Ashwagandha is one of the supplements I caved on because I had a few athletes in pro sport that finished a season strong statistically, but needed a break mentally and physically. We supplemented with a sport product that had small amounts of ashwagandha and literally had to triple the dose to match what the scientific literature used.

The result was that a few weeks later they all were all notably fresher, happier, and sleeping like teenagers. A few months afterwards, every one of them hit records in their offseason training, even though some of their ages were approaching the other side of In the next few years, I expect an NSF adaptogen product that is affordable and has an efficacy supported by research.

Last, but not least, is the most talked-about supplement in the last year, for good reason. Gelatin has promise with joint repair, and most of the sports medicine and sports performance market is rushing to it as a savior for tendon injuries. Keith Barr, an expert on molecular science, has been promoting gelatin recently and some skepticism exists as to how much it can really do for athletes.

I am a little cautious, as tendons are more about total nutrients than gelatin and vitamin C. What is great about gelatin is that you can add juices to it and, while most of the nutrients are lost in the mix, some athletes have found that tart cherry and other health juices make great-tasting desserts.

Again, the supplement is a little early in my opinion, and we need more studies to be really sure it does the trick. This list will likely be the same for next year unless something shows up on one or two of the supplements above that proves that they are not worth including.

Anything you suggest your athletes take, or if you are an athlete and take supplements, make sure they are certified safe. The problem is not that bad with this supplement list, as they are mostly nutrients, and the likelihood that there will be a banned substance found in vitamin D or magnesium is super low.

Most of the issues we see with contamination are athletes not knowing what is on a label, rather than what is not listed on the label causing a problem. The supplement industry is improving, but it still has a long way to go.

In the meantime, several companies are committed to helping athletes and have been doing a great job with their products for years. More people are reading SimpliFaster than ever, and each week we bring you compelling content from coaches, sport scientists, and physiotherapists who are devoted to building better athletes.

Please take a moment to share the articles on social media, engage the authors with questions and comments below, and link to articles when appropriate if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics.

Carl Valle has coached for twenty years and has expertise in the speed and power events, along with experience in endurance monitoring.

He is a freelance consultant for human performance companies interested in innovation and design. In addition to sport, he is a supporter of environmental protection as well as the arts.

I enjoyed reading this excellent and informative article. might I add that in addition to the benefits of omega 3 is that of being anti inflammatory and really soothes those aching muscles. I really enjoyed reading this article, as I was sitting in Vons Suplement department looking for something to give me strength, special in the morning.

I am so tired all the time like a lazy person. I do have diabetes,and faty liver problem Is there anything out there that you recommend for me. I am 65 and need boost my energy. Thank you for replying. I am sorry about m u grammar, I am Polish. English is my 3rd language.

What type of supplement can I find a source of Ashwagandha in? Good read, appreciate the article! Swanson Health Products. Ashwagandha is not expensive. I take it every day: one capsule in the AM on rising and one capsule late PM right before bed.

I often sleep 8 hours straight, with no soreness in the AM Before using it, sleep was often intermittent and interrupted with bouts of insomnia.

Suggest reading Swanson information on the use of adaptogens. Korean Panax Ginseng is also worth considering but its more stimulating, should not be taken in the evening or it can interfere with sleep.

Korean Panax Ginseng is like slow sipping on two cups of coffee. Panax Ginseng is associated with a decreased risk of several diseases including cancer. I use Panax Ginseng from noon to 8 pm. Gelatin is simply hydrolized collagen. Your digestive system breaks it down into amino acids.

You can get those same amino acids from meat, protein powder, etc. In addition, those who are taking collagen supplements for wrinkle prevention anti-aging are really just taking capsules of gelatin at a much higher price point… and the collagen — whether hydrolized or not — is no longer collagen once it is digested.

Note — One would have to consume huge amounts of collagen or gelatin to get the general protein effects.. Ingestion of collagen kind of gained popularity after the success of collagen injections except the common allergic reactions. However, injecting collagen WAS much different than eating collagen due to the processes involved in digesting it.

On another note, the same applies for ingesting hyaluronic acid for anti-wrinkles. Nice blog post… Some good info here on supplements for speed training supplementation, but collagen? Come on man! TJ Allison: Common sense supports what you say but there has been research that proves the efficacy of collagen supplements.

