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Supplements and Sports
Sports
Supplements for Tri-Athletes
A triathlon is a competitive sport that integrates three different high
intensity sports into one- running, swimming and then biking.
To enhance performance, sports nutritionists and exercise physiologists
recommend that tri-athletes maintain their ideal weight through a strict and
well-planned nutrient dense isoenergetic diet that is high in carbohydrates.
This must be coupled with a daily intake of low-dose multivitamins.
Women tri-athletes need to increase their iron intake. Before competitions,
tri-athletes need to taper intensity training and their carb load. Half an hour
to an hour prior to exercising, a pre-practice or pre-workout protein and
carbohydrate snack should be consumed. Take lots of fluids while exercising to
prevent heat-related illnesses and dehydration.
Half an hour after the exercise or training, eat a protein and carbohydrate
snack. When training during the morning, eat a snack before going to bed.
In addition, one can further enhance the performance of tri-athletes with the
aid of sports supplements. These man-made ergogenic (energy producing)
supplements can be potentially effective in providing strength and power.
Generally, these supplements have been designed to provide what the tri-athletes
need such as electrolytes, water and carbohydrates while under strenuous
physical activities. In addition, these supplements have been known to
potentially increase the exercise capacity and tolerance of the body, resulting
to longer and more intense training.
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Energy Drinks- As opposed to sports drinks,
energy drinks are not isotonic and simply provide tons of caffeine and sugar
for an energy boost.
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Carbohydrates- It is imperative for
tri-athletes to consume large amounts of carbohydrates in order to maintain
carbohydrate stores in the muscles and liver. In addition, eating a small
amount of protein before the exercise can increase the availability of
carbohydrates, thereby leading to enhanced performance. The ingestion of a
small amount of carbohydrate after the exercise, on the other hand, enhances
the storage of carbohydrates and the synthesis of protein.
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Water and Sports Drinks- A lot of fluids,
in the form of sweat, are lost from the body while exercising. The loss of
too much body fluid can lead to heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke
and dehydration. In order to prevent heat-related illnesses and thus
maintain optimum exercise performance, one needs to drink lots of water or
sports drinks frequently. This will ensure that no more than 2 per cent of
body weight (in the form of liquid) will be lost. Sports drinks are ideal
for tri-athletes because they contain carbohydrates and salt. Sports drink
not only rehydrate, but replenish the body with much-needed nutrients, sugar
and electrolytes.
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Creatine- Creatine remains to be one of the
best supplements for tri-athletes because it increases muscle strength
during training.
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Sodium Phosphate- Numerous studies show
that sodium phosphate can increase maximal oxygen uptake.
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Sodium Bicarbonate- Also known as baking
soda, sodium bicarbonate gets rid of carbon dioxide and acidity by buffering
these toxins with bicarbonate ions before being expelled through the lungs.
Sodium bicarbonates prove effective in improving exercise capacity
especially when swimming. However, bicarbonate loading can cause
gastrointestinal distress in some people.
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Caffeine- Caffeine is a natural stimulant
found in tea, coffee, chocolates, soft drinks and energy drinks. Taking
caffeine before exercise can improve exercise endurance capacity.
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Glycerol- Studies support that the
ingestion of glycerol with water can significantly increase fluid retention,
thus preventing dehydration especially during prolonged exercise. However,
glycerol has not been proven to increase exercise capacity.
In addition to these widely popular performance-enhancing supplements, other
substances believed to enhance performance among tri-athletes include Essential
Amino Acids or EAA and HMB. In addition, improving the immune system of athletes
is also important and thus the intake of immune system boosters is recommended.
Possible nutrients, which boost the immune system, include zinc, vitamin C and
Echinacea.
The intake of these supplements may prove beneficial in enhancing the
performance of tri-athletes. The intake of supplements helps ensure that the
body gets the proper amount of calories, carbohydrates, protein and other
nutrients. Bear in mind however, that these products are just supplements, and
are not meant to replace the real thing- which is a balanced diet.
And always remember to consult an exercise physiologist and sports nutritionist
to ensure that these supplements are suitable for your body. Over dosage of some
nutrients could lead to grave results. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
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