The use of dietary supplements has become very popular among athletes. Dietary supplements are used to maximize the potential for growth, development, and performance enhancement that other sports activities cannot provide.
What types of nutritional supplements are the most popular among athletes?
Most athletes prefer vitamins and dietary supplements that can promote better metabolism. The more fat we have, the lower our performance will be. Therefore, the increase in metabolism helps us control weight more quickly and achieve a higher caloric expenditure.
To do this, many athletes choose products that contain thermogenic stimulants such as caffeine or green tea extract mixed with other substances.
Other dietary supplements are designed to increase muscle mass by stimulating protein synthesis.
The amino acids that these products contain are the main building blocks of muscles. They serve as precursors and stimulate protein turnover and repair, helping us achieve greater gains and faster recovery after exercise.
The use of dietary supplements must be accompanied by a balanced diet and an adequate exercise routine
List of most popular nutritional supplements used by athletes:
Creatine
Creatine monohydrate is the most popular dietary supplement used by athletes. It will give you the energy to work harder, allowing your muscles to recover more quickly after an intense workout.
Calcium
It speeds up muscle recovery and reduces soreness, so it can help us train harder next time.
Sodium phosphorus
It is also used to reduce muscle stiffness after intense training.
Beta carotene
It can delay the onset of fatigue during exercise, allowing you to work harder. It also helps protect cells from damage caused by oxygen-free radicals.
Quercetin
This substance has antioxidant properties that help improve endurance and reduce muscle soreness afterward.
Caffeine
Taking an hour before exercise, caffeine can help you work harder and for longer.
Zinc
Helps fight fatigue and helps your immune system recover after intense workouts. It is recommended to take 50 mg of Zinc every day.
Magnesium
This mineral will help you relax and reduce muscle fatigue, allowing you to work harder.
Antioxidants
They help your body recover from strenuous workouts and protect cells from the damaging effects of free radicals.
BCAAs (Branched Chain Amino Acids)
They increase muscular strength and endurance, allowing you to work harder and longer. They also help improve recovery after intense training sessions. CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid).
Glutamine / Glutamic Acid
Increases the production of growth hormone, improving recovery after intense workouts.
For athletes, dietary supplements can be a great way to increase their performance. Whether you’re an endurance athlete or a powerlifter, there’s something for everyone!
Take a look at the list of nutritional supplements above and see what may work best for your individual needs, as well as any warnings about the safety of taking them. If you do not think that any of them can help you in your sports efforts, go to other experts who may have more information on how we can improve our sports performance through supplementation
