Why Supplementation Matters When You Start Training Seriously

Supplementation and Performance…

None of us likes being last in the group—the person everyone waits for when the road or trail tilts uphill. If you have started taking training seriously, you also need to take nutrition, and more specifically supplementation, seriously. A busy daily life can make proper nutrition difficult. We may not be professionals, but correct supplementation that helps us perform better in training and recover more effectively is easier to achieve. Drinking only water and eating a handful of nuts is no longer enough when training demands begin to rise.

One key cause of energy and performance loss, for example, is the depletion of glycogen stores—our fuel—which in nutritional terms are our reserves of carbohydrates. Sources such as bananas or dates are suitable when we are out for an easy ride or moving at a lower intensity. But when heart rate and training duration increase (> 1h), we need a faster and, above all, more digestible supply of these nutrients. Not just anything will do. We need products designed for this purpose, such as energy gels, which provide carbohydrates quickly and digestibly in suitable proportions to prevent the dreaded “bonk”. They must be consumed before the fuel tank is empty—that is, before we bonk. Once it happens, we are already too late: a car without fuel stops.

Another example is hydration. Drinking water is enough for light exercise lasting less than one hour, but in hotter and more humid conditions or during longer training, water alone is no longer sufficient. The aim is to minimize fluid loss—not sweat, because we need to sweat to release heat, but fluid inside the body—to prevent dehydration. How do we do that? By adding something you have certainly heard about many times: salts! More specifically, sodium, which is responsible, among other functions, for retaining water inside the body. This is precisely what sports drinksprovide: appropriate amounts of mineral salts to optimize hydration without compromising digestibility and, therefore, performance.

And After Performing?

None of us likes soreness or discomfort the following day. Supplements can also help prevent or minimize this: they are recovery formulas, better known as recovery products. Eating and drinking after training—a snack and a beer—can be enjoyable and is part of what we should do, especially socially. But if you truly want to optimize recovery as quickly as possible, a recovery formula supplies everything science recommends, including carbohydrates, protein and salts, to support complete energy and muscle recovery.

Performance and Health…

Supplementation is not only about performance. Few people realize that certain supplements can also provide health benefits, such as consuming carbohydrates during exercise through gels, bars and sports drinks. These have also been shown to benefit the immune system and neuromuscular function, which is closely related to the earlier discussion of recovery formulas and avoiding discomfort, pain or soreness the next day.

Did you find this interesting? Would you like to learn more about nutrition applied to sport? Do you want to know more about sports supplements?

If so, take a look at our free training channel to learn much more about nutrition, science and supplements.

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