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TECH NEWS

Science in Sport launch world's first recovery gel

Rego + Fruitflow is designed to shorten your recovery time after exercise

Science in Sport (SiS) have launched a new product called Rego + Fruitflow, the world’s first recovery gel, designed to boost your recover from intense exercise.

Most of us are pretty familiar with the idea of getting an energy gel down periodically on the bike to keep the fuel tanks topped up, but Rego + Fruitflow is entirely different in that, although it comes as a gel, it's not designed to provide energy and you don’t take it during exercise but before you train.

According to SiS, “Fruitflow is a tomato extract containing naturally occurring tomato compounds which can beneficially interact with blood platelets. Supported by human clinical trials, Fruitflow is the first natural ingredient with a scientifically approved health claim to contribute to healthy blood flow. Its use in health care and sports nutrition is patented and Science in Sport is the only company to produce a sports recovery product with it.”

The idea is that you take one gel 1.5 to 3hrs before an intense exercise session to reduce the over-stimulation of blood platelets. This will reduce inflammation, leading to a shorter recovery time… and training effectively is all about recovery. Fruitflow, the theory goes, helps maintain normal platelet aggregation which contributes to healthy blood flow. That’s the science.

Rego + Fruitflow is available in Banana and Mango flavour. I’d have to say that it’s an acquired taste. There’s still a hint of that tomato in there which is a little odd until you get used to it.

One 60ml gel is priced at £2.29, a six-pack is £11.99, and a pack of 30 will set you back £56.99.

SiS are also launching Go Hydro electrolyte tablets in a new 10-tablet tube. As you probably know, electrolyte tablets are designed to hydrate you but they don’t provide energy: these are virtually calorie-free.

Each tab, which you dilute in 500ml of water to produce an effervescent drink, contains 0.3g of sodium plus calcium, magnesium, potassium and zinc.

Go Hydro is available in pineapple and mango, berry, lemon and blackcurrant flavours at £6.99 per 20-tablet tube (currently reduced to £5.98). The 10-tablet tubes come in lemon and berry at a trial price of £2.99.

For more info go to www.scienceinsport.com or www.madison.co.uk.

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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17 comments

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Shey | 9 years ago
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I have continual nagging discomfort from a damaged left knee, plus occasional pain from an old lower back injury, and while I find ibuprofen tablets work ok, the gel is a bit less effective.
Voltarol, on the other hand, I find to be very effective. At a price, though.

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andyp | 11 years ago
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Ibuprofen is also clinically and scientifically proven to do what it says. And is also cleared by the FDA. HTH.

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skitza replied to andyp | 11 years ago
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Big difference is one is a drug the other is food if you'd rather do a drug thats fine, id rather take something natural and personally i have found it works well for me.

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davecochrane replied to andyp | 11 years ago
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Definitely interested in trying this. Sounds pretty filthy tasting though.

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CyclingMad | 11 years ago
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I've used these for the last few days. I agree the taste isn't great, but it certainly seems to work. I did a 70k on saturday, followed by a 30k on sunday. Usually I'm a bit sluggish on the sunday, still feeling saturday's ride in my legs, but this week I tried the SiS Rego+Fruitflow recovery gel for the first time after the ride on saturday. On sunday, my legs felt fine and I managed a PB, knocking nearly a minute off my usual sunday time, so I'd say it certainly worked for me.
Put it this way, a lot of my friends are giving it a go this weekend!  4

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skitza | 11 years ago
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But hey each to their own but the info is out there with a bit of searching

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andyp | 11 years ago
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Skitza...have you any idea what the incidence of those is? Only a very small proportion of people will notice any of those problems. Whereas in 8 people replying on this thread, one has already reported 'twitchy legs' and one has reported nausea.
Ergo, in your world, tomato puree is worse than ibuprofen.

