Supplements
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Sports drinks vs electrolyte supplements
If you are an athlete, a coach, or an exercise enthusiast you might have wondered what are the differences between sports drinks vs electrolyte supplements. Moreover, you might be interested in knowing if/when you need either in your life. Sports drinks vs electrolyte supplements – What are they? Sports drinks Sports drinks are, in their simplest form, a combination of water and easily absorbable carbohydrate (e.g. glucose) for hydration and fuel. However, some sports drinks do not contain water (as they come in powdered form), some contain extra ingredients (e.g. electrolytes, creatine, vitamins), some contain multiple type of carbohydrates for better absorption, and some contain no carbohydrate (i.e. sugar-free sports…
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Sports foods vs sports supplements
Do you know what is the difference between sports foods vs sports supplements? Which one will improve your performance? What are sports foods and sports supplements? Sports foods Sports foods are foods or drinks specifically formulated to meet sport-specific needs (1, 2). Despite they resembling regular foods, they are not meant to be consumed as the sole source of an athlete’s nutrition (1). Sports foods may be designed to provide one or more of the following: Despite the fact that some common foods now include some of the elements listed above (most notably, protein), they are not automatically considered sports foods. Sports foods include: These foods are designed to be…
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Omega-3 supplements for exercise inflammation
The growing interest in using omega-3 supplements for exercise inflammation stems from the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of these polyunsaturated fatty acids. Exercise produces both inflammation and oxidative stress, which might sound like a bad thing but it’s actually good. The biological responses to exercise allow the body to adapt to training. However, excess inflammation can be counterproductive, especially when it interferes with subsequent training or, even worse, competition. Similarly, injuries and illness generate inflammation and oxidative stress which should be mitigated under certain circumstances. This article is based on a systematic review of 13 studies that analysed the effects of omega-3 supplements on various markers of inflammation and muscle…
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Sleep and nutrition in athletes
Sleep and nutrition in athletes is an often overlooked aspect of recovery and performance. In this article, we explore the multiple factors that can affect an athlete’s sleep quality and quantity. Sleep in athletes Many athletes suffer from sleep issues, including short duration of sleep (a.k.a. sleep deprivation) and sleep disturbances (e.g. insomnia, waking up at night) (1, 2). The factors that may contribute to sleep issues in athletes include: Muscle soreness (1) and pain Intense training (1) Early or late training sessions or competition (2, 3, 4) Poor sleep hygiene, including screen use close to bedtime (2, 3) Stress, nerves and/or anxiety due to competition or other reasons (2,…
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Nutrient timing
Nutrient timing guidelines are based on the observation that certain nutrients taken at particular times surrounding exercise can improve athletic performance and training adaptations. Nutrient intake is not only necessary for use as fuel during exercise but also necessary for recovery, tissue repair, muscle growth, bone remodelling, immune function, good mood, etc. Generally speaking, you can divide 3 stages: pre, during and post. However, for many athletes there is a blurring of stages as the post-exercise period from one session becomes the pre-exercise period of the next session. Nutrient intake is essential in the pre and post stages, and in some cases during sessions. But it’s not enough with eating…
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How to prevent and reduce DOMs
If you have ever engaged in exercise, chances are you have experienced delayed-onset muscle soreness, a.k.a. DOMs. In this article we explore how to prevent and reduce DOMs. What is DOMs Delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMs) describes the tenderness and soreness that may be experienced after exercise. It normally peaks 24-72 hours after exercise and goes away after 5-7 days (1). DOMs typically occurs after performing exercises one is not used to (i.e. unaccustomed exercise) and/or eccentric exercise (i.e. controlled lengthening of muscles) (1, 2, 3). The most commonly cited potential causes for DOMs include lactate build-up in muscles, inflammation, muscle spasm, muscle/connective tissue damage, increased muscle temperature (1, 3). There…
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Why do we keep breaking World and Olympic records?
If you watched the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games you would have noticed there were many records broken, often by the same athlete. Why do we keep breaking World and Olympic records? Of course there is no one answer to this question and this is not meant to be a prescriptive article, but more of a thought process around the fact that records are broken all the time. The great and humble Georges St Pierre said that MMA fighters of today are better than fighters of his generation and future fighters will be better than current ones. It is a fact of sports because all the disciplines that support athletic performance…
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Protein requirements for female athletes
Are protein requirements for female athletes the same than those of male athletes? Although it makes sense to think that body composition, energy metabolism and sex hormones may play a role in nutrient requirements, there are no fast and hard rules, but sensible guidelines as detailed below. Protein requirements for female athletes In theory, female athletes should have slightly lower protein requirements than their male counterparts because oestrogen causes exercising female bodies to increase fatty acid oxidation and decrease amino acid (and carbohydrate) oxidation (1, 2). Moreover, protein catabolism is higher in the luteal phase when oestrogen and progesterone are high (1). On the other hand, some studies seem to…
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How to improve body composition
As seen previously, improving body composition can confer a competitive advantage to some athletes. Hence the interest of athletes and coaches on how to improve body composition. In general, improving body composition means decreasing fat mass and increasing fat-free mass or muscle mass (a.k.a. lean body mass). Besides training protocols and periodisation, there are nutrition approaches that can achieve a favourable change. How to improve body composition Body composition can be improved using a variety of nutrition approaches. Broadly speaking, they can be categorised as dietary manipulation (e.g. tweaking energy intake or macronutrient levels) and supplementation. Note that not all research in this area is done on athletes. Some studies…
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Nitrate and exercise performance
Nitrate and exercise performance is one of the most studied topics in sports nutrition. Nitrate is one of the handful of ergogenic substances with solid evidence behind them. Keep reading to find out what is nitrate, its roles in the body and how it can benefit your athletic endeavours. What is nitrate Nitrate (NO3−) is an anion, i.e. a molecule with more electrons than protons. Nitrate is naturally found in plant foods such as leafy greens and root vegetables, including lettuce, spinach, rocket, celery and beetroot (1, 2). The role of nitrate in the body Some of the nitrate taken in the diet is converted to nitric oxide (NO) (1,…
