Supplements targeted toward athletes often promise to boost strength, speed and athletic performance – yet evidence of their efficacy often is lacking.
Supplements may provide valuable support in an athlete’s nutrition regimen, but only when their cost-benefit balance is favorable. As such, an accurate nutritional evaluation is of critical importance here.
Watermelon
After an intense sweat session, there’s nothing quite as refreshing as sipping watermelon juice to replenish hydration levels and aid athletic performance and recovery. Watermelons offer an abundance of essential proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins A & C and antioxidants like lycopene – making this seasonal fitness food even more rejuvenating!
Citrulline, an amino acid present in watermelon, can boost performance by stimulating production of nitric oxide – an expander that opens blood vessels and makes your heart work more efficiently – in your body. A study demonstrated this benefit when consumed as watermeon juice containing L-citrulline as opposed to placebo for young male recreational football players.
Watermelons contain electrolytes such as magnesium and potassium that can aid exercise performance by keeping muscles hydrated during workouts. They may not replace other sources of sodium though; please seek alternative sources when sourcing this essential mineral.
Branched-chain amino acids
Protein powders are an integral part of gym-goer nutrition, providing muscle growth, repair, and appetite regulation benefits. But for athletes looking to maximize performance, BCAA supplements should be the go-to choice – comprised of leucine, isoleucine and valine – these essential amino acids support protein synthesis processes in muscle cells and should therefore not be missed out!
Beta-alanine is another popular supplement used to increase athletic performance. It acts as a buffer against muscle soreness after training sessions and fatigue, helping prevent post-workout soreness.
Supplements can play an essential part in an athlete’s nutrition plan, but they should never replace healthy eating and sleeping habits. Functional medicine lab testing is an invaluable way for an athlete to determine the appropriate dosage and timing of supplements; additionally, hormone analysis helps identify any imbalances or deficiencies.
Iron
Iron is an essential trace micronutrient, known to assist the body’s energy utilization. Iron supplementation is especially critical for endurance athletes as intense training increases demand for iron by stimulating production of red blood cells as well as tissue remodelling and muscle hypertrophy.
Iron deficiency is a serious threat for endurance athletes who train hard in hot environments or female competitors, especially female competitors and vegetarians/blood donors. Iron supplements are one way of increasing intake, though research regarding whether supplementation improves performance remains mixed.
Calcium and vitamin D
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient with profound implications for bone, muscle and immune health, as well as receiving extensive attention for its role in moderating inflammation responses and cell growth and development.
Although Vitamin D provides numerous advantages for athletes, its optimal status remains poorly understood. Most research on non-athletes focuses on maintaining serum 25(OH)D concentrations below 75nmol/L as an indicator of insufficiency.
Nutritionists should conduct regular nutritional assessments of athletes, which should include an examination of diet and Vitamin D levels as part of an athlete’s profile. The optimal range for sports performance may range between 100-125 nmol/L; thus requiring them to assess both intake and levels in relation to performance goals.
Coenzyme Q10
Coenzyme Q10, commonly referred to by its acronym Ubiquinol, can be found throughout cells. It plays a significant role in converting carbohydrates and fats to energy for cell functioning as well as recycling waste and toxins through its presence in garbage collectors (lysosomes) found within them.
Coq10 may help support energy production and decrease muscle damage for endurance athletes, particularly during endurance events. Furthermore, Coq10 has also been shown to promote fat oxidation while simultaneously increasing insulin sensitivity within cells.*
Coq10 is a natural substance found in foods such as meats and fish. Additionally, dietary supplements containing coq10 may be available; before taking any of them consult your health care provider first as some can interact with certain medications like warfarin which thin the blood.
