Ski Supplements

A snowHead

Hi Guys,

Looking for a quick bit of feedback on ski supplements. Basically a friend of mine who is a great nutritionist and personal trainer is looking at possibily launching a ski supplement range. It would be something in the morning that would wake you up and help reduce fatigue in the leg muscles, something in the middle of the day to do the same plus give an energy boost, and something for afterwards to promote recovery. The idea behind this is that you could ski harder and longer with less fatigue and ultimately give you more value for money in your ski holiday as you will get more out of your 1 or 2 weeks a year.

So what are your thoughts? Would you use it? Do you need it? How much would you pay for it? Also, how many of you are already supplement takers for other sports? Any thoughts/feedback appreciated.

Cheers NB.

A snowHead

Basically exerting the human body beyond what its naturally designed for.....

Quote.

Supplements can be a safe part of a healthy, balanced diet, if taken correctly in proper amounts with the full knowledge of a medical professional. They should not, however, be taken in place of a good diet, nor should they be taken if you are taking specific prescribed medications. They also not not be looked upon as “wonder drugs” that can radically improve your health or sports performance. In most cases, eating right – tied in with exercising sensibly, getting plenty of sleep and drinking enough water, should be all that you need.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I agree with stanton, a good diet will do all that is necessary. If you then try to keep pushing harder, the limit you will reach is your fitness level not any lack of nutrients and the result will be injury or worse.
Leave supplements out of recreational skiing (and be very wary even in competitive skiing).

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stanton, beequin, ditto.

But there will always be someone who will.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

beer . . .nuff said rolling eyes

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Masque, don't forget the neurophen

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In most cases extreme sports do take out alot out of your body and some times it is necessary to supplement your diet. In my case I have been boxing and training combat martial arts for 15 yrs and it is necessary to take some supps. Calcium, cod liver oil, glucosamine, vit C (500mg) are needed but not daily. My body normally tells me what I need but generally I take calcium twice a week, CLO 3 times a week and vit C 1 or 2 times a week depends how much fruit and juice I have had. When snowboarding I would normally do a course of glucosamine for a month, calcium and CLO 3-4 times during the week. Oh and a daily intake of beer.

As far as a specific supp for skiing/ snowboarding I don't think it would be successful especially if needed 3 times a day. A mars bar while on the mountain will give you a great boost as would dried fruit and plenty of water. Also if you sweat alot you would need to replace your body salts but before you all run for the salt shaker for your chips, you get plenty of natural salts in water, vegetables that you don't need the extra salt. In some extreme cases you can take salt tablets as do some pros. I hope this helps a little.

After all it is free

Think I might stick to food and drink, myself. Old fashioned, I know, but it works for me.

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Its amazing how many people forget that skiing is a strenuous sport performed at altitude - many people struggle because they're not fit and are dehydrated.
Exercise before you go and drink lots of water!

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If you have to have a diet which relies regularly on stuff out of bottles (other than water and alcohol) or blister packs, you need to rethink your lifestyle.

Morning - strong coffee, ham, cheese, bread

Energy boost - hot chocolate

Recovery - beer, copious quantities

You could swap the beer and hot choc round. That way you would ski harder and faster in the afternoon as the OP desires but I don't want to get anyone started on the merits or otherwise of drink skiing... wink

You know it makes sense.

About £20 per flight but can vary enormously.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

A snowHead

I would imagine having aa supplement available for recreational skiing that says things like 'reduce fatigue in the leg mucles' could then increase the risk of injury on the slopes, as those people who haven't exercised or warmed up before the trip, or at the start of the day would expect their bodies to perform miracles in place of good diet and training. If your legs are tired, take a beer or hot chocolate break! You're far more likely to get an injury when you're tired, as everyone knows.

I'm not sure I can see the market opportunity here, to be honest. If you visit Snow and Rock you'll see plenty of calcium tablets, and glucose tablets that people can already buy.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

For us having a hot choc, beer and wonderfull mountainfood is half of the reason and enjoyment of a skiing holiday! Only supplements we do are hipflask and wonderfull swiss chocolate. All about enjoyment, not necessarily performance.
Maybe your market should be for more serious/ professional skiers?

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Supplement for the punter = gimmick. I'm sure you could sell them to mugs but really people get knackered because they are out of condition, unacclimatised or have poor technique. No magic pill will help this apart from vitamin I of course.

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NomadicBoo, anyone can call themselves a nutritionist - and they frequently do - usually with absolutely no evidence for their claims.

