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VERIFIED CONTENTAuthor: Maciej Szukała

There are many factors that contribute to good results in sport. It is primarily a refined diet and properly selected training, as well as regeneration. However, you can take care of each of these aspects of physical activity by using appropriately selected supplementation. Which conditioners will work best and how to use them?

Dietary supplements for athletesare a great supplement to the training plan. They help to achieve maximum sports form. There are many types of supplements and nutrients on the market, so before you start taking them, it is worth finding out which supplements are appropriate for the type of training.

Why should athletes use dietary supplements?

Intensive physical activity is associated with a high burden on the body. Microdamages arise and accumulate not only in muscles, but also in joints and ligaments. Advanced athletes also face a huge caloric expenditure, reaching even several thousand kilocalories per one training unit.

A common problem faced by most amateurs is also finding time to rest between workouts.

An additional challenge for people who do not train professionally is the lack of motivation or willingness to undertake training of the appropriate intensity and frequency.

A wisely selected supplementation plan will help you:

  • supplement caloric deficiencies and the amount of individual macronutrients in the diet,
  • increase the amount of energy during training,
  • increase the endurance of the body,
  • accelerate fat burning,
  • ensure adequate regeneration after heavy training units.

Which dietary supplements work best? This is an essential question that many enthusiasts of physical activity ask themselves.

Unfortunately, the answer to such doubts is not clear, because a lot depends on the degree of purification of individual ingredients, their grammage and chemical form. There are also individual properties and occasional cases of insensitivity to a given active ingredient. Among the most popular, the following are worth mentioning:

  • insensitivity to caffeine (for some mutations of the CYP1A2 gene),
  • resistance to exogenously administered creatine.

Although it is impossible to indicate with 100% certainty which supplements will work for all people, you can select those which will most often be effective.

Dietary supplements in strength sports

Athletes training strength sports divide their training periods into those devoted to building muscle mass and reducing. For this reason, nutrients supporting weight control and strength gain are particularly popular.

Creatine

Creatine is often supplemented in the form of monohydrate (plain or buffered) or malate. Its regular intake increases the concentration of phosphocreatine in the muscles, and thus facilitates access to ATP. This, in turn, allows for more intense explosive exertion and reduces fatigue.

Scientific research also shows that creatine accelerates the synthesis of new muscle proteins and facilitates regeneration by creating favorable conditions for cell renewal (muscles fill up with water).

Interestingly, it also turns out that creatine stabilizes blood sugar levels and helps maintain the proper level of insulin.

In practice, several creatine intake protocols are used:

  • with charging phase,
  • no charging phase,
  • permanent supplementation.

Protein supplements

High-protein supplements allow you to supplement the diet with wholesome proteins, i.e. the basic building component of muscles in a situation where the consumption of the right amount of traditional food is impossible. Protein supplements are especially often used during the reduction period because they cause a feeling of satiety and provide anti-catabolic ingredients.

Individual protein fractions (e.g. whey protein isolate and concentrate, micellar casein) differ in their absorption kinetics. For this reason, some of them will be perfect right after training, while others are better to be taken at night. Proper protein supplementation is to ensure the supply of amino acids to the muscles around the clock.

Regardless of the purpose of protein intake, it makes no sense to consume more than 2.2-2.5 g of macronutrient per kilogram of body weight (this does not apply to people taking anabolic-androgenic steroids, for whom the synthesis of body proteins is much faster tempo).

Protein supplements should be consumed according to dietary deficiencies.

Fat burners

Fat burners are a group of substances thattask is:

  • appetite suppression,
  • acceleration of adipocyte breakdown,
  • raise thermogenesis,
  • stimulation to exercise.

Everything to accelerate the burning of subcutaneous and visceral fat. These supplements are especially often used during the weight loss period. On sale you will find both complex fat burners containing caffeine and other stimulants, as well as blends based on long-term action that do not cause an energy boost.

Remember to never exceed the doses or supplementation period recommended by the manufacturer. Especially the chronic use of psychoactive substances can lead to the development of an addiction-like effect, as well as pressure disorders.

Dietary supplements in endurance sports

Endurance disciplines such as endurance running, road cycling and triathlon are based on long duration and relatively low work intensity. In this case, athletes are less likely to manipulate their body weight (which is usually low anyway), and much more often to increase their resistance to increasing fatigue.

Electrolytes

An effort lasting several hours is a huge burden not only on the muscles, but also on the nervous system. To maintain the neuromuscular conductivity at the proper level, it is worth supplementing with sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium, the concentration of which in the blood decreases because we sweat during exercise.

