Episode 77 - What’s the best way to take iron supplements? | Dr Alannah McKay

Water. Carbs. Salt. Flavour. Colour. Food Acid. That’s it. Glucose:fructose ratios, high or low molecular weight polymers, hypotonic or isotonic solutions, scientifically formulated electrolyte blends, hydrogels, pH neutral, the list goes on. But with only a few ingredients and some basic levers to pull, how different are drink mixes really? Is there really a “optimal” formulation? And could you just buy the raw ingredients and make it yourself for a fraction of the cost?

Anyone who’s ever done an interval session, or a hard effort in a race, knows that feeling of fatigue setting in as you hold on for dear life. But is this really all the result of lactic acid, or is something else going on? Can the nutrition strategies used in shorter, more intense events like track cycling or rowing now be applied in longer endurance sports to get more out of ourselves during those hard efforts in training or race day? And why, at this years’ Tour de France, are we hearing stories emerge of cyclists consuming lactate, the very thing we’re told is the root cause of all that suffering?

Starchy foods like pasta, rice and potatoes are an important part of the diet for most runners, cyclists, and triathletes. But in an era of pre-packaged meals and reheated leftovers, are we really getting in the carbs we think we are? Starch retrogradation is the process when cooked starchy foods cool down again. Does this reduce the availability of those carbs? And can it be reversed by reheating the food?

It's been one of the most popular supplements of the last few years. A lot of endurance athletes take collagen regularly, but what is it for, how should it be taken, and is there evidence it lives up to the claims? We’re joined by Assistant Prof. Jorn Trommelen, a protein researcher whose lab has done some of the most recent work in this area, to answer our questions. Timestamps: 04:00 - Intro and revisiting Jorn's previous episode (Ep. 73) 12:17 - What is collagen (in the body and as a supplement)? 16:53 - The different types of collagen - does it matter? 22:20 - How did collagen become so popular as a supplement? 30:10 - Why are the supplements always hydrolysed collagen or "collagen peptides"? 31:35 - Fueling Endurance Practitioner Membership, T-12 course for athletes, eBook 33:51 - What are the theoretical reasons for taking collagen supplements? 35:28 - Do you actually need collagen or would any source of these amino acids work? 40:56 - Do you need to take Vitamin C along with collagen? 44:53 - State of scientific evidence for collagen - muscle, tendon, bone tissue. 1:01:57 - Jorn's summary and practical recommendations 1:10:11 - Wrap up

If you’re planning an ultra-distance running or cycling event, there’s a good chance you’ll be relying on support crew to help get you through it. But what makes a great support crew when it comes to nutrition? How do you best prepare them to support you? And what does success look like? To find out, we're joined by ultrarunner, sport nutritionist, and experienced support crew member, Rachel White. Timestamps: 04:11 - Rachel's experience as an athlete, crew member, and dietitian 13:20 - The main roles of support crew 21:08 - Preparing support crew before an event 39:46 - Fueling Endurance Practitioner Membership, T-12 course for athletes, eBook 42:02 - Challenges support crew may face during the event (theoretical and practical) 54:48 - Communication between athlete and crew during an event 1:02:09 - What does the optimal crewing experience look like to the athlete? 1:03:52 - Collecting athlete data during an event for post-event analysis 1:10:58 - Final thoughts from Rachel 1:13:26 - Bonus Round 1:19:34 - Wrap up