Spotlight on recovery: The latest trends and innovations in post-workout and muscle health solutions

14 Sep 2023 --- Whether participating in organized sports at the professional or amateur levels, working out at the gym, biking to work or going for a long hike, muscle recovery is an essential aspect of any exercise. Innova Market Insights data suggests that recovery solution offerings are a growing trend in the sports nutrition space.

Nutrition Insight sits down with experts from FrieslandCampina Ingredients, Rousselot and ADM to better understand the trends, ingredients, health benefits and science behind muscle recovery offerings.

Vaughn DuBow, the global director of marketing for microbiome solutions at ADM, highlights changing trends in the category due to recent advancements and expanding consumer knowledge.

“As the category has evolved from sports to active nutrition, today’s active nutrition consumers are looking to address a wide range of wellness areas, from performance to energy support and recovery,” DuBow reveals. “Recovery is especially important, as it can help support both muscle building, as well as reduce muscle fatigue.”

Vicky Davies, the global marketing director for performance, active and medical nutrition at FrieslandCampina Ingredients, states that post-workout recovery nutrition is a critical aspect for success in any sport.

“To improve their performance, athletes use a range of dietary strategies such as including supplements that foster recovery and help get muscles back in the game after a training session,” says Davies. “And as new holistic-health focused consumers seek out nutritional aides to support their workouts, it’s no surprise that the performance nutrition market is booming, with the post-workout segment holding the highest market share in 2022.”

Rousselot highlights that Peptan collagen peptides are not only good for bone, joint and muscle recovery but also have sleep aid benefits.Florencia Moreno Torres, the health and nutrition global business development manager at Rousselot, agrees, noting that post-workout recovery nutrition has been recognized as a primary factor when it comes to “athletes’ overall wellness.”

“In 2022, post-workout supplements accounted for over 35% of the global sports nutrition market – and today it is also an exciting growing area of scientific research,” Torres explains. “At Rousselot, we’re particularly interested in further investigating the role that our bioactive collagen peptides – already shown to have the potential to alleviate muscle soreness after intense exercise – can play in maximizing athletes’ performance by improving their overall well-being.”

Sleep-promoting peptides?
Science increasingly reveals the importance of sleep for overall health and active and sports nutrition research shows proper rest to be vital for athletic performance. Collagen has long been touted for its ability to relieve joint pain, help restore joint tissue and its beauty-from-within health effects. However, Torres reveals that recent studies have shown that collagen can also improve sleep.

“Every athlete knows that a good night’s sleep is crucial for an optimal recovery strategy from both a physical and psychological perspective,” she underscores. “What’s more, sleep is essential for overnight bone, muscle, and skin regeneration.” 

“However, athletes and fitness enthusiasts often experience sleep disturbances, which have been associated with an increased incidence of fatigue-related injuries. Findings from a pioneering study demonstrate that daily supplementation with 15 g of Peptan collagen peptides 60 minutes before bedtime for one week, enhanced the sleep quality of 13 sporters (18-35 years old), with sleep complaints.”

According to Torres, the study was conducted using polysomnography, which she says is hailed as the “gold standard” in sleep monitoring. The study measured a marked reduction in sleep disturbances and awakenings – findings which were verified by the participants’ subjective reporting.

FrieslandCampina Ingredients spotlights its whey protein, pre- and probiotic offering, Biotis Fermentis’ benefits for overall health.“These promising results might be explained by the collagen peptides’ high content of glycine, a nutrient linked to improved sleep quality in athletes,” says Torres. “But that’s not all – interestingly, the morning after the sleep trial, participants consuming Peptan scored higher on the baseline Stroop Color and Word test, a validated cognitive test measuring response time and accuracy, suggesting they improved their response accuracy as a result of better sleep.”

The gut-muscle axis
Davies at FrieslandCampina Ingredients spotlights recent research showing the interplay between a healthy gut and physical performance and post-exercise recovery. Furthermore, she reveals that one of the company’s newest ingredients was designed specifically to target the gut-muscle axis.

“Biotis Fermentis combines whey proteins, prebiotics and probiotics, enhancing their properties by fermenting them together,” Davies discloses. “This unique formulation boosts well-being and sport performance, as we’ve been able to demonstrate in a study conducted on 150 recreational athletes.”

She further explains that, after consuming Biotis Fermentis every day for only three weeks, 80% of the study’s participants reported feeling more personal satisfaction in regard to their physical well-being.

“It’s no secret that proteins play an essential role in athletes’ recovery. Countless studies have demonstrated how consuming protein pre- and post-workout can stimulate muscle growth, optimize performance and support recovery for both resistance training and endurance exercise,” Davies attests.

“FrieslandCampina Ingredients’ products are designed for athletes at all levels, from pros to casual gym goers. In fact, we believe that with the right ingredients, everyone can power their personal bests. With our solutions we want people to get the most out of life, always.”

DuBow at ADM also highlights the gut-muscle axis and says that probiotics, most commonly known for their digestion-supporting properties, are increasingly being sought after by consumers in the active nutrition space as people look for microbiome solutions that support overall well-being.

ADM emphasizes its Active Lifestyle Blend probiotic solution for relieving post-workout oxidative stress.“Backed by clinical research, we have brought together three of our probiotic strains – ES1 (Bifidobacterium longum CECT7347), BPL4 (Lactobacillus casei CECT9104) and BPL15 (Lactobacillus rhamnosus CECT8361) – for a new Active Lifestyle Blend, which has been shown to support biomarkers related to post-exercise oxidative stress,” DuBow reveals. “This research demonstrates the blend’s potential to support aspects of recovery following exercise.”

Powerful proteins
ADM states that, in the realm of post-workout recovery products, protein offerings are still some of the most sought after solutions. 

Davies at FrieslandCampina Ingredients further reveals that among proteins, whey – being highly bioavailable and containing all essential amino acids – remains the “gold standard” in the sports nutrition space.

“With nearly 100 years of experience in dairy protein processing, we have a range of whey ingredients to support brands in creating efficacious and delicious recovery products,” she explains. “Perhaps one of the most interesting to highlight is Nutri Whey Isolate Clear. Its clean taste and odor profile means the flavor opportunities are endless, making it ideal for refreshing, clear ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages and powders so consumers can both hydrate after an intense training session and have an easy, high protein boost to support recovery.”

Torres at Rousselot also spotlights Peptan’s benefits for use as an ingredient in conjunction with protein solutions.

“Peptan is neutral in taste and odor even in high concentration”, Torres underscores. “This outstanding sensory profile, together with superior cold- and warm-water solubility, heat resistance and transparent appearance when dissolved, means it can be seamlessly incorporated into a wide range of formats, spanning from RTD beverages to concentrated shots.”

“What’s more, Peptan can be used in combination with other protein sources, including whey and soy and many other ingredients,” she concludes. “All these characteristics confer to Peptan the versatility to meet each athlete’s individual preference.”

By William Bradford Nichols