No wrinkles on my body anywhere and just a little on my face where I smile or raise my eyebrows. Some people in the public eye pursue very healthy lifestyles and diets and avoid all 16 of the most damaging items sugar, alcohol, tobacco, smoked meats, pastry, beef, white rice, white bread, foods with gluten, ice cream, uncultured cheese, milk with lactose for example.

You are losing hair, nails, skin every day and muscles, bones, tendons, joints and internal organs need repair. Breast cancer has been directly linked to breasts that are lacking in collagen. Try examine.

com to learn about supplements that work. They support their reviews with links to the actual research. Hi im a supportive mother of a soccer player kids i want to build his body for more strength for playing ,what food supplement u can recommend to me,,,he is 11yrs.

There are convenient supplemental drinks that are rich in vitamins, minerals and protein. One a day would be more than enough. Do your son a favor and eliminate all soft drinks that are empty calories. Also, eat an orange, not drink orange juice, eat an apple, not drink apple juice.

Cakes, pies, cookies are for birthdays and Holidays…. not everyday. If you want to build his body, you have to learn about food and its effect on health. There is a list of 16 foods that should be avoided on WebMD.

Beef, bacon, pastry, ice cream are on that list. Knowledge is power and years of healthy life. Sir iam parlympic blade long jumper..

Now I across 5. I want your advice about my diet and supplmeny. I will participate national games.. Pl replay sir. You only mention one adaptogens, Ashwagandha. How about all the great adaptogens the Russians proved are great, like Rhodiola, Schisandra, Hawthorn Berry, Eleuthero and other products such as D-Ribose.

Astaxanthin is another excellent anti-oxidant that also reduces latic acid in muscles increasing endurance. Caffeine is often utilized by endurance athletes as it has been shown to reduce fatigue and increase time to exhaustion in longer duration exercise sessions.

It is believed that caffeine may improve endurance exercise through a few mechanisms. The first mechanism is by increasing alertness by blocking adenosine. It may also increase the availability of free fatty acids for metabolism during exercise as caffeine has been shown to increase the rate of fatty acids appearing in the blood stream and increase fatty acid oxidation during exercise.

It has also been suggested that caffeine may be glycogen sparing. In addition to endurance sports, caffeine may provide some benefit to strength and power athletes, although the research is a little less clear.

For example, one meta-analysis found that caffeine supplementation increased upper body strength, but not lower body strength, which is a bit unusual.

Furthermore, while the meta-analysis found a significant effect, most of the individual studies did not find an effect. The higher end of the dosing spectrum should be approached with caution. Protein powders are incredibly helpful tools for athletes to reach the ideal daily protein intake, which is between 1.

Consuming an adequate amount of protein intake is critical for athletes as protein is essential not only muscle growth both recovery, bone health, and maintaining immune function.

While it is possible for people to obtain enough protein through their diet, it is often more practical and more efficient for them to utilize a protein supplement, usually in the form of a powder. While there are many different types of protein powder e. See " Do You Really Need to Take Protein Powder?

Vitamin D has been shown to be an important nutrient in ensuring athletes can perform at their highest level. While supplemental vitamin D is not necessarily a performance enhancer, preventing deficiencies in vitamin D has been shown to result in better performances among athletes. For example, several studies have found that lower levels of vitamin D are associated with a lower VO2 max.

Furthermore athletes who had low levels of vitamin D saw improvements in their VO2 max when supplementing with vitamin D. This is an important supplement to consider as athletes report a relatively high rate of vitamin D deficiency.

While dosing strategies will vary person-to-person, supplementing with between IU per day may be an appropriate starting point. Not all athletes need supplements. As a rule, athletes do not need to take multivitamins unless there is a specific need for them as consuming vitamins or minerals above the RDA does not appear to result in enhanced performance.

Total Energy Consumption: Athletes who are in energy balance perform better than athletes who are in a deficit.

Macronutrient Requirements of Their Sport: Each sport has different metabolic demands and requires a different number of macronutrients in the diet to ensure optimal performance.

For example, a basketball player will require more carbohydrates and, in their diet, than a shot putter for meeting the metabolic demands of their sport.

Consume Adequate Micronutrients: Prevent deficiencies in micronutrients to ensure an athlete does not experience subpar performance from a deficiency in key vitamins or minerals such as vitamin D or iron.

Supplementation: Once the four other key components are achieved, then performance enhancing supplements such as creatine, caffeine, and beta-alanine should be considered.

In general, athletes usually meet most of their micronutrient needs. Be sure to check out the NASM recipe book for athletes for great meal ideas for endurance athletes.

