By Brian Maslach
Most people know Beta Red Pre-Workout Formula is great for boosting performance, but I've rarely spoken about its effect on recovery. I was thus presently surprised when Elite MTB XC athlete, and Enduro Bites ambassador, Erin Osborne reached out to me with the following comment.
I have noticed that it (Beta Red) really helps me with recovery, just as much as hard interval workouts. I didn't drink it the week or so leading up to Iron Horse because I "just" had subLT work, but my legs were not recovering as fast as they were when I was drinking it before interval days.
Like Erin, I've felt improved recovery while drinking Beta Red regularly. I've even begun drinking a serving after intense training sessions to speed recovery and I consistently feel and perform better the following day. I usually experience the fatigue cloud from my workout lift within an hour after drinking it.
While I don't know the exact mechanism, my theory is that it speeds recovery by oxygenating fatigued muscle and allowing better nutrient supply due to increased circulation. If this is the case, it may help get post-workout protein and carbohydrates to fatigued muscle more effectively so they are utilized more efficiently.
Oddly enough, I initially began drinking Beta Red Orange after hard workouts because I was craving the taste. I quickly came to realize I felt more refreshed after doing so.
If you decide to give this a try, I recommend 1 scoop within 30 minutes of training or racing. I prefer to do this prior to or with my post-workout meal since I want to do everything possible to direct these nutrients to fatigued muscle.
If you try this, or already have done so, I'd like to hear how it works for you. Please leave a comment below.