Resistance training produces adaptations both at the cellular and systemic level that allow performance at a certain intensity with less physiological stress. That is, if at the beginning of the season when I go at a speed of 4 min/km my heart rate is 165 beats per minute and my lactate concentration is 2,5 mmol, after a (successful) training period at that same speed, both my heart rate and my lactate concentration should be lower. This improvement in the efficiency of the body is associated with a series of adaptations induced by aerobic training:
- Mitochondrial biogenesis and an increase in the enzymatic activity of mitochondria, which results in an increase in the energy obtained from fats, decreasing the metabolism of carbohydrates and lactate production at submaximal intensities
- Improvement of acid-base balance.
- Increase in maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max).
These adaptations are largely determined by the volume and intensity of training. Therefore, strategies that allow the modulation of workload could affect the adaptive response of training (either positively or negatively). In this case, a recent review carried out by Rothschild and Bishop (Rothschild & Bishop, 2019) aimed to study the impact of supplementation on adaptations to resistance training. For example, sodium bicarbonate and β-alanine could increase adaptations by improving buffering capacity (alteration of pH levels), allowing for higher training intensity.Likewise, both caffeine and creatine have been shown to have the potential to produce improvements, as has supplementation with nitrate (in the form of beetroot juice), allowing for greater adaptation of type II muscle fibers to training. On the other hand, the use of antioxidants such as Vitamin C can decrease adaptations, as they attenuate the body's response to stress stimuli from exercise that are necessary to produce improvements, for example, in muscle remodeling.
Therefore, a proper supplementation strategy could modify the adaptive response to training, largely by allowing higher intensities during it. It must be clear that these adaptations will never occur if the training structure and its stimuli (volume and intensity) are not adequate. Supplementation can be “the icing on the cake” to proper planning, but never the foundation on which to grow as an athlete.
REFERENCE
Rothschild, J. A., & Bishop, D. J. (2019). Effects of Dietary Supplements on Adaptations to Endurance Training. Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.). //doi.org/10.1007/s40279-019-01185-8
