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These five supplements are considered highly effective in sports!
Sports nutrition and supplements can play a decisive role in competitive sports when it comes to achieving the maximum in training or competitions. Often it is the details that make the difference between victory and defeat. Scientific bodies in sports and nutrition sciences (1) therefore regularly publish assessments of supplements, sports nutrition and dietary supplements. Based on scientific studies, they assess efficacy, risks, dosage and range of use and also classify them.
High efficacy: Category A supplements
Supplements are divided into four categories: supplements in the highest category A have a high level of scientific evidence, are considered to be effective and are therefore permissible in the sporting environment. In contrast, substances in the last category D are considered prohibited or risky.
Which supplements are considered particularly effective in sport?
As «ingredients that may support or enhance athletic performance», the Australian Institute of Sport lists the following substances as category A «performance supplements».
Caffeine
The intake of caffeine is particularly beneficial in endurance activities lasting 20 minutes or more, in intensive interval training (e.g. team sports), high-intensity short-term power exercises lasting 1-20 minutes (e.g. weight lifting), but also where increased and sustained concentration, mental focus and increasing fatigue are limiting factors (e.g. long competition days).
Caffeine-containing products from SPONSER® are available for a wide variety of uses in different dosages: ACTIVATOR, a high-dose caffeine shot for the start of a competition with 200 mg caffeine per ampoule. LIQUID ENERGY PLUS gels with 50 mg caffeine per tube, ideal for longer endurance efforts in triathlon, cycling and running. POWER GUMS (fruit flavour), our jellies with caffeine, can be taken before or during exercise. CAFFEINE CAPS with 50 mg caffeine per capsule are perfect for athletes in competition who want to take energy and caffeine separately and in individual doses.
Creatine
Creatine supplementation improves performance during short (< 30 sec duration) high-intensity activities with many repetitions (game and team sports, power sports) as well as during energy-sapping sprints. SPONSER® has three high-quality creatine products in its range: CREATINE MONOHYDRATE, a 100% pure, tasteless powder. CREATINE PYRUMAX, a performance supplement in capsule form, which has been additionally supplemented with molecularly bonded creatine pyruvate and magnesium. And HMB & CREATINE SYNERGY, a high-performance supplement for the highest demands in powder form, which has been additionally enriched with HMB.
Beta-Alanine
Supplementation with ß-alanine is recommended when muscle acidification and a drop in blood pH become performance-limiting. This means before a high-intensity training period or before competitions lasting 0.5 to 10 min, such as rowing, swimming, track cycling, middle-distance running. Also for high-intensity interval and resistance training as well as team and backstroke sports. Notably, it takes several weeks to reach full effectiveness. With BETA ALANINE, SPONSER® offers an intracellular acid buffer for competitive and strength athletes.
Sodium bicarbonate
The intake of sodium bicarbonate is particularly effective during high-intensity, anaerobic-lactacid exertion (1-10 min duration), namely whenever muscle over-acidification and the accumulation of lactate are performance-limiting factors. It helps to improve high-intensity, short-duration performance in elite sport as confirmed by the estimation on Sports Nutrition by the International Olympic Committee, taking into account the intake protocol.LACTAT BUFFER by SPONSER® acts as an extracellular acid buffer in precisely this area and enables athletes to tolerate lactate better, last longer or perform at a higher level in the same time limit.
By increasing the intracellular or extracellular buffering capacity, respectively, by beta-alanine and sodium bicarbonate, there is a complementary effect of these two supplements.
Nitrate / beetroot juice
Nitrate from food can increase the availability of nitric oxide (NO) in the body. This molecule plays a central role in athletic performance due to its function in microcirculation. For example, when it comes to regulating blood pressure and blood flow, mitochondrial respiration, muscle contraction and immune function. In addition, recent studies suggest that dietary nitrate supplementation can increase muscle strength, sprint performance and performance during high-intensity intervals in individual and team sports (4-30 min duration). Products that increase NO production in the body are: NITROFLOW PERFORMANCE2 for immediate competition preparation, during hard training phases and for recovery. RED BEET VINITROX in the immediate preparation for competition for endurance and weight training, in hard training phases and to promote regeneration. PRE-WORKOUT BOOSTER for hard strength training and intensive endurance units.
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Reference
1) For example the Swiss Sports Nutrition Society (SSNS), the European Specialist Sport Nutrition Alliance (ESSNA) or the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS).
Author: Remo Jutzeler
Head R&D SPONSER SPORT FOOD
Ing. Applied Food Sciences UAS
MAS Nutrition & Health ETHZ
