While diet remains the cornerstone of athletic performance, many athletes also take supplements that may enhance strength, speed, and endurance.
Protein/amino acids, caffeine, beet juice, electrolytes, iron and vitamin D are some of the most frequently recommended supplements for athletes. Their effects vary depending on workout duration, intensity and environment.
Beta-alanine
At the highest levels of their sports, athletes need a competitive edge to be successful. Training hard at high-intensity intervals to develop power and endurance often leads to soreness and fatigue – yet supplementation with beta-alanine may delay this feeling of soreness or fatigue.
Carnosine, formed when beta-alanine is combined with histidine, plays an essential role in muscle endurance during high-intensity exercise. Carnosine reduces buildup of lactic acid that causes fatigue during intense training sessions; studies demonstrate significant improvements in training and performance among athletes taking an average daily supplementation dosage of 3.2 grams sustained-release beta-alanine for 28 days1.1
Beetroot juice
Beetroot juice contains high concentrations of nitrates that when eaten are converted to nitric oxide – an increase in energy and stamina has been documented after drinking beetroot juice, while also providing essential potassium needed for bone health and lowering blood pressure. Furthermore, beets contain fiber which supports gut health while preventing constipation.
Beets contain water-soluble antioxidants called betalains that help fight free radical damage, remove heavy metal toxins from the body and may provide chemoprotective benefits during chemotherapy (Wruss, 2017). Beet powder has become an increasingly popular form of beetroot juice as studies show its benefits to athletic performance, endurance training and exercise-induced fatigue reduction. Made by grinding dried beets into powder, it can be purchased at most natural food stores where its nitrate content converts into nitric oxide which acts vasodilatorily while increasing oxygen delivery to muscles and other organs (Wruss 2017).
Electrolytes
Athletic performance requires athletes to consume adequate nutrition and hydration. Supplements can boost performance by supplementing rather than replacing this foundational diet; the effectiveness of performance-boosting supplements may be difficult to evaluate; caffeine, creatine, specific buffering agents and nitrate are some examples that have strong evidence supporting their effectiveness.
Functional sports drinks containing CHO-electrolytes such as Glc-Fru and sodium can boost performance by supporting metabolism and optimizing water absorption, as well as helping to prevent exercise-induced oxidative stress and promote recovery.
Sports supplements are powdered forms of food or nutrients derived from common sources, ingested to promote both physical and mental well-being. Although not considered PED’s (performance enhancing drugs), they nonetheless fall under strict regulations which ensure their consumption.
Iron
Iron is an essential nutrient for athletes and its deficiency can have serious repercussions on performance. Therefore, it is vitally important that blood markers and other factors that influence an athlete’s iron status such as diet and supplementation be closely monitored and optimized in order to optimize athlete iron status.
Iron deficiency non-anemia (IDNA) is a prevalent issue among athletes, often impacting performance negatively. IDNA symptoms include increased iron demand, higher iron loss and blocked iron absorption via hepcidin bursts.
Oral iron supplements may help increase stores, but they aren’t always reliable. Unfortunately, most oral iron supplements have poor bioavailability and absorption rates; to increase absorption it’s best to combine with foods rich in vitamin C such as citrus fruits like oranges. IV administration may be used instead in specific instances such as when diet counseling and oral supplementation have failed or when athletes suffer GI side effects from oral supplementation.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is well known for promoting immune system health, but has also been found to strengthen bones and improve muscle performance, making it essential for athletes. A suboptimal Vitamin D status has been linked with an increase in acute illness such as influenza or colds as well as stress fractures requiring suboptimal recovery rates and/or acute injuries such as stress fractures that require less-than-optimum recovery rates.
Nutritional professionals should assess an athlete’s blood Vitamin D levels as part of a regular nutritional evaluation. Aiming for an optimal concentration (>75nmol/L) should help avoid deficiency and ensure optimal recovery.
Athletes should aim to consume as much vitamin D as possible through safe sun exposure (5-30 min for dark-skinned individuals) on arms and legs several times each week at solar noon, though sometimes supplementation may be necessary.
