Nutrition study takes to the road

A top Danish cycling team is helping out in a study to investigate the impact of whey protein and carbohydrate on muscle recovery

Preparing for this year’s Tour of Denmark will be only one of the objectives when a professional Danish cycling team goes on an intensive training camp this July. Behind the scenes, the riders will also serve as a rolling research laboratory in a major sports nutrition study.
Team Designa Køkken – Blue Water is participating in the project in collaboration with Arla Foods Ingredients, ACTIVE Institute* and the Department of Sport Science at Aarhus University.
Critical muscle recovery
The aim is to investigate the hypothesis that a combination of hydrolysed whey proteins and carbohydrates can speed up muscle recovery after intensive exercise.
Performance tests
Arla Foods Ingredients has developed test products as the whey protein/carbohydrate sports drink and protein bar for daily consumption by the team’s riders during 2010. Physiological tests of the riders’ performance will be carried out in the ACTIVE Institute test centre before, during and after the study period.
At the training camp, the riders will be divided into two groups. One group will replace the test whey protein/carbohydrate drink with a traditional carbohydrate sports drink, while the other will continue with the test product. The riders’ physiological profile and performance will then be compared.
Effective from day one
The partners behind the project are hopeful of a clear performance improvement in the group taking the whey protein/carbohydrate drink. There’s little doubt that this year’s Tour of Denmark will have their attention.
Tour of Denmark 2010 runs from 4-8 August and is the nation’s biggest annual sporting event.

* ACTIVE Institute aims to promote the scientific and commercial potential of Danish sports and physical activity knowledge to an internationally recognised level. The organisation focuses on driving innovation through cooperative partnerships between companies, organisations, public institutions and research bodies.