Typically, supplements are marketed to athletes as a means to help with weight loss or gain, muscle recovery,
improve immunity, gut health and metabolic support. Many athletes look to
supplements for a mental or physical edge in training or competition.
Supplements come in a variety of forms; tablets, liquids, powders,
bars and capsules. Some of the most sought-after vitamin and mineral
supplements include iron, B12, vitamin D, calcium, multivitamins, Ashwagandha, creatine, BCAA, whey protein, ketones and
antioxidants like vitamin C, E and Q10.
Some supplements are problematic to
health and performance. A review in the Journal of Physiology
showed no strong evidence that antioxidant supplementation, such C and E, can improve
performance or health. Furthermore, high-dose antioxidants may prevent
important training adaptations such as creating new muscle mitochondria, muscle
growth, and improving insulin sensitivity. In addition, supplements contain
multiple ingredients, making it difficult to know or predict the efficacy and
safety of your desired product. Athletes must carefully investigate research prior to purchasing any type of supplement.
Not every supplement designed to enhance performance is illegal and unsafe, but exceptional marketing strategies and poorly designed research studies make it difficult to know if a product is legit. It’s your responsibility—from elite to novice—to know what you’re consuming. There is much concern over supplements containing banned substances (which will cause an athlete to fail a drug test), so it’s best to obtain your vitamins and minerals from food—just like nature intended. If you’re considering a supplement due to a blood test showing a nutrient deficiency, first consult with a Board Certified Sport Dietitian. Always choose clean, certified products and look for the Informed Sport or NSF Certified for sport seal.
A “plate not pill” approach saves money and remains the most practical way to optimize health and performance.
Sport Nutrition - Bars, chews, gels, powders, liquids
There is great evidence demonstrating the benefits (and safety) of well-formulated sport
nutrition products before, during, and after training or competition. Sports
foods don’t replace real food – that’s
why they are encouraged to be used during sport activities. They provide a
palatable and portable source of energy, electrolytes, and fluids to tackle the
two main causes of fatigue: dehydration and glycogen depletion. Sports foods
are engineered to easily empty from the gut and be quickly absorbed in the
small intestines so the working muscles can take hold of the nutrients. Protein powders, such as whey, provide an easy method of rapidly
repairing damaged tissues after intense training. It can also help boost
protein intake among athletes who follow a restrictive diet such as vegetarians.
Leucine, the key amino acid in whey
protein drives the majority of protein synthesis. There’s
great support demonstrating the effectiveness of whey protein as a safe
recovery supplement. As with any sport food, all ingredients should be
considered for safety and effectiveness.
Nutrient Supplements – Iron, Vitamin D, Calcium, B12,
Probiotics, Omega-3, Multivitamin
Athletes who seek or require the use of a medical supplement typically complain of an acute or chronic health issue, a decline in performance or show abnormal blood work results. Extreme endurance activity, altitude training, and restrictive eating are common culprits for a nutrient deficiency. Any nutrient supplement should be advised and supervised by appropriate medical personnel, such as a sport dietitian prior to supplementation. It’s not uncommon for athletes to
use supplements at the wrong time or in the incorrect amount or for the wrong reasons.
Performance Supplements - Caffeine, Beta-Alanine, Creatine, Beetroot Juice, Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA), Ketones
Athletes interested in performance supplements are generally seeking a direct gain in performance. With so many different types of performance enhancing supplements, it’s difficult to provide a universal recommendation. Just because a supplement is well-supported or used by professional athletes, such as creatine (increased muscle cell volume and fiber hypertrophy), beet juice (improved skeletal muscle efficiency), ketones (spare glycogen) and beta-alanine (buffer of muscle pH), this doesn’t mean that it will work for you. As an example, remember when MTC oil was all the craze by endurance athlete s in hopes of a performance boost? Well, two of the most common side effects were diarrhea and upset stomach. Athletes must carefully investigate research prior to purchasing any type of supplement. At minimum choose clean, certified products and look for the Informed Sport or NSF Certified for sport seal. Take every initiative to educate yourself on what’s inside a supplement (and where it comes from), as no supplement is entirely risk free. Performance supplements are typically not needed if you nail the basics of a well-planned daily diet, good nutrient timing and proper application of sport nutrition.