Once the domain of obsessive bodybuilders and elite athletes, sports nutrition supplements have become mainstream for athletes of all levels. Runners, especially, have witnessed a revolution in race fuelling as specialists recommend multivitamins with iron for insurance, concentrated calcium boosters for better bones, and high-carb energy gels that are easier to digest on the trails than old-school sources of glycogen.
When news broke in the summer of 2018 of a review by British medical research charity Cochrane into the scientific reports stating that the much-vaunted omega-3 supplements were ineffective, it hit the headlines.
The Guardian: ‘Fool’s Gold; What Fish Oil Is Doing To Our Health’; The Telegraph: ‘Buy More Vegetables Instead Of Omega-3 Supplements’;The Sun: ‘It’s Oil A Myth’
Is it time we started examining the claims of sports nutrition supplement makers too? Runners are among the millions of supplement users who have helped the sports nutrition market double in value – to around £800 million a year – since 2016 in the UK alone.
Demand for vitamins, powders, gels and multitudes of minerals among amateur athletes is at an all-time
Independent experts suggest we shouldn’t ditch protein shakes, pills and potions just yet. “The Cochrane review only looked at omega-3 supplements and their relationship to heart and circulatory diseases,” explains Victoria Taylor, senior dietician at the British Heart Foundation. “So we can’t use it to draw conclusions about all supplements from this, or how they might affect health in other ways.”
What this new report does highlight, though, is that research should be constantly questioned. What works today may not tomorrow, as scientific methods develop and evidence grows.
That’s an annoying fact for the consumer, as well as being one that keeps the front pages of the tabloids contradicting themselves every six months, but it’s vital too. “When it comes to dietary recommendations, it’s important to make sure they’re based on up-to-date research,” says Taylor. Advice on omega-3 supplements is a classic example of this. Until a few years ago they were recommended for people after they had a heart attack. “But as our understanding of the relationship between diet and health has developed and treatments have improved, this advice has changed,” explains Taylor. “Now they’re no longer recommended and this review further supported this.”
So what really works for trail runners today? Which supplements should we be taking to speed up recovery or shake-up performance? What’s the latest dietary evidence to help us run harder and stay healthier for longer? Read on for the answers.
With so many supplements to choose from, which ones actually work and when should you be using them?
Best in hot coffee, canned drink or cold-capsule form. Coffee-lovers can breathe a sigh of relief as research continues to highlight how caffeine helps runners in many ways, including greater focus and mental alertness. Research from Leeds Metropolitan University discovered that a caffeine hit an hour before endurance exercise resulted in trial subjects enjoying their exertions more. In other studies, it’s been linked to greater stamina and muscle glycogen conservation.
Most effective: In doses of 5 to 6 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. However, that can work out to around three cups of coffee, and it’s a diuretic so not ideal for hydration. Alternatively, try caffeine gels or drinks like NOCCO.
This natural amino acid found in poultry and soya beans “reduces fatigue and improves performance during high-intensity exercise,” says Anita Bean, sports nutritionist and Clif Bar ambassador.
A 2017 study from the University of Central Florida is the latest to highlight its qualities.
Most effective: In trials where beta-alanine has proven effective, doses of 4.8 g/day increasing to 6.4 g/day were used during the fortnight before a race.
BCAAs consist of three essential amino acids: leucine, valine and isoleucine. “These stimulate protein synthesis,” says Lisa Hesslin, registered nutritionist. “The presence of leucine in the bloodstream signals the body to start the protein synthesis – repairing and rebuilding muscle after exercise.” Research suggests BCAAS supplementing may delay the mental fatigue endurance athletes suffer when blood levels of BCAAs fall.
Most effective: Before or during a run in liquid (NOCCO drinks) or gel form. “BCAA as free amino acids can immediately be used by the body for protein synthesis and as energy source in the muscles,” says Hesslin.
