Sports supplements aren’t just for athletes who train in a gym. If your sport is about the pool, the playing field, or the open road, you need to know which supplements can help you perform and recover.
Endurance sport is a different beast. Just ask any runner, cyclist, or triathlete. As an endurance athlete, you need to pay close attention to three key stages of training and racing. Your preparation phase will last months (or perhaps years). The action phase is where the fun happens: your race, event, or challenge. Finally (but crucially) your recovery phase sets the scene for future training and performance.
Supplements For Endurance Sport Preparation
To get through long training sessions, endurance athletes need to be physically and mentally prepared. Miles (and hours) on your feet or bike will take their toll, so make sure your body has the nutritional support it needs.
For mental focus: endurance athletes are used to the idea of using carb gels during training. But how about a pre-workout gel which helps you perform? Our Pre-Workout Gels give you an energy boost, will buffer lactic build up, and might reduce perceived fatigue. The caffeine content will boost performance, and the citrulline malate, arginine alpha ketoglutarate, taurine and beta alanine help reduce fatigue.
For fuel: carbs are key for endurance athletes, who need a steady supply of muscle glycogen to maintain pace and performance. Carb load with Dextrose, which is easy to digest and will quickly replenish glycogen stores. Or go for Vitargo®, the highly soluble version of the famous patented sports performance carbohydrate.
Supplements To Support Endurance Events & Races
For muscle function: endurance athletes need more than carbohydrates to support their bodies during a long event. Where will you get your protein and BCAAs from? How about Endure intra workout drink. Each serving has 6g PeptoPro® and 4g of 4:1:1 ratio BCAA, plus carbs and an electrolyte blend. And it’s tested under the Informed Sport programme, too.
For hydration: water is not enough when your sport demands hours of constant activity. Add Electrolyte Powder to your drinks bottles to prevent the effects of sweating. They’ll top you up with potassium, sodium, magnesium and calcium, along with vitamins B1 and B6 to avoid cramping and buffer tiredness.
Supplements Which Can Help Recovery From Endurance Sport
For protein replenishment: do you get enough protein after training? Informed Whey Protein is a convenient way to get quality protein into your diet to replenish muscle protein. It combines whey isolate with added leucine and glutamine, plus DigeZyme® and LactoSpore® to support your digestive health. You can mix it with water, add it to your porridge oats, use it in smoothies – whatever you like.
For the total recovery package: endurance athletes need carbs, protein, and electrolytes to recover faster after a tough session. Recovery Shake offers you everything: a complete blend of fast carbs, quality protein, added amino acids, plus electrolytes. Have you tried the new formula?
About the Author
Nicola Joyce has been writing for (and about) sport, fitness, nutrition and healthy living since 2004. She’s also a keen sportswoman: her background is in endurance sport but she now competes as a natural bodybuilder, most recently winning a world title with the INBF. When she’s not writing content, she can be found blogging. Follow her here www.nicolajoyce.co.uk and on Facebook & Twitter (@thefitwriter) too.
