Improved performance for athletes is everything and they’re always looking to find any edge they can get over their fellow athletes; sports supplementation is one of the biggest edges any athlete can have. In this article I am going to list my 5 Top Supplements for Athletic Performance that will definitely improve your sporting performance!
1. Whey protein
Proteins are the building blocks of muscle cells and protein is a must for any serious athlete. A bigger muscle is a stronger muscle and protein is needed to create those bigger and stronger muscles which will allow an athlete to hold more muscle mass, which will almost definitely improve their athletic performance.
Scientific evidence has shown that an athlete needs around 1.2 grams per kilo of bodyweight, although the consensus is that you need 1 gram per pound of bodyweight which has since been disproved. However more than the quota mentioned here will also benefit your goals.
2. Creatine
Creatine is the energy compound used first when performing an explosive movement and creatine stores tend to last around 3-5 seconds before being depleted, so creatine really works for sprinters and powerlifters who don’t compete in endurance type events.
Creatine can mean the difference between winning and losing or in my field, being able to lift heavier or just not having that explosive energy in order to lift the weight at all! Your body only has the ability to store 5 grams of creatine at a time so therefore any more than that is a waste and will only cause your body to hold water.
3. D-aspartic acid
D-aspartic acid is a natural testosterone booster and one of the only supplements that is not banned by the WADA which gives athletes, especially those relying on greater muscle mass, the edge over their competition.
D-aspartic acid supplementation allows the body to synthesise more testosterone even after supplementation is finished. This is due to the D-aspartic acid that collects in the male testes and continues to boost testosterone synthesis. The optimal dosage for D-aspartic acid is 5 grams a day usually before your workout to boost testosterone levels during your workout.
4. Colostrum
Athletes are like machines and machines often break down and need to be fixed or for an athlete, their nervous system weakens and they get ill or injured. This is where colostrum comes into play. Colostrum is the product of the cow and is also found in breastmilk produced by the mother of a baby. Its role is to boost your immune system by providing your body with bacteria in order for your body to build antibodies against them. It also brings in eight growth factors that promote normal cell growth, DNA synthesis, fat utilisation and increased mental acuity. Colostrum is expensive, so the dosage that is optimal but also cost effective is 5 grams per day any time during the day.
5. Caffeine
Caffeine is the most consumed stimulant in the world. It is used by athletes and the working class to provide them with energy and alertness for their day ahead. This is because it is a stimulant to the central nervous system, the autonomic nervous system and is a psychoactive drug; one of the only legal psychoactive drugs in the world which can be openly consumed.
The optimal caffeine dosage which should not be exceeded is 500mg a day. For an athlete, caffeine prevents fatigue and drowsiness which can happen in sports with high concentration levels. The ingestion of caffeine increases alertness and improves body coordination. Moderate consumption of caffeine has been proven to increase aerobic and anaerobic performance and also improve sprinters’ and cyclists’ performances in time trial events.
These 5 supplements are for me some of the most important and underrated supplements for athletes and having taken them myself I’d never seen and experienced such an improved performance in my own gym workouts!
