Supplements for Optimal Performance in Endurance Sports
Navigating the myriad of supplements available on the market can feel overwhelming. Here, we provide a guide to those that are most researched and have the strongest evidence for enhancing performance.
The key supplements are Nitrate/Beetroot juice, Caffeine, Bicarbonate, and Beta-Alanine, all of which have scientifically proven performance-boosting effects for endurance sports. All these supplements are taken before physical activity for optimal performance. Some need to be built up over time, while others can be taken shortly before starting.
Read on and consider which ones you might want to try!
Caffeine
No doubt about it, caffeine enhances performance, unless you have a specific genetic makeup that makes you a non-responder – which is very rare among us.
The benefits of caffeine arise when it enters the bloodstream and affects our adenosine receptors in the central nervous system (CNS). Adenosine is a neurotransmitter that attaches to these receptors, dampening CNS activity. This ensures we wind down, our blood pressure drops, and we become tired. The level of adenosine in our blood increases throughout the day, and by evening, as it attaches to more receptors, we feel fatigued. If the blood's oxygen level is low, adenosine levels rise even faster. This acts as a safety mechanism to ensure our body and brain don't overexert, for instance, if we faint or experience high stress due to insufficient oxygen. In essence, adenosine acts as a speed limiter for the brain, ensuring we get tired.
What's intriguing about caffeine is that its molecular structure closely resembles adenosine, allowing it to bind to the same receptors. This blocks adenosine, preventing us from getting tired and essentially bypassing the "speed limit."
A dose of 3-6mg of caffeine per kg of body weight an hour before activity is recommended. If you're accustomed to caffeine, e.g., through coffee, you might need up to 6mg/kg. In contrast, if you're not used to it, 3mg/kg might suffice. Be cautious, as higher doses might cause adverse effects. Caffeine proves effective for everything from short, intensive sprints to longer sessions.
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The benefits of Nitrate result in reduced oxygen consumption during exertion, leading to improved performance. This is linked to nitrates, like those in beetroot juice or in a pure format, which convert to nitric oxide. This expands the blood vessels, boosting blood flow and oxygen delivery to active muscles.
Most studies note effects from doses of 6-8mmol, but well-trained athletes with an oxygen uptake of over 60ml/kg/min might require higher acute doses or sustained intake over three days before a competition. For these elite athletes, studies indicate doses between 12.5-19.5mmol taken acutely or over 3-7 days. This makes sense given that fit individuals already have an optimized vascular network, and further enhancement requires even more nitric oxide signaling.
For acute intake, take 2-3 hours before activity. For those extremely well-trained, staggered intake is best over 3-7 days leading up to the event, plus an additional dose 2-3 hours before starting.
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Bicarbonate, or sodium bicarbonate as it's technically known, primarily functions by increasing the blood's pH. This allows more of the "acid" produced in muscles to exit into the bloodstream for elimination. This means you can sustain intense activity longer, pushing harder during interval and threshold sessions. The dose is 0.2-0.4g per kg of body weight, taken 1-3 hours before activity.
Be warned, it tastes awful. But its effectiveness is undeniable as long as you avoid digestive upset. A well-known side effect of bicarbonate intake is stomach cramps due to gas production when the alkaline substance meets the acidic stomach environment. It can feel less like a warm summer sensation and more like a volcanic eruption in your stomach. This has made many people skeptical about the supplement.
Ongoing research is investigating how to encapsulate bicarbonate in acid-resistant capsules to prevent adverse stomach reactions. With our product, U Bicarbonate, we've encapsulated the bicarbonate, so you don't taste it, and the risk of stomach issues is minimized.
Performance enhancements range from 2-12% over various distances. The most notable effects occur during high-intensity activities when "lactic acid" is prevalent.
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Beta-Alanine functions similarly to bicarbonate but also uniquely. While bicarbonate buffers blood pH to allow more "acid" to leave the muscles, Beta-Alanine directly buffers pH inside the muscle cells by increasing carnosine levels by 50-60%. This directly manages the "acid" right where it's produced. The recommended intake is 4-6g/day over 4-12 weeks, which enhances performance during high-intensity intervals lasting 1-4 minutes.
Beta-Alanine can cause a tingling sensation in the skin, which is harmless. This sensation can be avoided by taking smaller doses of 1-2g multiple times throughout the day while building up the levels.
Once you've achieved the desired level, it decreases very slowly (2% per week), so the benefits last for a while. Maintaining the "buffer" is also easier, requiring only 3g/week. On average, performance increases by 2.85%.
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Push hard in those intervals!