Science in Sport - Overnight Protein & Caffeine Shots - Fuelled by Science
Science in Sport. Science in general. A very interesting subject that helps us to get to grips with the human body, how it works, how it performs and why it does what it does in given situations. In recent years, science has become integral in sport performance, especially at an elite and professional level. Marginal gains. Something you may have heard of. It's basically the art of doing lots of little things that will add up to bettering yourself.
In 1992, Science in Sport was founded in London. SiS, as they are known, are now one of the worlds leading sports nutrition brands. They have a manufacturing facility in Nelson, Lancashire (wonderful county!) and they currently have three main product ranges; SiS GO, SiS REGO and PROTEIN.
The Caffeine shots are under the SiS GO bracket, while the overnight protein, as you might have guessed, is under the PROTEIN product range.
First of all, protein. I've tried the odd protein supplement in the past, many years ago, they've never really been something I felt like I needed due to getting a decent amount of protein in my diet already. They are a supplement, so something to add to your diet if you think you're missing a bit, or to top up on your protein if you're in a rush. Definitely not meal replacement, I cannot stress this enough. You may feel full after a shake, but that's what protein does, makes you feel full. As the product says, overnight protein, this is a great addition to the range.
A lot of people seem to feel hungry just before bed, often opting for toast or cereal, maybe another alternative snack but with the overnight protein, you can't really go wrong. I went for the cookies & cream flavour. Delightful. I remember when protein powders used to all taste pretty similar and their apparent "flavour" was nothing of the sort, even if you used milk with it! Thankfully those days are long gone, and, if you like the traditional cookies & cream flavour then I'd definitely opt for this one.
The slow digesting protein allows you to maintain muscle mass overnight, while eliminating the obvious unpractical need to feed yourself protein in the middle of the night (some people do actually do this!), as the recommended 20g-25g per 3 to 4 hours will obviously be missed on an 8 hour sleep. It's recommend to consume the shake around 1 hour before going to bed, giving it time to settle before you lay down...I wouldn't recommend consuming and then getting straight in to bed, the same with any food or drink!
After using nearly the full tub since I ordered, I have found some huge improvements with my recovery rates and also I have become visibly leaner in appearance, which has therefore improved my running times and fitness in general. I am not claiming that the overnight protein has 100% contributed to this, of course it hasn't, but as mentioned before, I am a great believer in marginal gains and I think the overnight protein has been beneficial for me over the past 6 weeks or so.
It is currently available in 3 flavours; Cookies & Cream, Chocolate or Vanilla.
Shake before sunset. Perfect.
Next up, the SiS GO caffeine shots.
Caffeine is something that a lot of people rely upon, increasingly so in the modern day, where time seems to be at a premium with people's lives becoming ever so busy.
It provides added focus and concentration when you need it most. Before activity, or even during, if the said activity is of considerable duration, likely to be 2 hours plus. I know when I considered the caffeine shots, my initial thought was their role for my midweek races. If I finish work at 4:30pm, I'll be home at 5pm and then my race will likely be around 7pm / 7:15pm which doesn't really give me a window of time to eat anything that would provide enough fuel to race. This is where the caffeine shot played its part.
With 150mg of caffeine per shot (2 max per day recommended!), they provide you with plenty to boost your senses and give you that required alertness and focus. I found that it didn't give me that jittery and jumpy sensation that some caffeine based products will. That's not a nice feeling and rather than being a benefit, it then becomes a hindrance, thankfully SiS have got it spot on.
Travelling to the Hebden Bridge fell race straight from work - Caffeine shot & hydration
I have used them on several mid week races now, finding them very beneficial. I took them around 30-40 minutes before the race start, just to give me the boost on time. After 15-20 minutes warm up, I was ready to go and felt refreshed. With the mid week races being quite short, normally less than one hour, I had no need to use one during the runs, so unfortunately I haven't tested them mid-race, yet!
I used one before the Hebden Bridge fell race and also before Blackstone Edge fell race. I had great performances at both, as said before, I wouldn't claim purely due to the products but as a firm believer in marginal gains, I'm sure the shots contributed to my performances. They definitely didn't hold me back, anyway! That can only be a good thing, right?!
In terms of caffeine consumption, I can't say I am a consumer of that much of it. I don't really drink tea or coffee and high caffeine energy drinks are something that aren't suitable for me due to their usual off the radar sugar content (not all are high sugar, of course). So, the SiS GO caffeine shots are ideal for me, with low sugar and what seems to be the ideal level of caffeine.
Available in two flavours at the moment; Tropical or Cola. Also available in 12 packs or as single shots, which I think is a great option for those of you who are unsure of the impact that 150mg of caffeine may have on you.
Available here - http://www.scienceinsport.com/uk/shop-sis/go-range?product_type=158
Ready to try my first caffeine shot before Blackstone Edge
All in all, I think both the overnight protein and the caffeine shots both have a place in my current nutrition range. If my performances continue to improve as they are, they will definitely both be included for a long time to come.
SiS, you seem to have gotten it spot on!
The caffeine shots seem to have got my creative juices flowing, too!
Comments
Post a Comment