Nitric oxide (NO) sourced from nitrates in foods increase blood flow to muscles. Researchers from the University of Exeter are among an increasing number of sports scientists who’ve found that drinking high-nitrate beetroot juice not only improves sprint performance, but may also speed up decision-making. A review in Sports Medicine found that an ergogenic boost from nitrates has a limited range of between 5 to 30 minutes.
Most effective: In liquid form, by drinking 140ml of beetroot supplement.
Casein is an insoluble component of milk, with higher leucine content than plant-based protein supplements. It’s digested slowly in the gastrointestinal tract and has been shown to be an ideal ‘slow release’ muscle-repair option for athletes while sleeping. Unlike other forms of protein, casein reduces muscle breakdown – part of the growth and ‘bulking up’ process – so may be especially effective for endurance athletes.
Most effective: Subjects studied by Dutch researchers from the University of Maastricht took a supplement mix (20g of casein protein, 60g of carbs) 30 minutes before bedtime on training days.
Many runners swear by glucosamine supplements, but study results are mixed. Claims that it can cure osteoarthritis are unfounded, but some studies found knee pain sufferers recorded a 28% improvement in their condition when given glucosamine. Chondroitin has been shown to reduce inflammation and help
Most effective: When taken on the advice of a specialist – the consensus is that, while it may help relieve joint pain, it shouldn’t be used to mask injury and run through a pain barrier.
Iron is an essential component for oxygen-carrying red blood cells. Older runners are at greater risk of iron deficiency due to the demands of training. Endurance athletes have been known to be more prone to low iron levels, often because of a focus on carb-loading over high-quality protein. Meat, fish and poultry are key sources of heme iron. Non-heme iron from dark leafy green vegetables and soy is sourced via supplements too.
Most effective: Supplementing your diet with iron if you have symptoms that may be linked to a deficiency – such as poor performance in training, constant fatigue and increased prevalence of infections – should be done on medical advice after a blood test.
Run, rest, run again: Magnesium and Vitamin D
“Magnesium plays a crucial role in optimal muscle contraction, bone strength and energy production,
helping to sustain the high-energy output necessary for endurance performance,” suggests Bean. “Vitamin D is essential for optimising bone mass, muscular performance and immune function. Low levels can result in impaired muscle function, weak bones and depressed immunity.”
Most effective: Public Health England recommends taking a daily 10-microgram supplement during
autumn and winter. When it comes to magnesium supplements, a Clif energy bar will provide around 25%
of your daily needs, and is small enough to carry with you on the trail.
Note: If you are a competing athlete and are considering taking supplements, please note this advice from UK Anti-Doping.
Dr. Will Cole, IFMCP, DC is a leading functional-medicine expert, author of Ketotarian: The (Mostly) Plant-Based Plan to Burn Fat, Boost Your Energy, Crush Your Cravings, and Calm Inflammation, and cohost of the goopfellas podcast.
Dr. Cole was named one of the top 50 functional-medicine and integrative doctors in the nation and is a health expert and course instructor for the world’s largest wellness brands such as mindbodygreen and goop.
I often get asked about what supplements are best for runners. I am not surprised, since many magazines, in order to keep getting clicks, seem to produce a headline at least once per month touting the amazing benefits of x supplement or nutrient.
But, do supplements really make that much of a difference? If so, which ones have the most impact?
In this article I’ll give you the science behind exactly what supplements are worth taking (and why) and at the end how to best and most easily include them all in your daily plan.
Do Runners Even Need Supplements?
So, the first question we need to answer is – do you need supplements to be the best runner you can be?
No.
That’s right, in an article about what supplements runners should be taking I’m telling you that they aren’t 100% necessary.
That’s because supplements are designed to be just what their name implies – a supplementation to your daily intake if you’re not getting enough through your diet.
It’s perfectly possible to get the required daily intake of any supplement through diet alone.
