The sports supplements Can contribute to improve your sports performance and be key in achieving your goals, whether you are sportsman, amateur or professional.
The feeding of human beings is not only intended for a pleasurable function through their organoleptic characteristics (taste, smell, color, consistency and others) or to serve merely as a tool for social gathering with other individuals (usually family, co-workers Or study).
Also in the biological aspect is sought to meet the energy requirements and macro / micro nutrients to successfully perform our daily activities (walking, writing, talking, brushing our teeth or even breathing).
How is this achieved?
Each food has its own nutritional contribution, determined by the quantity and quality of nutrients it possesses and which in turn have a predominant function in particular:
- Carbohydrates: Energy
- Proteins: Form structures.
- Fats: Backup energy.
- Vitamins and minerals: Regulation of metabolic pathways.
What happens if I also practice sports?
Generally, your demands for energy, macro and micronutrients will increase, because you will spend much more energy in the processes of muscle contraction, cardiac output, remodeling of tissues damaged by the wear of the discipline, among many other factors to consider.
So how much more should I eat?
The answer is not so simple, and in any given case you will not even need to increase your intake.
In this aspect they influence different factors like the particular sport discipline, position, loads of training, your age and your weight, but above all I want to make it clear to you that it is diametrically different to be an amateur sportsman or also called"sportsman of weekend" , Which faces the enormous physical and psychological demands of professional or elite athletes.
What is a nutritional supplement?
Let's start from the fact that they are"supplements"because they should only be used if you can not meet your nutritional requirements through conventional food (say rice, meat, fruits, vegetables, etc.).
So, if you are not at least a semi-competitive athlete or do not have adequate access to food, you hardly need to invest in a nutritional supplement, except for one specific. To solve this question it is imperative that you visit a nutritionist or dietician.
Sports nutritional supplements are ergogenic aids
"Ergogenic"refers to any substance (nutritional, mechanical, pharmacological) that increases the ability to perform a work or effort in this case of sports type (ergogenic assistance can be for example the use of a very good tennis racket).
If you identify yourself as an athlete (of the level that is), you must take into account that although these nutritional sports supplements have been gaining year after year a greater fame and penetration in different groups of the population (either by fashion or a successful marketing) , Not all of them are safe.
For this reason the evidence is constantly discussed and revised both for and against its use, in order to classify them in the different categories that go from the most recommended or safe, to those that simply do not surpass the controls and is discouraged its use .
Something that plays very against their proper use is the fact that they do not require a formal professional indication for their purchase, they can be found with great ease in the market, and the worst thing is that they are usually recommended by the"friend of a friend Of my coach..."Has it happened or did you hear it?
After these important explanatory and conceptual points that I could not ignore in my role of health professional, I present a summary of some of the best known sports nutritional supplements which in turn have been shown to exert some probable positive effect on the Sports performance and that could in some case be used under competent sanitary supervision.
1- Carbohydrates
As discussed earlier, Carbohydrates Are mainly responsible for delivering energy for example resist a 10-kilometer race or end in good condition a football match.
They are stored in our body in the form of Glycogen , And for many tests (such as A marathon ) It is vital to arrive with a good reserve of these.
Its importance is prior to the activity, during it (especially if the physical effort will exceed the 60 minutes of duration) and later to replace the lost.
You can find them as carbohydrate concentrates (typical powders in jars), energy bars (there are many, some better than others) and as sports gels. They are those that are usually used for how comfortable they are to ingest during long runs or even see them in tennis matches.
In what cases use them? Sports of more than an hour of duration (bars or gels) or if you need to gain weight you can use the powder concentrate.
2 - Protein hydrolysates
It is certainly one of the most popular especially in the area of bodybuilding and gyms in general.
To summarize, when you are looking to gain muscle mass you must generate a positive balance of proteins. This means that you should ingest more than you spend, because if you train hard what you do is to generate micro ruptures of the muscle fibers, which should be repaired, and if you bring a good amount of protein the muscle will become larger.
The combination for muscle hypertrophy (larger muscles) is well planned training, proper nutrition and rest. If you fail one of them, you will not achieve your goal.
The most common are whey but there are other options such as meat, and come in many flavors (chocolate, raspberry, vanilla, biscuits, etc...).
You should not abuse its use. Doses of up to 2.8 grams per kilogram of weight have not been shown to exert any health damage, although no actual dose benefit has been shown on 2.4 grams per kilogram. Be adored by a professional.
Branched Amino Acids
The truth is that a well-planned diet for an athlete should provide more than enough of these amino acids (valine, leucine and isoleucine).
However, they are still one of the most used products in the world of sport, especially at the world of fitness or crossfit. Whether by placebo or actual effect, it is postulated that they can improve sports performance by delaying fatigue especially at the central nervous system level.
They usually ingest about 30 to 45 minutes prior to physical activity and their presentation is usually in capsules.
4- Glutamine
It is the most abundant non-essential amino acid and its synthesis is greater in skeletal muscle than any other, because for example it is widely used in immune function.
It has been insisted on as an anti-catabolic muscle product, but its main benefits would be to delay the onset of fatigue favoring muscle recovery after intense exercise (for example a hard session of weights) and the already known immune boosting function.
Its protocol of use is generally 15 grams in 150-200 cc of water distributed in 2-3 times a day. There may be individual variations in your response and dose.
