Food supplements can make a meaningful contribution to an athlete’s nutritional and meal planning.
Its usage by recreational users as well as athletes at all levels of competition is now widespread, but it should adhere to ethical standards and does not substitute a healthy diet.
Athletes may benefit from using some food supplements properly; incorrect usage of dietary supplements may be detrimental to the health, athletic ability, and reputation of the athlete.
Consequently, a thorough evaluation of each athlete’s dietary needs is crucial:
- Identifies a person’s dietary requirements in particular situations;
- Correctly defining goals aids in selecting dietary supplements of known quality and safety, which forms the cornerstone of their sensible and appropriate usage.
- prevents haphazard and poorly thought-out judgments about the usage of dietary supplements.
Expected advantages
The usual justifications given by athletes for using parabolan dietary supplements include:
- cover nutritional needs that may be challenging to meet with food alone;
- besides normal foods, have practical and handy means of consuming energy and nutrients;
- Obtain direct or indirect advantages for improving one’s athletic performance, such as the satisfaction of musculoskeletal discomfort or the healing of injuries.
In fact, a lot of supplements sold to athletes make claims about their ability to improve performance directly or indirectly.
Nonetheless:
- Only for a select few does sufficient proof of direct or indirect advantages exist.
- The context in which supplements are taken has an impact on how people react to them, and there are significant individual variances based on genetics, body type, gut flora, and nutrition.
- Any nutritional supplement must undergo testing during training sessions and/or a simulated competition before being used in that setting.
Negative effects of dietary supplements
Supplement consumption may have unfavorable effects in connection with:
- To the item;
- Incorrect use is bad practices.
Even for a food supplement that adheres to excellent manufacturing and marketing procedures, proper consumer storage and observance of expiration dates, in accordance with what is specified for the product, prevent issues like gastrointestinal disturbances from occurring.
The emergence of these issues during peak competitive periods can greatly interfere with performance goals of an athlete, whether they are elite or leisure athletes, even though it may appear like simply a little temporary nuisance.
undesirable habits to avoid
mixing various goods without taking into account their individual constituent dosages or potential interactions
For instance, iron supplementation can cause symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain as well as develop to hemochromatosis and liver failure in those with appropriate iron status.
When used in levels essential to boost performance, bicarbonate can produce gastrointestinal pain (training in the use of this supplement is required, and allow for a progressive approach), which can hinder rather than help performance and counteract the advantages of others. supplements consumed concurrently.
More is better.
For instance, when it comes to coffee, the maxim “more is better” might have unfavorable side effects including nausea, anxiety, rapid heartbeat, and insomnia that have far more significant effects than the performance advantages that were anticipated.
Maximum benefits are typically attained with intakes of 3-6 mg/kg, while these side effects are more frequent with caffeine levels 9 mg/kg body weight.
In the end, are dietary supplements advised or not?
The use of dietary supplements by athletes is advised, subject to individual assessment, compliance with regulatory requirements, and adherence to good manufacturing and marketing practices.
- The context of the athlete justifies it;
- It is only used in controlled settings during training sessions that are outside of the competitive time;
- The dangers associated with supplement use are reduced while supplement quality is maintained;
- They are employed under the proper guidelines (dosing, timing of ingestion, among others).
No athlete, whether one who competes or who participates in recreational sports, should choose to utilize a nutritional supplement without first receiving a thoughtful, precise response to each of the following questions:
- What possible advantages does the dietary supplement have for you?
- Do you face any particular safety risks from the product?
- What possible advantages may there be for you?
- What dosage is ideal for you?
- How long, when, and how should you use the dietary supplement?
To find out the answers to these and other questions and to maximize the positive effects of food and nutritional planning on your health and athletic performance, the evaluation by a nutritionist is a benefit, and the sports nutrition consultation is the right framework.