Top 5 Most Effective Sports Nutrition and Supplements to Enhance Athletic Performance

 A well-balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle that includes enough sleep is the foundation of good sporting performance. However, athletes push their bodies to their peak performance, which demands a need of an energy boost. Sports nutrition and supplements satisfy the need of the athletes who want to beat fatigue and perform their best.

Sports nutrition and supplements include a variety of drinks, pills, and powders intended to improve athletic performance or/and fill gaps in the people’s diet who work out on a regular basis or play sports. People are now adopting healthy changes to their lifestyle and focusing more on fitness & health which is driving the demand for sports nutrition supplements. Besides, the COVID-19 outbreak was an eye opener for people to look after their health which increased the consumption and ultimately the sale of sports nutrition & supplements that helped people to enhance their immune system during the pandemic. Research Dive states that the global sports nutrition and supplements market valued for $13,900.0 million in 2018 and is expected to surpass $35,350.0 million by 2026.

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Effective Sports Nutrition and Supplements for Athletes

To reach the peak performance during any sports competition means eating nutritious food. Every athlete attempts for an edge over their opponents and supplements can help them to achieve their goals. Some of the most popular and effective sports nutrition and supplements for athletes to boost their performance are listed below:

1. Calcium and Vitamin D

Calcium and vitamin D help the body to build & maintain healthy bones, muscles, and teeth. Sports nutrition and supplements reduce the risk of injuries such as bone fractures and can help athletes maintain muscle mass. A recent research points out the essential role of vitamin D in extra skeletal functions such as skeletal muscle growth, inflammatory modulation, and immune & cardiopulmonary functions which directly influence the athletic performance of a person.

2. Caffeine

Caffeine shows well-established benefits for improving athletic performance across both short-term, supramaximal tasks, and endurance-based events. Caffeine sports nutrition and supplement blocks the activity of the sedative-like neuromodulator adenosine and decreases perceived exertion and pain. The use of caffeine is widened over the last few years as the understanding of the performance effect of caffeine has increased. Caffeine acts centrally on the brain in order to lower the perception of effort, which is mostly noticeable in longer events such as cycling or running. Caffeine is safe in dosages up to 400 mg to 500 mg/day in adults.

3. Creatine

Some athletes use creatine as it is a legal nutritional aid for sports performance. People can get creatine from seafood and red meat, but it is also available as a supplement.  According to a research, creatine supplements can improve strength and increase muscle mass when a person combines it with strength training. Researchers have found that a creatine supplement that also contains taurine, caffeine, and amino acids helped athletes to be focused and increased the time they took to feel exhausted.

4. Iron

Iron deficiency is most common in athletes which affects their performance. This deficiency is more common in females as compared to males, especially those in endurance sports.  According to an article published by Swiss Medical Weekly, low iron levels can cause many adverse symptoms especially in female athletes such as falling endurance and increasing the amount of energy the body uses. Thus, athletes can take iron supplements to reduce these effects if dietary changes could not meet their needs. However, people should consult a doctor before taking any iron supplements and ensure to request or demand a blood test to check their iron levels. Speaking to a doctor is important because taking too much iron can cause dangerous side effects such as damage to the gastrointestinal system, fatal damage to liver or brain, and others.

5. Proteins

Protein provides essential amino acids to build, repair, and maintain muscle tissue, which makes it the most popular sports nutrition and supplement. Protein enhances muscle training response during exercise and recovery after workout and this is the reason most athletes take protein after exercise. Consuming protein after exercise optimally builds muscle, reduces muscle protein breakdown, and enhances muscle oxygen use. At acclaimed intake levels of up to 2.0 g/kg body weight, no safety concerns have been reported.

Sports nutrition and supplements can be a safe way for athletes to try to improve their performance. However, more research is necessary to determine the effectiveness of some supplements. It is very important to speak to a doctor before taking any new supplements.