Dietary supplements contain one or more of the following ingredients: amino acids, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fiber, and healthy fats. Athletes may choose to take them to help improve athletic performance, build muscle mass, and speed up the recovery process. These products, often known as “ergogenic aids,” are promoted by manufacturers as improving strength or endurance, boosting exercise efficiency, reducing the risk of injuries, achieving an athletic goal more rapidly, and increasing tolerance for more intensive training. There are numerous other supplements available, such as performance-enhancing drugs, and energy drinks.
A nutritionally balanced diet and enough hydration are essential for every individual to physically operate at his or her best. Athletes must consume enough calories, water, carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals regularly. A few dietary supplements can help you perform better if you add them to your diet rather than replace foods. Athletes participating in endurance exercises that last longer than an hour or who compete in extreme environments may need to replenish lost fluids and electrolytes as well as consume additional carbs for energy.
Recovery Supplements
Protein and amino acid supplements are common supplements used to help athletes recover from exercise. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and are essential for bodily functions. They play critical roles in processes such as tissue growth, energy production, hormone synthesis, oxygen transport, immune function, and nutrient absorption. Protein consumption is an important component of exercise training and is part of the dietary requirements for the average athlete. It also helps recovery and performance.
Dietary protein should be consumed before, during, and after physical activity, as it promotes muscle growth and recovery. However, consuming too much protein and amino acid supplements can cause more harm than good to the body. A high-protein diet must be combined with a well-balanced diet and regular resistance training to maximize workout results.
In terms of physical recovery, post-workout nutrition is an important component of an athlete’s nutrition plan. After exercise, high carb consumption (8 – 10 g/kg/day) has been shown to boost muscle glycogen re-synthesis, whereas protein (0.2 g – 0.5 g/kg/day) coupled to carbohydrate has been shown to improve glycogen re-synthesis. Amino acid ingestion within three hours of exercise has been proven to generate significant increases in muscle protein synthesis, with the addition of carbohydrates driving even higher levels of protein synthesis. To sustain muscle glycogen stores, athletes should consume a high-carbohydrate diet with enough calories, proteins to fuel muscle repair and growth, and fluids to maintain proper hydration.
Energy Supplements
Athletes may take energy supplements to help them train more frequently. Caffeine, Creatine, BCAAs, Carbohydrates, and Beta-Alanine are just a few of the energy-boosting products available. Caffeine is a stimulant that can improve your fitness levels. Creatine improves energy production during high-intensity exercise, resulting in improved performance, strength, and muscle building. Branch chain amino acids are a type of amino acid that helps your body maintain or gain muscle mass while burning fat. By optimizing body composition, protein supplements may play an anabolic function in strength-related sports. Carbohydrates consumed just before or after exercise have been shown to boost performance by increasing glycogen stores and delaying fatigue.
Caffeine is a naturally occurring stimulant found in a wide range of foods and beverages. It’s a great ergogenic supplement for both aerobic and anaerobic exercise. Caffeine supplementation is beneficial for high-intensity activities, according to a study, as it increased speed, peak power, and mean power in trained cyclists.
Performance-Enhancing Drugs
Athletes and bodybuilders use illegal performance-enhancing medications to increase their athletic performance and build muscle. Anabolic-androgenic steroids are the most well-known and widely used performance-enhancing drugs, yet they come with many short- and long-term health risks.