Toned arms, defined six-pack abs and obliques, tree trunk-sized quads and stone-like calves – these images appear on protein powder packages sold to athletes as nutritional supplements (also referred to as “ergogenic aids”). Sellers claim these “dietary aids” increase strength or endurance training capacity or exercise efficiency faster so athletes can reach performance goals more rapidly while decreasing injury risks.
Protein
Protein is the cornerstone of healthy muscles and tissues. Additionally, it forms hormones and antibodies while providing energy by breaking down fats and carbohydrates for fuel. Exercise regularly should consume approximately 1.9 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day as research shows post-exercise protein intake enhances muscle recovery.
Supplements that combine whey, dairy and plant-based proteins may be helpful to those who struggle to meet their protein needs through whole foods alone. Look for supplements certified by NSF Certified for Sport to ensure only those listed on the label are present; also avoid products containing indigestible fibers, vegetable gums and artificial sweeteners as these may lead to digestive discomfort or diarrhoea. Finally choose powders with low carbohydrates, sugar and trans-fat levels in order to minimise bloating, gas or diarrhoea symptoms and diarrhoea episodes.
Creatine
Creatine is an organic compound found naturally within muscle cells. Supplementation increases your body’s stores of phosphocreatine, helping produce more adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for energy during exercise, leading to enhanced strength, power and high intensity exercise performance – especially useful in activities that require short bursts of intense exertion such as weightlifting or sprinting.
While creatine is generally safe for most adults, those with bipolar disorder should consult their physician prior to beginning any supplement regiment that contains creatine as it could increase your risk of mania. Before making any decisions about taking creatine for yourself or any of their loved ones, always seek medical advice first.
Creatine supplements come in various forms and are not regulated by the FDA. They may contain contaminants or differ in how much creatine they actually provide; only limited research studies have looked directly into how creatine affects endurance exercise – further investigation needs to take place on this front.
Caffeine
Caffeine is a psychoactive stimulant and central nervous system (CNS) methylxanthine that relieves fatigue and enhances exercise performance. It can be found naturally in coffee, black and green tea, cocoa beans, soft drinks like cola as well as some non-prescription medicines (cough syrup and slimming tablets). Furthermore, caffeine is often included as an ingredient in pre-workout energy drinks.
Studies have demonstrated the positive effects of caffeine in endurance exercise and sports performance, though individual results vary based on habitual caffeine consumption habits. One such research paper divided participants into high, moderate and low caffeine consumers via food frequency questionnaires before testing performance in simulated cycling time trials using caffeine ingestion at points when fatigue was expected (i.e. near the latter stages of time trial) for maximum benefit.
Vitamins C and E
Vitamins C and E are fat-soluble vitamins that play an essential antioxidant role in our bodies, protecting us against oxidative damage as well as slowing certain aspects of aging. Supplements may also help enhance absorption of iron in the body and are frequently employed as part of weight-loss plans due to their ability to help decrease excess liver and fatty tissue fat storage. Supplementation with vitamins E and C is generally safe; the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine has established tolerable upper intake levels (ULs) of 1000 mg/day for vitamin E and 2000 mg/day for vitamin C in healthy adults. Clinical trials have demonstrated that combinations of these vitamins may also be safe at doses exceeding these limits.
Sodium bicarbonate
Baking soda contains sodium bicarbonate, the main ingredient used by some athletes to extend their endurance during short bouts of high intensity exercise. It may buffer blood acidity levels and thus allow muscles to exert themselves longer without becoming fatigued.
Recent evidence demonstrates the ability of sodium bicarbonate to delay exercise-induced acidosis during cycling and running exercises. Costill et al. found that ingesting sodium bicarbonate extended the final sprint of a 5-x 1-min cycling test until exhaustion by 47 seconds.
Studies have also documented ergogenic effects of sodium bicarbonate on 400-m and 1500-m running time trials, although such tests tend to be relatively short and do not typically reflect typical training loads, thus leading to unexpectedly beneficial results that could simply reflect outcome expectancy rather than physiological effects.
