Lars D’Hollander – Van Avermaet

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Isotonic drinks are most effective when you are engaged in a sporting activity that lasts for longer than 60 minutes or that makes you sweat intensely. They can help by replacing the fluids, electrolytes and carbohydrates that you have lost, which is essential for maintaining your energy levels and improving your hydration during long periods of physical effort. You can best consume your isotonic drink before or during this effort, depending on your needs for hydration and energy.

The ‘loading phase’ with creatine helps to build up the creatine reserves in your muscles more quickly. This is achieved by ingesting a higher dosage of creatine during the first 5 to 7 days of use (usually 20 grams per day, spread over 4 intakes). This ensures that the muscles rapidly become saturated with creatine, so that you can enjoy its benefits – such as increased strength/power and better performance in short and intensive physical activities – at a faster than normal rate. After the loading phase, the dosage is reduced to 5 grams per day to keep the concentration of creatine at the optimal level. This is known as the ‘maintenance phase’.

Yes, some people experience a tingling or itchy sensation after taking beta-alanine. This is known as paraesthesia and is perfectly normal. The tingling or itchiness is temporary and is caused by the manner in which the beta-alanine acts on the nerves. This is nothing that you should be worried about and the symptoms usually disappear after a short time. To prevent this reaction, we recommend that you split the daily dosage of 6 grams between 4 intakes of 1.5 grams.

Plant-based protein can certainly be sufficient for the needs of top sportsmen and women, providing it is taken in sufficient quantities and with sufficient variety. By combining different plant-based protein sources (such as peas, rice and hemp), it is possible to obtain a complete amino acid profile. However, it is important to ensure that your total protein intake is correctly adjusted to reflect the intensity of your training, your speed of recovery and your body weight.