said. "That is not exactly confidence-inspiring. So I am glad I am benefiting from Klean in a number of ways."

Young is rapidly closing in on his own goal race of the year: the USA Cycling Amateur Road National Championships in Louisville, Kentucky. There, he plans to compete in three events: the road race, time trial and criterium. Last year, he produced top 10 finishes in both the road race and the time trial.

"I talked to my coach this week and we are going to do some focused time trial training," Young said. "In the road race, if I cannot be in the top five then hopefully I can make an intense impact on the race for one of my teammates."

[caption id="attachment_3065" align="alignnone" width="700"] Photo © Davey Wilson • https://www.daveywilson.com[/caption]

But right now, Young and teammate Jonny Brown are in to Wisconsin to compete in the "Tour of America's Dairyland," a series of criteriums held over 10 days.

"It is a good way to rest and relax and race without stress and a fun way to prepare for nationals," Young said. "Training can get monotonous, but criteriums are always fun and exciting.

"Ten days of racing is pretty high-intensity and you are definitely tired at the end of every day. So it is important to not lose ground on my recovery game as the races progress. If you recover badly after every race for 10 days, the last race will be much harder than if you had just been taking your Klean products."

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You can follow Chad and the Axeon Hagens Berman Cycling Team on:

Twitter – www.twitter.com/axeonhb
Facebook – www.facebook.com/axeonhb
Instagram – www.instagram.com/axeonhb

By Lava Magazine Editor Susan Legacki

"The Klean Athlete line of nutritional supplements is geared toward athletes’ unique nutritional needs, as well as ensuring that nothing they put inside them contains a banned substance. There have been a few high-profile cases in the triathlon world of a pro athlete consuming a product and then testing positive because it had something in it not listed on the label that was in fact a WADA-banned substance. In order to meet the tough standards of the NSF Certified for Sport label, which is recognized by the NFL, MLB, NHL and PGA among other major sports organizations, Klean Athlete products undergo meticulous testing to ensure each ingredient is up to snuff.



I used the product’s entire line of seven supplements for six weeks while in the lead up to the Wildflower Long Course. While I have yet to pick a car up over my head or see through a steel door, after using the products for a few weeks I had noticeably more energy, less muscle soreness, and even some positive side effects like thicker hair and clearer skin. I used the Klean Electrolytes and Klean Endurance chews all through race day on a hotter-than-average year, and had very positive results."

Read the review by Susan Legacki by clicking HERE