Brad is a trained Exercise Physiologist, Molecular Biologist, and Biostatistician. He received his B. from Washington State University and a Masters of Science in Biomechanics at the University of Idaho, and completed his PhD at the University of Idaho.

Currently, Dr. Dieter is the Chief Scientific Advisor at Outplay Inc and Harness Biotechnologies, is co-owner of Macros Inc and is active in health technology and biotechnology.

In addition, he is passionate about scientific outreach and educating the public through his role on Scientific Advisory Boards and regular writing on health, nutrition, and supplementation. Want to learn more in Brad's areas of expertise?

Check out his NASM product recommendations. org Fitness CPT Nutrition CES Sports Performance Workout Plans Wellness. Nutrition spotlight Vitamins and Supplements For Athletes: Providing an Athletic Edge.

The Author. Brad Dieter Brad is a trained Exercise Physiologist, Molecular Biologist, and Biostatistician. Related Posts. Nutrition spotlight The Kinetic Chain and How to Apply It. Nutrition spotlight Considering Medication for Obesity?

Vitamin D also helps your muscles work properly. Fortified plant-based beverages. Find out more about calcium and vitamin D and how much you need. Antioxidant s help reduce muscle damage and speed up recovery after you play sports.

A well-balanced eating plan with a variety of plant foods will provide you with vitamins A, C and E. The best sources of vitamin C are vegetables and fruit such as oranges, strawberries, bell peppers, tomatoes and broccoli.

Animal foods like milk, salmon and eggs are rich in vitamin A. Dark green and orange vegetables and fruit are rich in carotenoids which can be turned into vitamin A in our bodies. Vitamin E is found in nuts, seeds, avocado, vegetable oils and wheat germ.

Some dark leafy greens and fish are also sources of vitamin E. A dietitian can review what you are currently eating and assess if you are low in any vitamins and minerals.

They will give you suggestions on how to boost the nutritional content of your meals and snacks and let you know if you would benefit from a supplement. A dietitian can also give you personalized advice on when to eat and how much protein, carbohydrates and fat you need when training.

Most employee health benefit plans cover dietitian services. Connect with a dietitian today! Eat a variety of foods rich in iron, B vitamins, calcium, vitamin D and vitamins A, C and E.

Sport nutrition: Facts on sports supplements Sport nutrition: Facts on hydration Sport nutrition: Facts on sports drinks Sport nutrition: Facts on carbohydrate, fat and protein This article was written and reviewed by dietitians from Dietitians of Canada.

The advice in this article is intended as general information and should not replace advice given by your dietitian or healthcare provider.

Dietitians look beyond fads to deliver reliable, life-changing advice. Want to unlock the potential of food? Connect with a dietitian. Home Articles Physical Activity Sports Nutrition: Facts on Vitamins and Minerals.

Why is iron important when you play sports? Other protein powders exist, but if you have a shake two to three times a week during peak periods, that should not create food allergies as reported in the early s.

In the late s, creatine was all the rage, and then over time, like most tried-and-true supplements, it was replaced—in this case, by newer options such as tart cherry juice. Creatine is safe, effective, and very inexpensive, on average.

Some speed and power athletes feel that water weight is an issue, and I agree. We use creatine during early training periods and get off it during the late spring and early summer.

We have never had a cramping issue with creatine and, in fact, the research is supportive that it may actually reduce cramps. While HOTSHOT may be a better supplement for cramping it still needs research , I find that fatigue is more of a variable than nutrition with cramping.

It will never be a maximal strength product, but it adds a few extra gallons to the gas tank. Still, doing more work and a higher quality of work will add up at the end of a season, so creatine is one of these staples that any speed and power athletes should consider, especially if they want to add muscle mass.

A mucosal test for magnesium exists, but the burden of testing that, as well as the research on magnesium being part of so many functions of the body, means supplementing makes the most sense.

Most athletes think zinc is more important, but to me, magnesium seems to be more important due to the influence it has on hormones and muscle performance. Some forms of magnesium may create a little problem with loose stools, so taking it twice a day in smaller doses is a good step. Most athletes will see ZMA available and simply take that instead of a pure magnesium option, and if that is more accessible because of NSF accreditation, that is fine.

Every female endurance athlete should take an iron supplement at least as an insurance policy, and even if you supplement, variables like gut health and inflammation may be a wild card. Iron supplements are not exciting, but if you are low on iron, your ability to transport oxygen is impaired.