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skitza replied to andyp | 11 years ago
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The twitchy legs comment made me smile but he did say 'while he was recovering' and the other guy didnt like the taste simples and as for in my world in OUR world one is a manufactured drug with side effects the other is a natural product clinically and scientifically proven to do what it says it does so no contest imo.
Google fruitflow and you'll find this kind of info:
Fruitflow® is a patented, scientifically-proven tomato extract which inhibits platelet aggregation, a known cause of heart attack, stroke and venous thrombosis. Fruitflow® is the first product to receive approval from the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) under Article 13(5). It has also been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration in the US.
Its good for you and from what im reading you'd have to swallow buckets of tomatoes to get the same effect  39  39

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md6 | 11 years ago
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I never have any of those side effects with Ibuprofen, so i might just stick to that. Although, i'd rather eat a tomato if thats the main active ingredient, and then have a glass of milk and banana when i get back.

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skitza | 11 years ago
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Reasons for NOT taking ibuprofen instead:
Fruitflow side effects, improved recovery, tastes a bit tomatoey

Ibuprofen of side effects.

For this reason, take lowest possible dose of ibuprofen for the shortest possible time needed to control your symptoms.

Common side effects of ibuprofen include:

•nausea (feeling sick)
•vomiting (being sick)
•diarrhoea (passing loose, watery stools)
•indigestion (dyspepsia)
•abdominal (tummy) pain
Less common side effects include:

•headache
•dizziness
•fluid retention (bloating)
•raised blood pressure
•gastritis (inflammation of the stomach)
•duodenal or gastric ulcers (open sores in the digestive system, see Peptic ulcer)
•allergic reactions, such as a rash
•worsening of asthma symptoms by causing bronchospasm (narrowing of airways)

Increased risks
Taking ibuprofen, particularly at high doses over long periods of time, can increase your risk of:

•stroke, when the blood supply to the brain is disturbed
•heart attacks, when the blood supply to the heart is blocked
In females, long-term use of ibuprofen can sometimes be associated with reduced fertility. This is usually reversible when you stop taking ibuprofen.

Ability to drive
Ibuprofen is unlikely to affect your ability to drive safely, although some people may feel dizzy after taking ibuprofen. If you experience dizziness, do not drive.

So i know which id rather take!!!  4

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alpking | 11 years ago
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i took one of these and i could feel it making my legs twitch when i was recovering

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Paul J | 11 years ago
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One thing that'd be really useful with reviews of any kind of nutritional product would be to include the ingredients list.

Note that you can get electrolytes for a *lot* cheaper than this product.

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Mat Brett replied to Paul J | 11 years ago
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Paul J wrote:

One thing that'd be really useful with reviews of any kind of nutritional product would be to include the ingredients list.

Just click on the link to the manufacturer's website if you want a list of everything in there. We stick one on pretty much every product story. (This isn't a review, by the way, it's a news story).

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ratherbeintobago | 11 years ago
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If platelet aggregation slows recovery, why not take 400mg ibuprofen before exercise, or am I missing something?

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dave atkinson replied to ratherbeintobago | 11 years ago
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ratherbeintobago wrote:

If platelet aggregation slows recovery, why not take 400mg ibuprofen before exercise, or am I missing something?

i do that. only cause i normally end up with a headache though  1

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StuayEd | 11 years ago
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I got a couple of samples from a SIS rep at an event at a bike shop recently.

I am training to build my distances up for a 90 mile sportive and took one an hour and a half before a 52 mile training ride 2 days ago. Bearing in mind I am not an overly experienced road cyclist and 52 miles is the furthest I have ever ridden, it is still far enough to put me out of my comfort zone and leave me pretty wasted!

The flavour was absolutely rank - made me baulk. It's like pure tomato purée with banana flavouring, but the texture of a normal SIS gel.

But to be fair, I noticed that my recovery was markedly better than after my previous efforts at the same distance, so maybe there is something in it?!

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CornishSprinter replied to StuayEd | 11 years ago
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I picked up some of the blackcurrent flavour, aswell as their energy powder you mix into water, they're really great.

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