- Intra Workout is a sports drink designed to be used during exercise.
- The active ingredients include carbohydrates, amino acids and electrolytes.
- It is suitable for performance support and improving muscle recovery after training.
Intra Workout is a sports drink to be taken during exercise or other sporting activities. Thanks to its complex composition, it not only supports athletic performance but also accelerates recovery, facilitating the building or maintenance of muscle mass. What substances make up Intra Workout, and what function do they have in the drink?
Carbohydrates play the main role: performance support and glycogen replenishment
The main active ingredients of Intra Workout include carbohydrates in various forms. These serve as the main fuel for muscles during physical activity. Although muscles have a significant supply of carbohydrates in the form of muscle glycogen, especially for longer and more demanding sports,it increases physical performance ( ACSM, 2009).
What types of carbohydrates should you optimally replenish? There is no universal answer to this; however, we can refer to the 2014 Jeukendrup study:
For workouts lasting up to two hours, it is not necessary to supplement with more than 30g of carbohydrates per hour of exercise; in fact, even less is often sufficient, depending on the intensity of the exercise. On the other hand, for very long and demanding workouts, you should supplement with more carbohydrates, which is why it is preferable to reach for an ionic drink instead of Intra Workout.
Adequate carbohydrate intake during physical exercise helps conserve glycogen stores in the liver, thus delaying the possible onset of hypoglycaemia and associated fatigue (Gonzales J.T. et al., 2016). A 2007 RCT study showed that carbohydrates ingested during exercise could be used by muscle cells (particularly fast twitch muscle fibres IIa) as an energy source, thus conserving energy stores in the muscles as well (De Bock K. et al., 2007).
Preferred carbohydrate sources during exercise
Fast carbohydrate sources such as glucose or sucrose are suitable, and for very long exercise sessions, it is worth taking fructose in addition, as it allows a higher amount of carbohydrate to enter the body due to its different absorption pattern (Jentjens R. et al., 2004). These three types of sugars are efficiently absorbed (Shi X. et al., 2010) and used by the muscles as an energy source during exercise (Baker L.B. et al., 2014).
An interesting option is cyclic dextrins (e.g., Cluster Dextrin™, SusCarb™, etc.), which, due to their high molecular weight, increase the osmolality of the beverage only minimally and place significantly less burden on the stomach compared to other carbohydrates ingested during exercise (Takii H. et al., 2005).
In addition to a simple carbohydrate source, cyclic dextrins may have an ergogenic effect. For example, a 2014 study concluded that compared to regular maltodextrin, cyclic dextrins lead to lower perceived fatigue during athletic performance (Furuyashiki T. et al., 2014).
Protein source or essential amino acids: why take them during exercise?
One of the main differences between an ionic drink and Intra Workout is the inclusion of protein or free essential amino acids. These components help increase the positive protein balance in the body even during exercise, which means better recovery and more efficient muscle growth (van Loon L., 2014). Protein intake during exercise allows amino acids to reach the muscles faster compared to post‑exercise consumption, boosting protein synthesis during exercise and facilitating faster recovery, especially in the first hours after physical activity.
For example, a 2008 study observed that the addition of protein (about 10g for a 70kg person) increased protein synthesis during exercise by nearly 50% compared to a pure carbohydrate drink (Beelen M. et al., 2008). Some studies also suggest that using essential amino acids during exercise results in more efficient delivery to the muscles, as the muscles are better vascularised during exercise, allowing for a more efficient supply of nutrients (Tipton K.D. et al., 2001).
Interestingly, this effect has also been observed in ultra‑endurance athletes (Koopman R. et al., 2004). Thus, taking a combination of carbohydrates and protein during multi‑hour exercise is an effective strategy to prevent muscle catabolism and promote muscle mass maintenance.
Protein or essential amino acids?
Studies on protein intake during exercise use both free essential amino acids and complete proteins in standard or hydrolysed form, most commonly of dairy origin. Complete proteins in the form of easily digestible protein drinks must be digested before absorption, which slows their transport to the muscles. However, they have a neutral taste, and, thanks to their high molecular weight, they hardly increase the osmolality of the drink, making them better tolerated by many athletes.
In contrast, essential amino acids do not need to be digested and are absorbed immediately. They reach the muscles faster but at the cost of a specific taste. Both options seem to be effective strategies to provide the body with a source of amino acids to support recovery during and after exercise. Personally, I recommend trying both sources and then evaluating which is easier for you to digest.
