Many well-trained elite and recreational athletes utilize dietary supplements to aid their training harder and enhance performance. Sellers claim dozens of ingredients can boost exercise and athletic performance, yet few studies have demonstrated it is actually effective.
Beta-alanine, creatine, caffeine, nitrates and protein supplements are among the most promising supplements for trained individuals, providing various benefits that can enhance exercise capacity, athletic performance and recovery.
Beta-alanine
Beta-alanine, a popular supplement among athletes and fitness enthusiasts alike, may assist people in exercising for longer without feeling fatigued. It works by protecting muscles from fatigue due to acid accumulation while helping the body use energy more efficiently.
Carnosine, produced naturally by your body, acts to buffer excess hydrogen ions and fight free radicals that contribute to fatigue. Consumption of b-alanine has also been shown to enhance performance during high-intensity exercises; studies conducted over 30 days by Hoffman et al found it improve dynamic knee extensions, isometric endurance but not strength outcomes.
Studies using time trial or fixed endpoint approaches demonstrate smaller yet significant advantages, including improvements to average times to exhaustion of 1-10 min duration. Though these changes are subtle, they can prove invaluable for competitive athletes.
Creatine
Creatine is an organic compound produced naturally within muscles that provides energy during high intensity exercise, making it an attractive supplement choice among athletes and bodybuilders alike. Creatine works by increasing ATP production during exercise.
Studies have demonstrated the power and strength-boosting potential of creatine supplements, and their ability to speed recovery between exercise bouts. For instance, one research paper demonstrated that female college athletes supplementing with creatine experienced significantly greater increases in bench press and back squat one repetition maximum strength than the control group during a 13-week resistance training program.
Creatine supplements may enhance performance during endurance-type exercises and sports; however, more research needs to be conducted into its potential benefits in these activities.
Caffeine
Caffeine may once have been on the banned substances list, but research has demonstrated its efficacy as an ergogenic aid in most sports. Energy drinks, supplement pills, gum or aerosol may all contain caffeine which has proven useful to athletes preparing for competition or training sessions – whether that be via energy drinks, supplement pills, gum or aerosol form. While its stimulatory properties may benefit many activities (e.g. tennis players and biathlon shooters) its stimulating properties may not always be so great; some sports such as those focused on skill like tennis players and biathlon shooters may benefit more from caffeine’s stimulating properties (e.g. tennis players and biathlon shooters).
Athletes should begin with a low dose and gradually increase it until they experience positive performance benefits. Caffeine should be consumed 60 minutes prior to an event or race for maximum effectiveness.
Nitrates
Studies on the efficacy of dietary nitrates as an ergogenic aid to improve endurance exercise performance have been numerous. Nitrates can be found in beetroot juice, pomegranate seeds and green leafy vegetables such as collard greens, spinach and kale.
A meta-analysis of placebo-controlled trials demonstrated that supplementing with nitrate significantly enhanced power output and time to exhaustion during a Cooper test, but had no bearing on work done to produce lactate or VO2.
Dietary nitrates can easily be consumed through eating vegetables such as beetroot, spinach and kale; for athletes looking for an easier route, nutritional supplements containing nitrates may provide a convenient option. As with any nutrient however, nitrates shouldn’t be seen as the panacea solution to performance; rather they should be seen as part of an integrated approach to nutrition, training and recovery.
HMB
Hydroxymethylbutyrate (HMB), an end product of leucine metabolism, has been demonstrated to prevent muscle protein breakdown and boost growth among athletes.2 A three week study in which subjects took 1.5 grams/day of HMB showed increases in FFM and 1 repetition maximum strength during bench press, biceps curl, and leg press exercises.
Studies have also demonstrated that when taken together with creatine and/or vitamin D, HMB can improve strength and high-intensity exercise performance.3 Additionally, studies suggest it can also help combat clinical muscle wasting conditions like AIDS cachexia and cancer-induced bed rest as well as ameliorating symptoms of aging.3 A 2019 review of research suggests 3 g/day may be ideal for competitive athletes; longer term supplementation remains unknown.3
