"Secrets"

Leonard_JansenLeonard_Jansen Charter Member
edited July 2012 in General Discussion
It occurs to me that many swimmers may know something that they use for their swims, but haven't seen mentioned elsewhere. If you want to share a "secret" like that, feel free to put it here. For myself, I like to give away most of what I know with the idea that as other people improve, I have to think more to find better ways of doing things. (Not that I'm any threat to steal anyone's glory.) I'm making NO CLAIM to being the originator of any idea I put up here, but as I said, anything here by me is something that I haven't seen before. That said...

"Secret" #1: I have had a certain amount of success (keep in mind, "success" is relative) with using digestive enzymes before/during long swims or races. I look for vegetarian ones that contain enzymes to help digest protein, carbs and fat, although they usually have a bunch of other stuff in them too. It seems to help (me) getting slightly more energy from my drinks, attenuates some stomach upset and it also seems to help keep down the dreaded maltodextrin gas. Since I usually take a drink 10-15 minutes before a swim/race, I take one capsule right then and then about every 4 hours thereafter. What I wouldn't do is mix it into the drink more than a minute or two ahead of it being consumed as it might start to break things down outside the stomach.

If any one plays with this, please post some feedback. I'd love to know if has any validity outside my fevered imagination.

-LBJ

“Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” - Oscar Wilde

Comments

  • Leonard_JansenLeonard_Jansen Charter Member
    Secret #2: How to keep your no-fog goggles working for YEARS. A lot of people buy no-fog goggles and they work well for a little while, but has the no-fog stuff gets dirty it starts to lose the magic anti-fogging ability. Some people soak their goggles in a mixture of something like Dawn dish detergent and water to clean them. This works, but only to a point. A better approach is to use Dawn dish detergent and distilled water. Here's an even better approach, than either of those:

    Clean your no-fog goggles as follows:
    Get a plastic/glass container that will hold at least 1 liter (1+ quart) of liquid.
    Put about 1/2 teaspoon of Dawn dish detergent (use the original, non-concentrated, with NO additional magical chemicals) into the
    Put about 1/2 teaspoon of the orange hand soap that they sell at Dollar Tree. Basically, it is just Sodium Laureth Sulfate, water and Triclosan (an anti bacterial). Here is a link: http://www.dollartree.com/teachers-supplies/Classroom-Supplies/Soap-Sanitizers/Antibacterial-Liquid-Hand-Soap-Refill-24-oz-Bottles/208c404c446p309427/index.pro?method=search
    Put goggles in the container.
    Pour 1 liter of LEMON or LEMON-LIME seltzer water into the container and let it sit overnight.
    When ready to use, wash goggles well with cool water - you don't want soap in your eyes.

    The fizzing/lemon of the seltzer seems to really do a number on the dirt and usually makes the goggles quite usable. I currently have two pair that I train and race in and they are at least 4 years old, maybe 5 and still quite usable. (In fact I used one pair at END-WET and 8 Bridges.)
    One thing: The seltzer should only be seltzer water and essence of lemon/lime - no sweeteners or other crap. Example: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Vintage-Lemon-Lime-Seltzer-33.8-fl-oz/10448145

    Another way to keep goggles clean: Use an ultrasonic cleaner. I bought a cheap one (<$100) and it did work, but I actually thought the seltzer water worked better.<br>
    Things not to add to your mixture: bleach or oxyclean-type stuff, in any quantity. Been there, did that, got a ruined pair of goggles.

    -LBJ

    “Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” - Oscar Wilde

  • bobswimsbobswims Santa Barbara CACharter Member
    I'm confused about a couple of thing. After you soak the goggles do you pour the liquid in a glass with salt along the rim, or no salt?
  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member
    I've had success with Johnson's baby shampoo for my goggles. I read it somewhere, don't remember where.

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • JenAJenA Charter Member
    I have type 1 diabetes (aka juvenile diabetes). It's the kind where your immune system decides one day that insulin-producing parts of the pancreas deserve to be bullied until they stop working altogether. :)

    I see a lot of nutritional things through that lens.

    For example, the treatment for hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) is to take 15 grams of carbs, wait 15 minutes, and then test again. This suggests that most people absorb about a gram of glucose per minute. I know the absorption rates can vary (especially when you have low blood sugar).

    This is why I never anticipate consuming more than 60-70 grams of carbohydrate an hour. I sometimes wonder if over-consumption is the cause of some of the spectactular puking we see in OWS. :) If you swim for 5 hours eating 100 grams an hour, and only absorb 60/hr, you're going to have 200 grams of carb in your belly at hour 5. That's nearly half a pound of carbohydrate, plus more if you've still got liquids in there. No *wonder* you've got a tummy ache and feel nauseous!

    My experience, for what it's worth.


    Jen
  • What do you use for nutrition that you think the digestive enzymes would help with?
    I can't imagine you intake fats during your swim, so lipases are out. Most do not eat protein during a marathon swim so proteases are out. Amino acids are already monomers so they do not require digestion. Glucose and maltodextrin are the two most common carbohydrate sources. Glucose is a monomer therefore no digestion, and maltodextrin is converted to glucose so fast its relatively indistinguishable. Furthermore the enzymes have zero effect outside the stomach, meaning they can't degrade fat cells or glycogen for energy. I don't know how much you take, but if you experience a legitimate benefit (outside of placebo) it might be the added calories or uptake from the amino acids. The enzymes are themselves protein which are digested in the stomach and intestines into amino acids.
  • As I understand it, maltodextrin has a GI of 105-faster absorption than pure glucose-because it is actively pulled/pushed into the blood stream by digestive enzymes, not absorbed into the blood stream like other carbohydrates with a GI of <100.
  • Maltodextrin has a higher glycemic index due to concentration effects (osmolality). Actually, you could argue digestive enzymes would slow the process.
  • Leonard_JansenLeonard_Jansen Charter Member
    Sully wrote:
    What do you use for nutrition that you think the digestive enzymes would help with?
    I can't imagine you intake fats during your swim, so lipases are out. Most do not eat protein during a marathon swim so proteases are out. Amino acids are already monomers so they do not require digestion. Glucose and maltodextrin are the two most common carbohydrate sources. Glucose is a monomer therefore no digestion, and maltodextrin is converted to glucose so fast its relatively indistinguishable. Furthermore the enzymes have zero effect outside the stomach, meaning they can't degrade fat cells or glycogen for energy. I don't know how much you take, but if you experience a legitimate benefit (outside of placebo) it might be the added calories or uptake from the amino acids. The enzymes are themselves protein which are digested in the stomach and intestines into amino acids.

    yes, placebo is a possibility. However, I do take protein in the form of whey protein in my drinks and at least it feels like it makes that easier to digest. I also have some sucrose and fructose mixed in so perhaps it helps with that. The one thing I do swear has happened is less gas from the maltodextrin and less upset stomach - I won't pretend to know why, but it seems that way.

    Are there any controlled studies in this area?

    -LBJ

    “Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” - Oscar Wilde

  • It makes a lot more sense given you supplement with whey as well. Haven't looked through the literature in terms of endurance supplementation, but cystic fibrosis patients have been taken digestive enzymes for years. I have a friend with CF and without his enzymes has some unruly bowels. The dissacharides (fructose and sucrose) may cause some bloating so they may help there as well, not sure.
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