As competitive City to Bay runners load up on carbs, Flinders University experts provide some useful tips about overwhelming options in the pharmacy supplement aisle.
For recreational runners, cyclists and 'weekend warriors', Professor of Clinical Pharmacology, Professor Andrew Rowland, says "getting your basic fuelling right matters more than anything in a tub".
"The science is actually quite clear: before worrying about pills and powder, start with nutrients that fuel your body, then add a small number of evidence-based supplements to make a difference to your performance.
"The key to improve performance is to optimise energy production," he says.
Based on a recent review of dietary supplements published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, the Flinders experts provide some these tips about the top five supplements.
Carbohydrates: If there's one thing to prioritise, it's carbohydrates. They are the body's main fuel for moderate to high intensity endurance exercise, helping maintain blood glucose, preserve muscle and liver glycogen and delay fatigue. For recreational runners exercising for longer than an hour, taking 30 to 90 grams per hour can significantly improve performance and help you keep going stronger for longer.
Protein and recovery shakes: Performance gains happen after the session, not just during it. Protein doesn't directly boost performance during exercise, but it plays a big role afterwards by supporting muscle repair and adaptation. A recovery shake containing at least 20 to 40 grams of protein after hard sessions can reduce soreness, speed recovery, maximise training adaptations and help you train more consistently.
Caffeine: Caffeine remains one of the most effective and accessible ergogenic supplements. It works mainly through the brain, reducing perceived effort and fatigue while improving alertness and endurance. For many recreational athletes, a strong pre-exercise coffee at one of Adelaide's city, seaside or hills cafes is a good start, but the evidence-based performance range is generally around 3 to 6 mg/kg. In practice, that usually means at least two strong coffees for a meaningful performance benefits.
Creatine: Often associated with weightlifting, creatine also has benefits for endurance athletes, especially during intervals or sprints. Creatine helps to rapidly regenerate energy during short, intense efforts by boosting phosphocreatine stores within muscle. For recreational athletes, this can translate into better repeated sprint efforts and improved training quality. Creatine does, however, need to be supplemented daily (3-5 grams per day) for a few weeks to increase your stores.
Beta-alanine and/or sodium bicarbonate: High-intensity exercise increases the acidity in working muscles, contributing to that familiar burning sensation and fatigue. Beta-alanine, which works inside the muscle, and sodium bicarbonate, which works in the blood, both help buffer this acidity. Beta-alanine requires multiple daily doses (total of 3-6 grams per day) for at least four few weeks before providing any performance benefit. Whereas sodium bicarbonate can be used as a one-off does (0.3 grams/kg of body mass) around 90 minutes pre-race but can lead to gut issues. Used alone, or together, they can improve performance in hard efforts and are ideal for a Personal Best on a climb in the Adelaide Hills or a quick 5km Park Run.
Flinders University Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dr Robyn Jones adds that no amount of supplement can rescue your performance if you're "under-fuelled".
"Get the basics right through nutritional intake, then use these evidence-based options to fine-tune and optimise performance. A well-fuelled athlete with an adequate carbohydrate intake will outperform someone relying on supplements alone," says Dr Jones, from the Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute.
"First get your carbohydrate intake right. Make sure you substantially increase your carb intake the day before, as well as have a low fibre, high carbohydrate meal in the hours before the start. Then use sports drinks, gels or chews during the race day.
"Afterwards look for protein to support muscle repair and recovery, either in a recovery shake or by simply having a high protein meal or snack.
"Once you have the basics dialled in, consider adding scientifically proven performance enhancers for an extra boost. A key point to remember is to trial any new strategies in training first, before attempting them on race day.