That said, most runners don’t eat the perfect diet all the time. Work, family, stress and a bunch of other factors lead to us to often being low in critical vitamins, minerals and micronutrients that can improve our health performance.
Therefore, the below list of recommended supplements for runners includes those that (1) have been shown by actual science to be a benefit to endurance athletes; and (2) those that runners often find difficult to fit into their diets consistently.
Supplements I recommend
I have listed a few of the supplements below in order of importance and/or the issues most runners struggle with and that I recommend.
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but includes the supplements that (1) have the most scientific research supporting their efficacy and (2) that I have found most runners are lacking. As an example, B-Vitamins have been shown to improve performance, but they are very easy to get in your diet and very few runners would benefit from supplementation.
With that said, here are my recommendations:
Iron
Low iron levels in runners is one of the most common reasons for poor results during workouts and races.
Recent research indicates that almost 56% percent of joggers and competitive runners suffer from an iron deficiency that severely hampers performance. That’s because runners lose more iron than most athletes due to a number of factors, such as losing iron through a process called foot strike hemolysis as well as through sweat and the GI tract.
In terms of impact on performance, a 2011 study showed that runners with low iron were 21 seconds slower over a 2km time trial than those with proper iron levels.
Now, as for supplementation, I first recommend you get a blood test to determine your actual iron levels. Not only is this important to determine if you are low or not, but it gives you a baseline for what your iron levels are and how much supplementation is improving them.
I recommend you read this very in-depth guide on iron deficiency which goes over how to get tested and how to supplement if you find your iron levels are low.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is an important component of a runner’s diet and recent research on the vitamin has concluded that it may be more significant for overall health than initially realized.
According to a March 2009 study in the Archives of Internal Medicine, more than three-quarters of adults are Vitamin D deficient.
Furthermore, a 2008 study at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas found that 75 percent of runners averaging 20 miles a week have low vitamin D levels.
As a result, the recommended daily intake for vitamin D has increased in recent years, particularly for runners. Athletes should pay special attention to meeting these new requirements for vitamin D.
We’ve written another in-depth guide on some of the performance and health impacts of low Vitamin D levels, which you can read here.
If you are afraid you are low in vitamin D, you can have your vitamin D status tested by measuring blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D through a regular blood test performed by your doctor.
He or she should then be able to determine if you are deficient, or at risk of becoming deficient, and recommend the proper supplement or dietary protocol. Typically, these blood tests are inexpensive (ranging between $30-$50) and can be combined with your iron test mentioned above.
Protein
When it comes to supplementation, most runners focus on the performance benefit of a specific supplement – like will it allow me to run faster by increasing oxygen uptake, or something similar.
But, what we often forget is that better recovery from workouts is actually the best way to improve faster and more consistently. If you can recover faster, you can workout harder or more frequently and you can better absorb the training benefits from your runs.
Thus, any supplement that helps you recover is going to have a positive impact on your running performance.
And that’s where protein comes in.
As you may already know, running causes the muscles to break down and form micro tears, which need to be repaired in order to get stronger and faster.
The body needs energy for the anabolic process to occur. With an adequate supply of energy and nutrients, the body can quickly rebuild muscle and allow you to recover faster. However, when your body doesn’t have adequate fuel to sustain the anabolic process, it begins to break down muscle to supply the body with the energy it needs.
Protein is bay far the best macro nutrient to aid in the fueling of the anabolic process and to prevent catabolism. Sadly, many runners are low in their protein intake, especially women.
Ideally, you’ll want to consume between .8 and 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day. That means for a 145lb women, you’d want to get between 115g and 145g of protein per day.
I recommend protein supplements, like protein powders, because they are a very easy way to up your protein intake with very little effort.
CoQ10
One supplement that is definitely not a requirement, but has shown great potential to directly increase endurance performance is CoQ10.
For example, several studies have found that CoQ10 supplementation (60–100 mg/day for 4–8 weeks) improves aerobic power, anaerobic threshold, exercise performance, and/or recovery after exercise in trained athletes and untrained individuals.
