Performance Supplements – Do They Enhance Fitness and Performance?

Studies have implicated the importance of performance supplements and minerals to athletes, noting that these contribute to the acid-base balance, bone health, antioxidant activity, immune functions, and muscle contraction of the body. Athletes often engage in vigorous types of exercise, prompting the need for accelerated physiological processes. This involves a concomitant increase in the necessary amount of nutrients to meet optimal functioning. Nutrients in the form of dietary supplements help improve lean muscle mass and performance. Training hard and eating healthy will yield positive results, but supplements can greatly magnify these effects. There currently exist a number of performance supplements that enhance fitness on the market. Performance-enhancing supplements are classified under ergogenic aid. The aid is simply any additional substance consumed to improve impact. These substances have been frequently implicated in bringing speed, strength, and performance to an unchartered level. Surveys indicate that 100% of body builders and 75% of college athletes use at least one of these performance supplements.



Types of Performance Supplements

Ergogenic aid is the widely accepted term for ingested substances that shorten recovery time, increase energy production, or improve efficient use of energy. These may involve botanicals, herbs, amino acids, minerals, and vitamins, and are usually available over the counter. Types currently marketed include androstenedione, DHEA, Vitamin C, Suma, Pyruvate, branched-chain amino acids, medium-chain triglycerides, and creatinine. There have been several criticisms on the use of performance-boosting supplements in athletes. Apart from the edge it gives to consumers, over-the-counter substances are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. These can be sold to anyone without pre-approval. Nonetheless even the International Olympic Committee, which has previously warned regarding the consumption of supplements, currently recognizes the boosting capacities of nutritional supplements. The organization concedes that these ergogenic aids to indeed enhance the performance of athletes. However, only a few have been indicated to work effectively. There remains little evidence that performance enhancers lead to the advertised results, but consumption of these does deliver even for just a small percentage. Amidst the criticism, a few have been indicated to perform as claimed; the most popular of which are discussed below.

Performance Supplement Vitamins

The effects of vitamins are a no-brainer. Recent data suggest that these are the most commonly consumed dietary supplements among varied athletic groups. Among the many types of vitamins, only few have been proven to bring beneficial fitness effects. Vitamin E improves exercise at high altitudes, while CoQ10 may be beneficial to anaerobic exercises.



Creatine - Performance Dietary Supplement

Proteins and amino acids are perhaps the most popular forms of body-building supplements, but most of these do not enhance performance. Among the individual types, creatine is one amino acid that has been indicated to have athletic benefits. Creatine is one of the most commonly used dietary performance supplements. It is generally preferred because creatinine is one of several naturally occurring substances in the body. Creatine has been researched to be the most effective supplement for repeated and highly intense short bouts that derive energy byproducts because of its methionine, Arginine, and glycine contents. Moreover, the substance is easily obtained by consuming meat products. Once consumed, the body converts it to phosphocreatine and becomes stored energy in the muscles. Research suggests that creatine is beneficial for short bouts of repetitive high-intensity activities, including football and basketball. It has also been proven to increase both bone and muscle mass in weight training. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research states that the substance can improve muscle strength by at least 8%. An ideal dosage is round 2 to 5 grams per day, but absorption will benefit men more than women. The combination of natural production and diet satisfies the minimum requirement per day.

Caffeine as a Performance Supplement

Perhaps the most familiar substance and frequently overlooked supplement is caffeine. The substance enables athletes to have a longer and more intense exercise. Its effect is closely related to its role as a CNS Stimulant. Studies suggest that caffeine supplements can make exercise 5.6% easier, increase endurance by 30%, and bolster strength by 2.1%.Taking at least 3 mg per kg of body weight is a certified performance booster two hours before training sessions.

Beta-Hydroxy Beta Methylbutyric Acid (HMB)

Muscle fibers are torn and damaged during prolonged exercise and weight training. This causes the breakdown of leucine and an increase in HMB. The acid is released to slow down the disintegration of the muscle tissue. In this principle, HMB in weight training is used to reduce the incident of breakdown and at the same time increase muscle mass. The recommended dosage is around 3 grams per day.

The Best Performance Supplements

Little introspect has been done on performance supplements. There are evidences that relate amino acids to anabolic effects, but there are weak relationships when it comes to enhancing overall athletic performance. A majority of studies point to creatine supplementation as the safest and most effective way to improve training adaptations. Of all the nutrients reviewed, the nutrient with the greatest ergogenic potential for intense training is creatine. Further studies need to be done to see the holistic effects of other nutrients.

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