One suggestion I have is to take iron with a banana and vitamin-C-rich drink. I tend to have athletes drink watermelon juice with their iron pills because one serving is enough to help with absorption, and refreshing enough that they want to drink it.

One of the most fascinating lessons I learned using probiotics with athletes is that they are catalysts for other supplements like iron. Many athletes have poor gut health , and when absorption is impaired, it compromises the entire system. One athlete of mine struggled for years to get enough iron in his body, but only after probiotic supplementation did he restore his ferritin.

Athletes who travel should consider a probiotic as the first line of defense—more than vitamin C. The amount of vitamin C you get from a really fresh diet is enough to be healthy, as we now know the body naturally creates antioxidants internally to manage stress, and eating a really well-rounded diet and drinking the right fruit beverages will fill in the gaps.

The only herb on the list is an ancient remedy, called an adaptogen due to its ability to help users cope with stress. I am not a big fan of herbs, since they can get athletes off of a food mindset and into the world of potions and magic elixirs.

Ashwagandha is one of the supplements I caved on because I had a few athletes in pro sport that finished a season strong statistically, but needed a break mentally and physically. We supplemented with a sport product that had small amounts of ashwagandha and literally had to triple the dose to match what the scientific literature used.

The result was that a few weeks later they all were all notably fresher, happier, and sleeping like teenagers. A few months afterwards, every one of them hit records in their offseason training, even though some of their ages were approaching the other side of In the next few years, I expect an NSF adaptogen product that is affordable and has an efficacy supported by research.

Last, but not least, is the most talked-about supplement in the last year, for good reason. Gelatin has promise with joint repair, and most of the sports medicine and sports performance market is rushing to it as a savior for tendon injuries. Keith Barr, an expert on molecular science, has been promoting gelatin recently and some skepticism exists as to how much it can really do for athletes.

I am a little cautious, as tendons are more about total nutrients than gelatin and vitamin C. What is great about gelatin is that you can add juices to it and, while most of the nutrients are lost in the mix, some athletes have found that tart cherry and other health juices make great-tasting desserts.

Again, the supplement is a little early in my opinion, and we need more studies to be really sure it does the trick. This list will likely be the same for next year unless something shows up on one or two of the supplements above that proves that they are not worth including.

Anything you suggest your athletes take, or if you are an athlete and take supplements, make sure they are certified safe. The problem is not that bad with this supplement list, as they are mostly nutrients, and the likelihood that there will be a banned substance found in vitamin D or magnesium is super low.

Most of the issues we see with contamination are athletes not knowing what is on a label, rather than what is not listed on the label causing a problem. The supplement industry is improving, but it still has a long way to go. In the meantime, several companies are committed to helping athletes and have been doing a great job with their products for years.

More people are reading SimpliFaster than ever, and each week we bring you compelling content from coaches, sport scientists, and physiotherapists who are devoted to building better athletes.

Please take a moment to share the articles on social media, engage the authors with questions and comments below, and link to articles when appropriate if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics. Carl Valle has coached for twenty years and has expertise in the speed and power events, along with experience in endurance monitoring.

He is a freelance consultant for human performance companies interested in innovation and design. In addition to sport, he is a supporter of environmental protection as well as the arts.

I enjoyed reading this excellent and informative article. might I add that in addition to the benefits of omega 3 is that of being anti inflammatory and really soothes those aching muscles. I really enjoyed reading this article, as I was sitting in Vons Suplement department looking for something to give me strength, special in the morning.

I am so tired all the time like a lazy person. I do have diabetes,and faty liver problem Is there anything out there that you recommend for me. I am 65 and need boost my energy. Thank you for replying. Our Klean Zinc supplements are a great way to boost your zinc intake as an athlete.

Magnesium is necessary for cellular energy production, as this mineral plays an important role in metabolism. Magnesium is found in leafy greens, dark chocolate, and whole grains, as well as our Klean Magnesium supplement.

Calcium has an essential role to play in bone growth, maintenance, and repair. Good sources of calcium include milk, cheese, and other dairy products, as well as sardines and leafy greens such as kale and spinach. Our multivitamin supplements offer nutrients to fill in nutritional gaps.

Choose from Klean Multivitamin or our tasty raspberry-lemonade flavor Klean Gummy Multivitamin. Both multivitamins contain a proper proportion of vitamins, minerals, trace elements, and other nutrients, designed to support your everyday health as an athlete.

We cannot search for an empty value, please enter a search term. What Are the Best Vitamins for Athletes? Buy Now.