Looking for a way to give your muscles a bit of a zing, so you can improve your times ?
But you want to do it SAFELY ! And LEGALLY.
Research from Ithaca College shows Popeye, the Sailor Man, knew a thing or two, about improving muscle performance – Popeye got his muscle power from spinach.
The muscle enhancing magic ingredient is betaine.
Riding like the wind
The researchers sort out the help of a couple of regular college students. These guys were not fitness buffs, certified mean lean well oiled body machines, they were regular Joes (9) and Jolenes (7). The 16 student volunteers were willing and able, to hop on a bicycle and RIDE….. like the wind.
Since getting college age students, to EAT THEIR GREENS, can be a challenge, the Popeye experiment relied on a supplement to load up the student’ muscles with betaine. Each student was required to consume a carbo loaded beverage with/without betaine for a week, before the BIG RIDE. Each student did the BIG RIDE twice, once with the betaine and once without. The rides were three weeks apart so researchers could be sure there was no residual muscle effect.
NOTE : Spinach tastes a little grassy, the betaine used in this study was in the form of a tasteless powder, so students were not in the know, as to which version of the drink they were taking.
The betaine boost
The betaine laced juice improved performance. On the occasions when the volunteers consumed 2.5 g of betaine the week before the cycling time trial…………….they rode like the WIND.
Well, nearly.
The daily dose of betaine did bump up their performance on average, by 5.5 %.
Probably not enough to turn them into a Tour de France winner, but enough to shave a few seconds off their time.
And potentially beat a betaine free rival, without being accused of CHEATING.
Weekend workouts with a zing
So if you’re a weekend sport enthusiast RUNNING against the clock.
Give yourself a boost.
Create a little winning body chemistry by supplementing with a betaine the week before your BIG COMPETITION.
PS. On the day of the time trial, load up with an extra strong cup of coffee just before the starting gun – caffeine can fuel up muscles more efficiently.
Further reading
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| A banana will slip you across the finish line stocked | The winners of MOUSE SURVIVOR don’t eat added sugar | Chocolate milk is the best sports drink on the market |
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