You can also use Intra Workout during a race or match
A 2020 meta-analysis looked at, among other things, whether adding protein to a carbohydrate‑containing sports drink can lead to increased performance (Nielsen L. et al., 2020). Whey protein was used as the protein source in most cases, and two types of physical tests were examined:
- Time To Exhaustion (TTE): This is a type of stress test where the athlete is monitored to see how long they can sustain a certain intensity of exercise. A total of 9 RCT studies have been looked at and have shown that taking a combination of protein and carbohydrates during exercise positively affected performance. In a 2004 study by Saunders, participants lasted 29‑40% longer compared to a control group that took only carbohydrates (Saunders M.J. et al., 2004).
- Time Trial (TT = Time Trial): This is a type of stress test closer to an actual race, where the time it takes an athlete to complete a predetermined distance is monitored. Analysis of a total of 14 RCT studies has shown a moderately positive effect on reducing the time required to complete the exercise.
Currently, the simultaneous use of easily absorbed carbohydrates and protein during exercise versus carbohydrates alone appears to have a positive effect on athletic performance. This may be due to lower muscle damage during exercise.
If you decide to use Intra Workout during a race or match, it is advisable to test this sports drink in similar conditions beforehand. It should still be remembered that Intra Workout is a complex drink and sensitivity to the individual ingredients can vary greatly between individuals.
Why is it advisable to also think about electrolyte supplementation?
Electrolytes refer to minerals in ionic form, with sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and chlorine ions being among the most important in the human body. Electrolytes are lost through perspiration, so if they are not sufficiently replenished, electrolyte imbalances, cramps, fatigue and a drop in physical performance can occur.
In terms of electrolyte replenishment during exercise, sodium and potassium cations are the most important and are lost through sweating (Baker L.B., 2017). Smaller losses are associated with magnesium and calcium. During strenuous sports performance, it is worth supplementing electrolytes in the form of salt tablets, ionic drinks or Intra Workout.
Sodium and hydration support during exercise
In addition to preventing electrolyte imbalances, sodium promotes water retention in the body and, therefore, proper hydration. For example, in a 2016 RCT study, it was shown that sodium supplementation promoted body hydration and improved athletic performance during a race (Coso J.D. et al., 2016).
Before choosing the right beverage, make sure to check the sodium concentration in the beverage. To promote hydration during athletic performance, 46‑115mg of sodium per 100mL of beverage seems to be the optimal concentration.
What other ingredients can be found in Intra Workout?
Carbohydrates, proteins (or free essential amino acids) and electrolytes are the basic ingredients of an Intra Workout type drink. In addition, Intra Workout is also enriched with the following ingredients:
- Citrulline (usually l‑citrulline‑dl‑malate 2:1): This is an amino acid that is converted to l‑arginine in the kidneys, helping with the metabolism of waste ammonia. Studies observe delayed fatigue, reduced muscle soreness after training and improved blood flow to muscles through nitric oxide production (Rhim H.C. et al., 2020; Varvik F.T. et al., 2021; Theodorou A.A. et al., 2021).
- Caffeine: The use of caffeine helps to increase aerobic and anaerobic performance and delay perceived fatigue. According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition, caffeine use during exercise is appropriate for longer training sessions and for physical activities where the highest level of fatigue is expected in the latter part of the training session (Guest N.S. et al., 2021).
- Coconut water powder: Coconut water powder is often included in Intra Workouts as a natural source of electrolytes to support hydration during exercise. However, if electrolytes are already added in the form of mineral salts, there is no need to add coconut water.
Intra Workout Drink - Carbs+Electrolytes+Aminos
Bottom line
Intra Workout is an advanced dietary supplement suitable for athletes during exercise. Its main objective is to support physical performance and increase muscle recovery during and especially after sports performance. Thanks to this, it helps muscle growth and muscle mass maintenance.
The essential ingredients include carbohydrates as a source of energy, proteins or essential amino acids as building blocks and electrolytes that help with hydration and are naturally lost during exercise. In addition to these ingredients, Intra Workout drinks contain substances such as citrulline, caffeine and natural sources of electrolytes.
Intra Workout is suitable for athletes during training and demanding sports performances when muscle recovery needs to be supported as quickly as possible. It can be used by athletes exercising in the gym, as well as by team sports players or endurance athletes.
