Whatever exercise routine you ascribe to, you need to give your body the fuel it needs to perform for the duration, and recover effectively afterwards. Carbohydrates play an essential role in supplying your body with energy, which makes them a key part of your overall nutrition.
Whilst the majority of your needs can be satisfied by including more carbohydrate-rich foods into your diet, this isn’t always practical. For example, eating a proper meal isn’t feasible during a workout; which is where carbohydrate powders, and cyclic dextrin supplements, can take their place and provide you with a crucial energy boost.
What is cyclic dextrin?
Dextrin is a general name that applies to carbohydrate chains derived from heating starches like potatoes, wheat, or corn. Dextrins are polysaccharides, which describes a type of complex carbohydrate made up of lots of smaller sugar molecules.
Structurally however, whilst it is certainly a subcategory of dextrins, cyclic dextrin is different to linear forms of dextrin (Xie et al, 2021). As the name suggests, linear dextrin consists of chains of glucose units, whereas cyclic dextrin is more like amylopectins. Amylopectin is a major component of starch that is made up of non-random branched chains – a structure that is also seen in highly branched cyclic dextrin.
Highly branched cyclic dextrin
Highly branched cyclic dextrin, often referred to as Cluster Dextrin® (its trade name), has a ‘high molecular weight and a low osmolality’ (Wilburn, Machek, Ismaeel, 2021). A low osmolality ‘can allow for rapid emptying of a solution from the stomach’. Effectively, this means that highly branched cyclic dextrin can be quickly absorbed by the body and transported to cells that require more glucose – making it a more bioavailable form of energy supplement.
Studies have also shown that ingesting highly branched cyclic dextrin has the potential to reduce perceived fatigue after exercise (Furuyasjiki et al, 2014). Reduced fatigue can assist with maintaining performance levels, and improve feelings of recovery.
Looking for cyclic dextrin? Explore Supplement Needs’ Intra Carb+.
What ingredients are in the best recovery supplements?
As we’ve explained above, cyclic dextrin is a highly useful carbohydrate that has the potential to improve recovery and support performance maintenance. But, what are additional ingredients that can boost your efforts in this area?
D-ribose
D-ribose is an essential monosaccharide used by mitochondria in your cells during ATP production. ATP, or adenosine triphosphate, is a source of cellular energy and plays a role in a broad range of processes in the body – including muscle contraction (Dunn & Grider, 2023). Ensuring your body has enough D-ribose can potentially help to improve athletic performance by helping you maintain your energy level.
In addition to providing the body with energy, supplemental D-ribose has been shown to have a positive effect on the body’s recovery after exercise.
During and after high intensity exercise, the ‘skeletal muscle adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels are severely depleted’ and recovery of these ATP levels can take several days (Seifert, Brumet, St Cyr, 2017). Supplementing with D-ribose, one of the key compounds to help recover ATP levels, was found to reduce perceived fatigue and help the subjects maintain their exercise performance.
Another study (Cao et al, 2020) found that supplementing with D-ribose helped to reduce the symptoms of DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) and improve muscle repair and recovery.
To put this in simpler terms, D-ribose is an important ingredient that has the potential to help reduce muscle tiredness after high intensity and/or prolonged exercise.
Glycerol powder
Typically synthesised in the liver, glycerol is a type of polyol – or sugar alcohol – made from glucose, proteins, pyruvate, triacylglycerols and other glycerolipid metabolic pathways (Patlar, Yalçin, Boyali, 2012). Glycerol plays a vital role in lipid synthesis, particularly triglycerides. It can also be used for gluconeogenesis in extreme circumstances.
This is the production of an important blood fat, and the process by which the body uses glycerol stores to create glucose respectively.
From an athletic performance perspective, glycerol is highly valued in fluid retention and hydration. This is because glycerol is hygroscopic, which means it attracts water. Increased water levels creates a reduction in blood serum osmolality, delaying the onset of fatigue (Patlar, Yalçin, Boyali, 2012).
Sufficient hydration has been well-established to have an impact on athletic performance Some studies have suggested that ‘increased hydration status via glycerol decreases exercise heart rate, increases cardiac filling and output per beat, and better maintains plasma volume’ (Cai et al, 2023). Improving heart function during exercise reduces the risks of hypertension.
Support healthy cardiac function with Supplement Needs’ Heart Stack.
Dipotassium phosphate
Dipotassium phosphate is a form of potassium salt that (unsurprisingly) provides the body with an excellent source of both potassium and phosphates.
Potassium is a mineral that is vital for a broad spectrum of cellular functions, including maintaining balanced fluid levels and the osmolality of your cells, and lowering blood pressure (McLean & Wang, 2021).
There have been multiple studies into the efficacy of phosphates as a nutritional supplement, particularly with regards to exercise. Phosphates are hypothesised to have a role in ATP and PCr resynthesis, improved myocardial contractility for cardiac efficiency, and improving the unloading of oxygen from haemoglobin (Peeling et al, 2018).
To clarify, phosphates have been connected to energy creation processes, improving the efficiency of heart function, and helping transport oxygen around the body to cells in need.
Together, dipotassium phosphate has shown promising effects on reducing perceived exertion during and after exercise (Goss et al, 2001). Dipotassium phosphate is also used as an excellent food additive for formula stability.
Choosing cyclic dextrin from Supplement Needs
As you can see, there are a range of organic compounds and minerals that can work alongside cyclic dextrin to support your performance and recovery after exercise. But, by choosing to get your cyclic dextrin supplements from Supplement Needs, you’re getting much more than just a performance boost. You also benefit from:
Full ingredient transparency
To achieve the best results, you need to know exactly what you’re putting into your body. That’s why we adhere to a strict ingredient transparency policy with all of our supplements.
When you choose Supplement Needs, you will be able to find the exact form of any of our ingredients; from the part of the plant an organic compound originates from, to the biochemical makeup of our minerals.
What other brands can say the same?
Quality ingredients
At Supplement Needs, we believe you deserve the best. That’s why we have exacting standards when it comes to ingredient quality.
Our Cyclic Dextrin supplements are made with Cluster Dextrin®, a trade protected method of cyclic dextrin manufacture, specifically made from cornstarch. With high production standards, this form of HBCD is less likely to sludge or cake, whilst still being highly water soluble for ease of ingestion.
Our glycerol powder is solely HydroPrime®, which means it’s the highest concentration on the market. This form of glycerol has been designed to ‘effectively overcome the clumping and stability issues’ to ensure the end product is of the highest quality.
Expert development
Our supplements have been designed by the best; Dr Dean St Mart PhD has expertly researched, designed, and formulated our supps to bring out the best from each ingredient.
With a double first class honours in Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, and a PhD in Synthetic Organic Chemistry and Fluorescence Spectroscopy, Dr Dean is renowned within the industry – and you can directly benefit from his excellent knowledge.
Support your performance with Supplement Needs
Invest in your athletic performance with our range of high-quality supplements from Supplement Needs.
Order online today for free delivery over £20, with worldwide shipping, and same day dispatch available on orders made before 3pm Monday to Friday.