Supplement Saturdays: Essential Supplements For Runners

Supplement Saturdays: Essential Supplements For Runners** image courtesy of www.top.me

You can go out and purchase expensive supplements and shakes to help prepare and restore things lost due to exercise, working out, running, etc, but what are the things your body really needs? I found an article from runningshoesguru.com, titled "5 Supplements to Keep A Runner's Body Going", that mentions five key items that runners that runners should always have in their system. Below are a list of the five supplements:


1) Creatine:

"This amino acid delivers crucial benefits to all athletes. Its main claim to fame is its ability to boost muscle recovery and growth. When used by those who engage in cardio-intensive workouts like running, it counteracts the negative aspects of such endeavors, including muscle inflammation and cellular damage. When consumed daily, creatine supplements may reduce submaximal VO2 levels, which allows your body to use oxygen more efficiently while exercising. It may also help you run more efficiently in hot conditions by improving your body’s sweat rate, heart rate and the way in which water is distributed."


2) Whey Protein:

"Protein is an essential nutrient, and none of us would survive without it. It accounts for about 17 percent of the average person’s body weight, and it plays a crucial role in the body regulation and maintenance processes like fluid balance, hydration and cellular repair. how can whey protein boost your abilities as a runner? Its main draw is that it replaces the proteins you break down while running and helps to build lean tissue, which aids in overall muscle recovery. If your protein stores run low, you become more susceptible to injury. You may also become fatigued too easily and can even lose muscle mass. For most runners, supplementing with about 40 to 60 grams of whey protein per day is sufficient."


3) Caffeine:

" In addition to enhancing mental acuity and alertness, boosting the body’s ability to convert fat into usable energy and bolstering coordination and reaction time, caffeine helps to reduce the perception of effort, which makes running feel “easier.” Interestingly enough, caffeine may also aid in post-running recovery. However, that’s only true when it’s used in conjunction with carbohydrates. Studies have shown that having a drink containing caffeine and carbs following a workout improves your body’s ability to rebuild glycogen stores by a whopping 66 percent."


4) Calcium:

"Like iron supplementation, calcium supplementation is a bit of a mixed bag for anyone, and runners are no exception. Most people understand the correlation between calcium and bone density. Low calcium levels can lead to osteoporosis, and osteoporosis can spell the end of your running days for good. Although you’re unlikely to need calcium supplements, chances are good that you could benefit from vitamin D supplements. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium from food, so a more practical way to keep bones strong and to ward off stress fractures from running may be to add vitamin D supplements into the mix.


5) Iron:

"This one’s particularly relevant to female runners, who are far more likely to suffer from iron deficiency than their male counterparts. The reason? Prior to menopause, women lose blood every month. Indeed, menstruation ups the odds of being anemic, which means you don’t have enough iron stored in your blood. However, some studies suggest that runners in general may be more susceptible to iron deficiency. It’s unclear why this happens, but it may have something to do with sweating excessively for extended periods of time."



** To read the full article, visit RunningShoesGuru.com



Tune in next Saturday for more supplement information on Supplement Saturdays!

Also, check in tomorrow for my third installment of Song List Sundays


 

This amino acid delivers crucial benefits to all athletes. Its main claim to fame is its ability to boost muscle recovery and growth. When used by those who engage in cardio-intensive workouts like running, it counteracts the negative aspects of such endeavors, including muscle inflammation and cellular damage - See more at: http://www.runningshoesguru.com/2015/01/5-supplements-to-keep-a-runners-body-going/#sthash.J8yyBuU3.dpuf

This amino acid delivers crucial benefits to all athletes. Its main claim to fame is its ability to boost muscle recovery and growth. When used by those who engage in cardio-intensive workouts like running, it counteracts the negative aspects of such endeavors, including muscle inflammation and cellular damage.
When consumed daily, creatine supplements may reduce submaximal VO2 levels, which allows your body to use oxygen more efficiently while exercising. It may also help you run more efficiently in hot conditions by improving your body’s sweat rate, heart rate and the way in which water is distributed
- See more at: http://www.runningshoesguru.com/2015/01/5-supplements-to-keep-a-runners-body-going/#sthash.J8yyBuU3.dpuf

This amino acid delivers crucial benefits to all athletes. Its main claim to fame is its ability to boost muscle recovery and growth. When used by those who engage in cardio-intensive workouts like running, it counteracts the negative aspects of such endeavors, including muscle inflammation and cellular damage.
When consumed daily, creatine supplements may reduce submaximal VO2 levels, which allows your body to use oxygen more efficiently while exercising. It may also help you run more efficiently in hot conditions by improving your body’s sweat rate, heart rate and the way in which water is distributed
- See more at: http://www.runningshoesguru.com/2015/01/5-supplements-to-keep-a-runners-body-going/#sthash.J8yyBuU3.dpuf