5-Creatine
Another star product and best seller. We must start by saying that our body synthesizes Creatine Naturally from arginine, Glycine And methionine.
On the other hand, it is a nutrient that we obtain from food of animal origin, this being its source exogenous (outside our body).
Its usefulness as a sports supplement has to do with increasing energy availability for intense muscular contractions, where a lot of strength and speed (power) is needed, as is weightlifting or the popular crossfit.
Is it really effective? Yes, let's say it improves your performance in terms of power (strength in speed), but specifically for short-duration sports or intense sprints to repeat.
Any possible unwanted effects? Creatine causes water retention, so you gain some weight.
6-Hydroxy Methyl Butyrate (HMB)
It is a product originated from the metabolism of Leucine And its relevance would lie in its role in reducing Catabolism (Destruction) of muscle proteins and protection of their cellular integrity.
Its actual efficacy is still under evaluation, since most of its positive effects on physical performance have been studied in sedentary subjects initiating a sports program, so it could also be a Placebo effect Or training itself.
Of the products I have presented to you is the least known, but the literature reports that the consumption of 1g of HMB takes approximately 2 hours to achieve its peak concentration and lasts 90 minutes in the blood. It would be more effective if your sports level is basic or low. No specific adverse effects have been reported.
7- Glycerol
This product is quite controversial and would be used by certain sportsmen of resistance (long breath) and in adverse conditions (temperature, humidity).
He glycerol Can be used for power generation, but the most interesting of its justification as a sports supplement is that it would maintain a correct state of body hydration, in addition to decrease the perception of fatigue.
Personally, I advise you to consult with a doctor or nutritionist if you really want to use it, even if you are a beginner in the world of sports, I do not think that the supposed benefits are of greater use to you.
8-Carnitine
Have you ever been offered to lose weight? Sure you have, or have you heard that it is a"fat burner"???. While deep down there is some truth, the concept is very badly used as the fat is not â € œburnsâ €? (Subject that we can touch in another occasion).
If we go to cellular physiology, the fat in our body can be used to generate energy, but this reaction is too expensive and complicated, because a"transporter"is needed for the fatty acids to enter the mitochondria and be occupied.
Just that"transporter"is the Carnitine , Then the more"transporters"we have, the more fat our body can eliminate through this process. It is not so simple, it depends on the type of exercise you do and some people respond better than others to this supplementation.
In short, the evidence regarding carnitine is not 100% conclusive, so I can not assure you that it will achieve its purpose in you. I would recommend, if your goal is to decrease your body fat percentage (in addition to losing weight), consume it before cardio (trot or similar) sessions of approximately 30-45 minutes.
Any thoughts? It must be expressly in its form â??? Lâ?? Carnitine.
9-Caffeine
Do you think of a cola drink or instant coffee? I'm not referring to that kind of caffeine, but to pure caffeine??? Which usually comes in capsules.
Its physiological principle is that it increases the levels of Catecholamines (Adrenaline and noradrenaline), which increase the heart rate and thus the amount of blood that reaches your muscles during physical activity. With this blood there may be a higher rate of nutrient inputs and especially oxygen, Thereby increasing the resistance .
Another usefulness attributed to it is to facilitate the use of fatty acids (This property is much more discussed).
The dose is 6 mg / kg body weight and supplements usually bring between 90 and 300mg. I would recommend using it only in aerobic and individual disciplines.
Any thoughts? May cause gastrointestinal discomfort, arrhythmias, dizziness, excessive sweating or headache. Not recommended for use in hypertensive or cardiac patients.
10- Isotonic drinks
They are very useful for replenishing water and electrolytes. Its intake is recommended in prolonged efforts (from 1 hour onwards) or extreme atmospheric conditions (heat, humidity).
If only You go running About 20 minutes or you do a light intermittent activity, you just have to drink water.
Final Considerations
Any of these products you should try during some training Never during a competition!
Do not forget that before using any of these supplements, it is important that you visit a doctor or nutritionist who advises you, because health is not played and in addition, you can lose a lot of money if you do not use these products correctly.
Have you tried any of these sports supplements? What experiences do you have?
References
- Jeukendrup A, Gleeson M . Sport nutrition: an introduction to energy production and performance. Human Kinetics. 2004.
- Juhn M. Popular sports supplements and ergogenic aids. Sports Med 2003; 33: 921-939.
- Cramp T, Broad E, Martin D, Meyer BJ. Effects of preexercise carbohydrate ingestion on mountain bike performance. Med Sci Sports Exercise 2004; 36: 1602-9.
- European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA). Scientific opinion on dietary reference values for protein. EFSA Journal 2012; 10 (2): 2557.
- Blomstrand E, Saltin B. BCAA intake affects protein metabolism in muscle after but not during exercise in humans. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2001; 281: E365-74.
- Burke L, Maughan R, Shirreffs S. The Consensus conference on Nutrition for Athletics IAAF. J Sports Sci 2007; 25: Suppl 1: 1
- RJ Maughan (2005) Contamination of dietary supplements and positive drug tests in sport, Journal of Sports Sciences, 23: 9, 883-889.
- Kreider RB, Wilborn CD, Taylor L, Campbell B, Almada AL, Collins R, et al. ISSN exercise & sport nutrition review: research & recommendations. J Int Soc Sports Nut 2010; 7: 7.
- Image source .