"something in the morning that would wake you up and help reduce fatigue in the leg muscles" is drinking less and not overdoing it the day before, and warming up properly.
"something in the middle of the day to do the same plus give an energy boost" is a sensible meal
"something for afterwards to promote recovery" is warming down, perhaps a swim and not caning it in the evening.

Will your mate choose something that is actually proven in double-blind trials to be of benefit? Probably not I guess Wink

But hey ho - plenty of skiers have more money than sense and perhaps think you could buy fitness - and God made sheep to be shawn... Toofy Grin

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Zardoz- Notwax is the best ski supliment I've found wink

After all it is free

Of course, I always implement a sound training plan 3 months before I go skiing, always warm up and down at the start and end of each day, and take sensible meal breaks throughout the day. If I'm out for longer than a few weeks, I always rest for a few days to give my muscles recovery time, and would never ski if my legs were tired. I never get injured because I stupidly overdo it, or ski with a screaming hangover from the night before, and never take short sharp sugar overloads to compensate for my lack of respect for my muscles and joints.

ahem...

Laughing

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My understanding is that there is no clinical evidence for the effectiveness of glucosamine for joints, only anecdotal.

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If it helped recovery then that would be the main thing, IMV...but I would think you would need to take it at night before bed, IMV

Rest and intake need time IMO

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I find the one in the Sunday Times to be the best...

You know it makes sense.

JT, The night time stuff seems to do what it says on the packet IME, with far less DOMS early on in a trip, and better sleep patterns at altitude.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

snowqueen11, like us all eh? Blush

A snowHead

richmond, yep, an early trial suggested 20% of patients with arthritis of the knee had some pain reduction compared with placebo. Recent trials have been less impressive...

Not sure it has been tested on skiers - might be the mutts nuts.

A snowHead

Something in the morning that would wake you up and help reduce fatigue in the leg muscles: Nurofen Plus and a coffee.
Something in the middle of the day to do the same plus give an energy boost: Chocolate bar, hot chocolate, sugary sweets, water from Camelbak.
Something for afterwards to promote recovery: Beer. Lots of cold beer. Always makes me feel great after a hard day on the slopes!
Repeat until end of holiday.

I seriously believe that the absolute best thing you can do to combat fatigue during a ski trip is to drink plenty of water throughout the day, and stay off fizzy drinks as they do no good at all. I'm not saying there aren't some supplements which could be taken which are probably very safe as I'm sure there are, but by far the best item of equipment I ever bought in this field for skiing was my Camelbak which enables me to very easily keep myself hydrated all throughout the day, and I've noticed my energy levels are so much better for it. I personally wouldn't want to take supplements to aid my ski fitness, as I don't use them for the various other sporting activities I do. But that's just my personal choice.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Thanks everyone for the replies. I have sent my friend the link and he has been through it. He also says thanks for all the input. He had this to say

"Cheers dude, looking at that it looks as though a lot of people are anti-supplements, which is to be expected, as a lot of people still misunderstand their benefits. That's the attitude we're hoping will gradually go given that more information will be on the market soon. If you get a chance, could you mention that supps arent designed to make up for a shoddy diet, or a lack of fitness. They would be used to make the most out of having a good diet and having trained hard before going skiing. A lot of time and investment goes into a skiing holiday so it seems sensible to make the most of those commitments, by maximising everything. And, to be frank, anyone who says their nutrition habits are perfect whilst skiing is lying! It'd be near impossible to eat as many calories as you would need to recover fully, along with enough protein without having real control of your diet (most people are relying on chalets hosts etc). No need to ram the point home though, as I guess it's these misconceptions regarding supplement use that we need to try to gently break down if we want to be successful in any business concerning them".

And before everyone starts flaming me - These are not my points - I am just the messenger! Any rubbish off any of you and I will start another suggest me a ski thread or bump up the who owns Spyder gear thread. Very Happy

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NomadicBoo, not got a problem with any of that....

I equate 6 days of certain type of skiing with playing 6 football games ..and the body cannot cope with that...
Sure, you can do it but it becomes about managing the days when you feel less than great...or positively tired.

I would be interested in a regime that started the previous evening with a drink and lots of rest but we can't or don't do that on holiday..

I'd think you would have to top up your energy levels right after skiing..whereas most have a beer.. go for a suana and/or massage, eat well and get to bed not at all late...
but it is a holiday too and we accept the odd off day...

I'd give your mates efforts a go...

After all it is free

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Hey...Anyone heard of ORBANA on here? It's a sports healthy energy drink,hydration drink and recovery drink all in one without using a single ounce of caffeine,sweeteners or preservatives.

This is the choice for us..... no more... bottles of coloured liquid that resemble something you may wash your windscreen with!!

Check out www.orbana.com

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