These elements are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of the muscles, and their lack will start to manifest themselves with a decrease in strength, cramps, nervousness and difficulty concentrating.

Most electrolytes come in sachets containing a powder to be dissolved in water or a liquid. They should be taken at regular intervals during exercise and for several hours afterwards.

Carbohydrates

Simple sugars are a source of glucose, which is stored in the muscles and liver in the form of glycogen. To ensure a constant supply of energy and focus, you should regularly renew your glycogen stores.

Athletes who train long-distance running know how crucial it is to protect glycogen in the body. Even the best pace of running, which means that mainly fatty acids are used for generation (up to 70%), means that the glycogen stores are slowly depleted.

When this happens, not only will you have to drastically reduce the intensity of exercise, but you will also have to reckon with problems with concentration and, in extreme situations, even disturbancespsychomotor.

Carbohydrates for endurance athletes are most often in the form of a powder to be dissolved in water or the so-called energy gels. They contain sugars of various molecular sizes that ensure the release of energy over a long period of time.

Caffeine

Caffeine is the most popular legal ergogenic supplement (designed to improve performance). It not only adds energy, but also increases the body's endurance, increases alertness and quenches the appetite. Of course, there are people immune to the effects of caffeine, but these are still rare. A dose of up to 400 mg per day is considered to be a dose of a substance that is safe for he alth and does not cause side effects.

Do not confuse coffee with pure caffeine. The bitter drink to which we are used to taste also contains many other substances (including caffeine inhibitors). Pure caffeine is most often taken in the form of capsules or gels with the addition of caffeine.

Despite the valuable effects of caffeine, there is no doubt that the body will get used to it. To delay the moment when you stop feeling the effects of arousal, you can:

  • reduce coffee consumption on a daily basis,
  • taking breaks for several days in the use of caffeine,
  • use caffeine only before the most powerful training sessions.

Dietary supplements in mixed sports

Sports disciplines based on both strength and endurance include, for example, martial arts, rowing, basketball, handball. They put very high demands on the players, because maintaining high muscle power for a long time requires not only willpower, but also good condition preparation. Which dietary supplements should be used in this case?

Beta alanine

Regular use of beta-alanine increases the concentration of carnosine in the muscles. Above all, it is a powerful antioxidant and buffer that ensures faster restoration of the proper pH in the muscles and prevents their acidification.

Beta-alanine is used before training in order to increase the body's endurance against fatigue, shorten the intervals between repetitions (e.g. sprints) and increase exercise capacity. The supplement should be used in the amount of 3 to 6 g per day.

If you have never taken beta-alanine, you will most likely experience paresthesia, a sensation of intense tingling sensation. It most often appears on the face, ears, forearms and shins. No worries! Paresthesia is completely harmless and the irritation will disappear completely over time.

branched amino acids

Branched-Chained Amino Acids (BCAAs) include leucine, isoleucine and valine. It has been scientifically confirmed that their regular intake during training not only accelerates regeneration, but also increases the body's efficiency and partially protects against the formation of muscle microdamages. It also protects body proteins against breakdown.

It has been shown that BCAA effectively strengthens the body's resistance to disease and effectively reduces the level of adipose tissue. As a last resort, branched chain amino acids can also be used as an energy source.

BCAA amino acids should be taken in equal portions before and after exercise.

Adaptogens

Adaptogens are non-toxic plant extracts that have a beneficial effect on the body and mind of an athlete. Ashwaganda and Rhodiola Rosea are particularly popular substances.

Ashwaganda lowers cortisol levels and reduces the concentration of creatine kinase, one of the markers of muscle damage. It makes it easier for us to calm down and find inner peace. A decrease in the stress hormone facilitates weight control and causes faster entry into a deep sleep state.

In turn, Rhodiola Rosea increases concentration and improves cognitive functions. It is easier for us to concentrate on the task at hand and to separate ourselves from external stressors. What's more, the regular consumption of Rhodiola Rosea improves exercise adaptation and makes the body more willing to use the stored fat as fuel.

Are dietary supplements safe?

Most dietary supplements available on the Polish market do not pose a direct he alth risk, provided that they are taken in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.

Regularly exceeding the doses, using low-quality substances, as well as combining products in a careless way may not bring the expected effect or cause results that are difficult to predict.

There is no doubt, however, that sports nutrients used as intended can supplement the deficiencies in the diet and make training much more efficient.

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