Improved Pre- and Post- Workout Drinks

Introducing the Beachbody Performance Line of Supplements

After many years Beachbody has refreshed their line of targeted sports nutrition supplements based on the latest science and has released the Performance Line consisting of 5 new mixes:

• Energize
• Hydrate
• Recover
• Recharge
• Creatine

The company provided coaches with a 40 minute training webinar on the new products and answered all the common questions you might have like “does this replace the current products?” I will summarize the key points here and add my own thoughts based on my use of the supplements so far.  (To watch the 40 minute YouTube webinar that goes into the science of how the products work CLICK HERE).

ENERGIZE (Pre-workout)

• The mechanism in Energize is about using beta-alanine to combat lactic acid buildup instead of L-arginine like E&E which works as a vaso-dilator to increase blood flow to your muscles
• Quercetin as an ingredient improves our VO2 max which is a measure of cardio and lung capacity during workouts
• Energize is not a one-shot supplement–it takes about 4 weeks of steady usage to build up in your system to get the maximum effect; prolonged use of E&E on the other hand is not advised since your body can build up a tolerance to its effects
• Recent studies since E&E came out in 2010 indicate that L-arginine really doesn’t work like previously thought, so E&E is really not as effective as we think
• Energize has low-dose caffeine where E&E has high dose; studies show low dose is just as effective as high dose; Energize uses all natural caffeine from sources like green tea extract, E&E uses synthetic caffeine
• Since L-arginine in E&E is a vaso-dilator but caffeine is a constrictor, their effects somewhat cancel each other out
• As of now I have used it for approximately 3 weeks and I do feel that my tolerance for lactic acid buildup is improving, and the amount of caffeine still wakes me up for our early morning workouts; I have used E&E for 2 years but will be switching to the new Energize

HYDRATE (New hydration mix)

• Hydrate can be used for any workout where you sweat profusely or an endurance exercise where you are sweating but may not realize it
• It is designed to give you optimal hydration balance through “osmolality” of the drink–osmolality comes from osmosis. When mixed according to the directions this product will provide a concentration to promote optimal water absorption in your body
• Sugary drinks that are too dense (low osmolality) will actually draw water out of your muscles and lead to dehydration
  
• Plain water (high osmolality) will lead to too much absorption and dilute your blood, resulting in filling up your bladder quickly (pee time)
  
• Bright yellow color is from Quercetin, the same yellow ingredient in Energize that helps your VO2 max performance
  
• Includes necessary sugar and electrolytes
• I have used Hydrate on the golf courses during hot humid days this summer.  Normally I drink plenty of plain water and I usually need to hit a bathroom almost every 4-5 holes.  With Hydrate I felt properly hydrated and can pretty much go 9 without a bathroom break 🙂 I haven’t felt a need to use it for our home workouts yet.

RECOVER (Post-workout)

• Recover is exactly opposite to what Results & Recovery Formula is; Recover is 20 g protein and 10 g carbs with not much sugar. R&R is mostly sugar with a little protein thrown in. Recover is also about half the calories of R&R.
• New studies suggest that the old science of replenishing your glycogen stores with sugar immediately after a hard workout doesn’t hold up any more; now it’s better to heavy up with a mix of slow, medium, and fast release proteins optimally at 20 g
  
• Studies also suggest you don’t need a specific ratio of carbs to protein in a post-workout drink like the 2004 study R&R was based on
  
• Recover also includes Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA’s) to help with muscle repair
  
• Pomegranate extract is added and has been shown to reduce muscle soreness
  
• I’ll be finishing up the rest of my R&R and closing the book on the orange creamsicle treat 🙁

RECHARGE (Overnight)

• Recharge is primarily casein protein powder which is the classic bedtime protein shake mix for body builders
• Casein is the slow-digesting protein that comes from milk, the other component from milk being the fast-digesting whey protein that most protein products use
• By consuming casein protein right before bed your body gets a slow drip of protein into its system for many hours overnight, and this goes right to muscle growth and repair
  
• Recharge also includes tart cherry which has been shown to reduce muscle soreness
  
• The flavor is vanilla with a hint of cherry, much sweeter than vanilla Shakeology
• I will start using this regularly during our next round of P90X or Body Beast when I am focusing on adding muscle

CREATINE

• The new Creatine mix is the highest purity Creatine Monohydrate available on the market today
• It is best taken with protein and carbohydrates, and after workouts as opposed to before workouts
• Creatine supplements increase our own naturally occurring muscle creatine levels which are used to produce muscle energy during workouts
• It is good for both resistance workouts as well as high intensity cardio workouts, and for both men and women
• If you are trying to lose weight then it is not recommended as creatine is known for increasing water retention
• There is no plan to discontinue the Body Beast Max Creatine, but the new Creatine is higher purity.

RELATED: Should Women Take Creatine?

Which Ones Are Right For You?

It can be confusing which of the new supplements are right for your specific needs, but there is a handy product recommender on the Performance Line website to help you select, or you can refer to this simple graphic:

All products are available individually, but Beachbody has packaged several combinations together at a discount:

1. Performance Stack:  Energize + Recover
2. Advanced Performance Stack:  Energize + Hydrate + Recover + Recharge
3. Ultimate Performance Stack:  Energize + Hydrate + Recover + Recharge + Creatine
4. Performance Flavor Sampler:  1 single serving packet of all 5 supplements

Order any product including the Performance Stacks on Home Direct and save on shipping charges.

Energize Product Label (pdf)

Hydrate Product Label (pdf)

Recover Product Label (pdf)

Recharge Product Label (pdf)

Creatine Product Label (pdf)

Dr. Alamdari Discusses the Science Behind the Performance Line (41 min video)