Ajinomoto survey reveals that about one in five people walk the equivalent of a half marathon at festivals

*Researched by Ajinomoto Co., Inc.

Ajinomoto Co., Inc. has announced the results of a survey on the reality of music festivals.

The purpose of this survey was to clarify the actual state of festival fatigue ahead of the upcoming music festival season, and a questionnaire was administered to 471 people who have experience attending music festivals.

In response to the question, “Have you ever been to a music festival and not been able to enjoy it to the end because you didn’t have enough stamina?”, 48% answered “Often” or “Sometimes,” revealing that nearly half of people have been to a music festival and not had enough stamina. Standing for long periods of time and traveling on foot are thought to be a big burden, highlighting the importance of maintaining stamina in order to enjoy a festival (see header image).

In addition, when asked “Do you always bring fatigue recovery products (energy drinks, supplements, etc.) to music festivals?”, the percentage of people who answered “yes” was 33% (about one in three) of those who had attended music festivals five or fewer times, but more than half (52%) of regulars who had attended six or more festivals. It became clear that “the more music festivals you attend, the more you realize the importance of fatigue recovery products.”

When asked, “Have you ever felt muscle pain or fatigue after a music festival?” 83% answered “Yes.” Furthermore, it was found that of those, over 90% carried the feeling of fatigue over to the next day or later.

When asked “How much exercise do you think you get at a music festival?” 40% of people answered that it was the same as “running for about an hour.” Furthermore, when asked about the number of steps they actually took on the day, about one in five people said they walked more than 30,000 steps. This is about 20km, or the same distance as a half marathon, and is said to be twice the distance run by players in professional soccer and basketball games in other sports. This shows that music festivals are a very physically demanding activity, and that it is necessary to take proper measures to prevent fatigue.

The proteins that make up the human body are made up of 20 different amino acids. When we exercise, the proteins in our muscles are broken down to create the amino acids that serve as an energy source. As a result, our muscles are reduced and become more susceptible to damage. However, if you try to prevent this by ingesting amino acids from proteins, it takes about 3 to 4 hours for them to be digested and absorbed. For this reason, it is considered important to ingest them directly in the form of amino acids.

There are many types of amino acids, but the three essential amino acids valine, leucine, and isoleucine, which promote muscle protein synthesis and reduce muscle fatigue and soreness, are collectively called “BCAAs (Branched Chain Amino Acids).” By taking BCAAs before and after a strenuous activity like a music festival, you can ensure you have the stamina to enjoy the event to the end, promote the recovery of damaged muscles and fatigue, and prevent fatigue from carrying over to the next day.

Why not use the results of this survey as a reference when attending future festivals?

■Ajinomoto Co., Inc. – Eat Well, Live Well. – AJINOMOTO Official Site