CoQ10 is a vitamin like, fat-soluble substance existing in all cells, but its bioavailability is very low (meaning your body is not very efficient at absorbing it. This is why supplementation may have such a direct impact.
Studies are still limited, but most recommend daily use of CoQ10 in the 60-100mg per day range to help with absorption and bioavailability.
Beet Root
Beet root juice is a supplement that gained a lot of hype because of its direct performance boosting benefits.
In short, your body metabolizes (breaks down) beet root into nitric oxide a neurotransmitter that is important for nerve singling and blood vessel dilatation.
Both of these can help improve performance, but specifically blood vessel dilatation helps improve running economy by making it easier for you to get blood to your working muscles.
You can either take a large dose of beet root juice before a race (they sell “shots” of beet root juice) or you can supplement with small amounts daily to raise your overall levels consistently. I recommend the latter and I outline how I do that in the next section.
Adaptogens
Adaptogens are herms, plants or mushrooms that are meant to help the body react to stress, sickness and fatigue. Adaptogens are not just one plant, but rather a class of plants and herbs like tumeric, ginger, ashwagandha and more.
Each specific adaptogen has research supporting how they can increase energy, decrease fatigue or decrease stress and the ways in which they work are all slightly different. However, they are generally always taken together, so the health and performance impacts of each are combined.
Generally speaking, you’ll want to take adaptogens daily and are usually found in either pill form or high quality greens formulas.
Probiotics and Prebotics
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria found in certain foods or supplements that help improve gut health and digestion. Prebiotics are types of fiber that feed the friendly bacteria, like probiotics, in the digestive system. So, think of priobiotics as the fuel for probiotics.
Now, why is this important for runners?
Well, if you’ve ever suffered from consistent bathroom issues in training or during races, then you know how important having a healthy gut can be.
Second, a healthy digestive systems helps you better absorb all the vitamins and nutrients you take in, which is crucial for runners who need them.
How to fit it all in without a medicine cabinet of pills
The trouble I’ve always had with supplements is getting everything I wanted and not feeling like I was ingesting a medicine cabinet every morning.
In order to ensure I had efficacious doses, I’d buy individual pills/powders for each supplement and then make myself a morning cocktail of sorts. It got the job done, but it wasn’t ideal.
Luckily, in the last year or so, I stumbled upon Athletic Greens – a daily greens supplement which contains 75 bioavailable vitamins, minerals and whole food-sourced ingredients, including a multivitamin, multimineral, probiotic, and greens superfood blend.
In short, this one product hit 75% of my supplement needs in one scoop: Iron, CoQ10, Beet Root, B Vitamins, Adaptagens, Pre and probiotics.
I also like that it’s a powder form (basically dehydrated and crushed versions of real fruits and vegetables) rather than a pill, which means it’s absorbed better.
The only two things missing are Vitamin D and Protein.
Luckily, Athletic Greens started a special deal earlier this year which gets you a year’s supply of vitamin D when you purchase – here’s a link to the deal. So, I take my one vitamin D supplement in the morning with my Athletic Greens.
As for protein powder, I don’t use this every day since it will depend on how much protein I had during my meals. Typically, I either add a scoop to my post long run or workout shake (the days and time I need the most protein) or have a scoop before bed when I know I didn’t eat enough protein for the day. Simple, easy, and adaptable.
You can certainly take supplements any way or the best way that fits your diet and lifestyle.
If you like mixing and matching, buying individual doses of each supplement above is a good way to get what you need. If you prefer an all-in-one solution, I recommend something like Athletic Greens, which although a little expensive, is worth every penny for the ease and sheer number of ingredients.
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Have you tried or are you curious about any supplement for runners that you’ve heard can improve running performance? If so, leave a comment and I’ll start looking at the research and maybe write-up and in-depth piece.