A Guide to Supplementation

One of the most frequent questions we get as a strength and conditioning coaches is: what should I take for supplementation?  Supplementation is very confusing to most people because of all the big names out there and the publicity some receive just because of commercials. In this post, we want to talk about what every athlete should take, when to take it, and how to recover.

The biggest supplement that I believe every athlete should take, in fact everyone should take, is a multi-vitamin. This is because most people do not eat 100% clean and even if they try, they do not get all the nutrients that they should. This is crucial especially for athletes making sure they get everything their body needs. For the female athlete, this is even more important as new studies have come out with regards to ACL tears being heightened during the menstrual cycle. Starting or maintaining your vitamin intake is important for joint health and overall body regulation.

During a workout is also a crucial time to help replenish. Things like Gatorade are great for electrolytes but are extremely heavy in sugar.  So, with that being said, if you’re stuck on Gatorade I suggest using half Gatorade and half water to help with sugar intake.  I do suggest something that you can drink which has some BCAA (branch chain amino acids) and SCAA (simple chain amino acids).  This type of drink will help you in not only recovery with the addition of amino acids but also help you keep moving during the workout.

Immediate recovery post workout is ideal. Something that has more than just protein, I suggest whey protein in this case, is important. Another thing to consider is a protein or recovery drink that has some glutamine for your recovery. This amino acid is crucial for muscles to recover and help regenerate. Whey protein is great in this instance because you want it in the muscles as fast as possible. Protein like casein is great but also takes longer to absorb.

ZMA is a supplement to use for sleep time recovery.  It is a combination of zinc, magnesium and vitamin b6.  This combination helps with recovery but also muscle building. This product was founded by a scientist who thought nighttime recovery was crucial to muscle strength, which is correct. As we sleep our bodies are still working.

These are the supplements that I would recommend. They are safe, proven and personally I know they work. If you have any questions on supplementation or dietary needs, do not hesitate to call.

By: Brad Leshinske MS CSCS – Program Director