No matter how determined and dedicated you are, your body will need a little boost to stay strong during the workout sessions and to recover after. To help your body stay strong you should consider getting sports endurance supplements. An endurance supplement can help you boost your strength, and immune system, and help your muscles grow and recover.
Sodium Phosphate
Sodium phosphate, a popular preservative for meats and other foods, has now proven itself as a "performance booster". By improving the oxygen delivery to active muscles, it has been shown to enhance aerobic capacity and prolong time to exhaustion. Besides, various studies have discovered that it can increase maximal oxygen uptake and ventilatory threshold, leading to improved endurance performance.
To reap these benefits, it's recommended to take 3-5 grams of Sodium Phosphate per day. It's best to divide this dose into single-gram portions and consume them for 3-6 days before an endurance event.
Protein
One of the most popular sports endurance supplements is protein. It doesn't matter if you follow a gluten-free, low-carb, low-fat, paleo, or any other trendy diet – you still need protein. While many endurance athletes focus more on carbohydrates, protein is vital for building, repairing, and maintaining your muscles.
Moreover, when you exercise for long periods, your body relies on protein as an extra source of energy. This makes it even more important to consume enough protein to prevent muscle loss.
To maximize the benefits of your protein supplement, try pairing it with a carbohydrate. This combination of macronutrients can enhance protein and glycogen synthesis. Recommended intake is 0.5-0.7 grams of protein per pound of body weight daily. During intense training or high-volume periods, consider increasing your protein intake to 0.9 grams per pound of body weight. This will aid in maintaining and repairing lean body mass.
Creatine Monohydrate
When it comes to creatine supplementation and endurance exercise, they may not seem like a natural fit. People usually associate creatine with strength, speed, and power, and for good reason. There's plenty of research supporting its use in improving muscular strength and size. However, we believe that creatine can also benefit endurance athletes, despite what some may argue.
If you look beyond the direct effects of creatine, such as increased phosphocreatine stores, rapid ATP production, and improved anaerobic performance, you'll discover that creatine supplementation can indirectly benefit runners, cyclists, and triathletes, taking their training to the next level.
Interval workouts at the lactate threshold, speed work, and hill training are common techniques used to enhance running efficiency and performance times. The higher the quality of these sessions, the faster you'll reach the finish line.
Studies have shown that creatine supplementation can decrease recovery time during repeated intervals and increase power output at the lactate threshold. These improvements in speed, power, and running economy during training sessions can lead to better performance on race day!
It's best to take 3-5 grams of creatine per day. You can skip the traditional loading phase often used with creatine supplementation, as the initial weight gain caused by increased body water may slow down performance.
Glutamine
The most abundant amino acid in the body, glutamine, plays a crucial role. However, intense physical activity can deplete glutamine stores faster than your body can replenish them. This can lead to muscle breakdown and weaken your immune system, making you more susceptible to infections.
Fortunately, supplementing with glutamine can help. It may help in recovery and boost immune function, especially after exhaustive exercise.
A study conducted on over 200 runners and rowers found that 81 per cent of athletes who supplemented with glutamine reported no infections after intense training, compared to only 49 per cent in the placebo group. By supplementing with glutamine, you can reduce your vulnerability to infections after prolonged exercise. This supplement gives you the strength to train harder and recover faster.
BCAA
BCAAs, short for Branched-Chain Amino Acids, are essential if you're planning a long run or bike ride. During exercise, one of the causes of central fatigue is the presence of free tryptophan crossing the blood-brain barrier. Unfortunately, tryptophan can release certain neurotransmitters like serotonin, which can affect your mood, sleepiness, and arousal, and ultimately lead to fatigue.
However, BCAAs and tryptophan compete for the same protein carrier. By increasing the concentration of BCAAs, you can reduce the amount of tryptophan crossing the blood-brain barrier, potentially delaying fatigue. But that's not all! Studies have shown that BCAAs can also decrease lactate production, which may improve your endurance during exercise.
Furthermore, there is substantial evidence suggesting that BCAAs can help reduce skeletal muscle protein breakdown, promote recovery, and boost your immune response after exercise. It's recommended to take 3-6 grams of BCAAs before or during your workout. The most beneficial ratio of BCAAs is 2:1:1, with leucine, isoleucine, and valine. So don't forget to include BCAAs in your exercise routine for better performance and recovery!