Typically, athletes only consider supplements if their nutrition/training program does not yield results that meet their expectations.
Vitamin and mineral intake through food will have the greatest impact on performance than supplements; if an athlete chooses to supplement with nutritional products, however, only products bearing the Informed Sport certification mark should be purchased.
Creatine
Creatine is one of the most frequently utilized ergogenic nutritional aids, used to enhance anaerobic exercise performance both among elite and recreational athletes alike. Furthermore, creatine aids recovery for high intensity exercises such as sprinting and weightlifting.
Body stores creatine as phosphocreatine in muscle tissues for use during intense workouts to synthesize ATP back into energy for regeneration, leading to less fatigued and slower training adaptations [65]. When this stores of energy is depleted, fatigue sets in and training adaptations slow down [66].
Researchers have discovered that creatine supplementation can facilitate increases in bench press and back squat one rep max strength as well as anaerobic capacity in young and older adults alike. Furthermore, creatine has also been demonstrated to increase explosive power (i.e. jumping ability) among athletes.
Carnitine
Carnitine assists the transport of fats to mitochondria for use as energy, improving exercise performance by reducing muscle fatigue and increasing endurance. Furthermore, thermogenesis increases with its help, burning calories while producing heat that regulates body temperature.
There is some evidence to support oral carnitine supplementation as an aid to increasing exercise capacity in trained athletes, though there has been limited research with untrained individuals, and its effect size can differ between studies.
Experts often advise taking carnitine supplements to enhance athletic performance, assist weight loss, or manage chronic health conditions like peripheral artery disease; however, when used alongside a balanced diet. Dairy foods, meats, fish, legumes (beans and peas), and eggs all provide good sources of carnitine.
Caffeine
Caffeine is one of the most frequently used stimulants, and is legal performance enhancer for athletes (provided that it is used responsibly). Research suggests that caffeine can improve endurance exercise and high intensity training performance in trained athletes, though taking too much may cause side effects like anxiety, jitters, upset stomach and heart palpitations. To stay safe it’s essential to know when and how much caffeine to take to avoid side effects like anxiety, jitters, upset stomach and palpitations.
Studies have demonstrated that moderate to high doses of caffeine (5-9 mg/kg bm) consumed prior and during exercise significantly improve endurance test performances in laboratory settings. This could be attributed to its potential glycogen sparing effects or ability to reduce perceived fatigue and pain perceptions.
Caffeine has also been proven to be beneficial for power sports such as weightlifting and sprinting, though different studies conducted with male vs. female athletes demonstrate differing results due to differences in body composition and aerobic thresholds.
Beta-Alanine
Beta-alanine works together with histidine to produce carnosine, an essential buffer against acid buildup during intense exercise, which in turn enhances performance and endurance. Research indicates that supplementing with 4-6 grams of beta-alanine daily may increase muscle carnosine concentrations to further extend endurance and delay fatigue during high intensity exercises (Baguet et al. reported that participants taking beta-alanine supplemented their time trial of 2000 meters rowing by 4.3 seconds with an improvement rate of 99.8; see Figure 1).
beta-alanine stands out from other ergogenic aids by not needing to be taken just prior to training sessions – unlike many of them! Athletes can take daily, giving them flexibility in terms of loading phase timing. This timing flexibility provides athletes with optimal gains in strength, power and endurance gains.
Biotin
Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin that plays an essential role in energy metabolism and cell health, helping convert carbohydrates, proteins, and fats to energy for development purposes. Furthermore, fatty acid synthesis and amino acid metabolism all benefit from its presence; endurance athletes in particular may require higher biotin intake due to sweat losses more than non-athletes.
Choline is an essential nutrient essential to nerve cell formation and function, supporting brain health and memory retention, as well as speeding muscle recovery. Choline facilitates pyruvate carboxylase enzyme activity to convert pyruvate to oxaloacetate through the citric acid cycle – where energy production occurs – thus contributing to cell life energy production.
Zinc contributes to immune function, cognitive health and muscle growth. Additionally, zinc plays a crucial role in protein metabolism; without enough of this essential element in our bodies’ systems it could result in itchy skin patches, loss of taste or smell and an enlarged tongue if left unsupplemented.
