We can all agree that the best way to obtain the necessary nutrients for the body is based on consuming natural foods and eating a balanced diet.
This is the ideal, but when we talk about high performance athletes, in most cases, the needs generated by the high level of intensity of exercise and activity make it very difficult to achieve these contributions through a simple diet.Precisely for this reason, the vast majority of athletes resort to sports supplementation. There is a very wide range of supplementation products on the market, but not all of them provide what we are looking for.
If you feel identified, you are a high performance athlete and you are looking for the best sports supplements, you can not stop reading this article because you are interested, and a lot.
Benefits of sports supplements for high-performance athletes
When you are a high-performance athlete looking to improve your condition, it is always important to pay attention to details. In addition to good programming and training, the key is to be able to take a good rest, proper hydration and also follow balanced nutritional guidelines based on your caloric expenditure. But, there is always a, but, due to the overexertion and level of physical activity it is not enough.
No problem, don't worry, thanks to ergogenic aids and sports supplementation you can continue to improve and achieve your goals. Of course, it is important to choose the right supplements for each athlete depending on the modality that he/she performs and the hours of weekly training and competition, as well as the peaks of activity that may occur.
Supplements are used to improve an athlete's physical performance. Some, such as creatine, beta alanine and L-arginine, can help improve performance in activities that require explosive strength and muscle power.
Others such as BCAAs will help you repair and rebuild muscle tissue after intense exercise, which will help reduce recovery time and prevent injuries, especially those resulting from stress or overexertion.
Other supplements such as vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc can help strengthen the immune system and reduce the risk of infections. And we cannot forget the supplements that help maintain proper hydration, for this there are sports drinks that are able to provide essential mineral salts for the proper functioning of the body, especially in endurance sports that last a long time.
Before choosing supplements, it is important to know that not all supplements are effective for all athletes and that their effectiveness may vary depending on the individual, the type of sport and the intensity of training. That is why it is always recommended to consult medical professionals and nutritionists to be able to evaluate the needs of each athlete individually and thus recommend the best supplementation.
Types of sports supplements most commonly used in high performance sports.
Currently, the main supplements consumed by athletes are the following:
1. Creatine: is a natural nutrient found in foods of animal origin, offering an effective ergogenic nutritional aid to improve sports or exercise performance. The availability or non-availability of creatine is an important limitation in short, high-intensity exercise.
2. Glutamine: Glutamine plays an important role in protein metabolism, which is why it can have an anti-proteolytic effect in athletes undergoing training with great muscular destruction. It is normally used to prevent the onset of fatigue, to promote the recovery of muscle fibers, to avoid catabolic processes in situations of metabolic stress and, thus, to reduce the incidence of infections. In addition, excess glutamine can be easily excreted by the body, so its consumption does not pose any risk to the athlete.
3. Branched amino acids (leucine, isoleucine and valine): are one of the most widely used supplements. Taking branched amino acids before and after exercise has been shown to have an effect, not only anti-catabolic, decreasing muscle damage induced by exercise, but also anabolic, stimulating protein synthesis.
4.Multivitamins: these types of supplements are often used to help reduce fatigue. Their contribution in vitamins C, B2, B5, B6 and B12, together with some minerals, such as magnesium and iron, make this type of supplements the ideal partner. They are very safe supplements that always contribute positively.
How to use sports supplements responsibly?
When we make the decision to take sports supplements, as we have already pointed out, it is important to consult with a health professional and/or a sports nutritionist. It is very important to choose supplements with a good composition, that contain high quality contents and that are treated under the necessary safety standards.
Try to rely on supplements that have a broad scientific basis behind them, such as those described in this article, for example. Before taking supplements it is important to read the package insert and take the recommended dosage proposed by the manufacturer.
In conclusion, the key to success in high-performance sport lies in small details that we cannot overlook or overlook. As we have mentioned, everything related to invisible training is of great importance.
Rest, hydration, nutrition, recovery... if you do and comply with all of the above and want to boost your performance, you just need to have good sports supplementation products that give you that second you need, that reaction capacity and that extra dose of energy. However, not everything goes and not everything is equally good. Follow the recommendations of your nutritionist or medical staff and make all the effort worthwhile.
He is currently sports director at the University Alfonso X el Sabio, where he combines his functions with the operations management of UAX Rafa Nadal School of Sport. He is a regular contributor to magazines such as Sportlife, Triathlon, Corredor..., where he demonstrates his knowledge about the world of fitness, physical activity and health. He has a degree in Sports Science along with a master's degree in Physical Activity and Health, specializing in the treatment of injuries, physical activity for health and nutrition for athletes.
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