Studies have not consistently shown that taking supplements of BCAAs or any of their three constituent amino acids singly enhances exercise and athletic performance, builds muscle mass, or aids in recovery from exercise 500 free spins. Consuming animal foods containing complete proteins—or a combination of plant-based foods with complementary proteins that together provide all EAAs—automatically increases consumption of BCAAs (see section on protein). This is also true of consuming protein powders made from complete proteins, especially whey, which has more leucine than either casein or soy .
You may have been told to take one of these supplements, which may also be called fish oils, to help lower blood pressure or reduce your risk of heart disease — Omega-3 fatty acids have been found to increase your “good” cholesterol or high-density lipoprotein (HDL).
You can get more iron by eating red meat, fish, and citrus fruits. Iron supplements should cap out at 15mg daily for women and 10mg daily for men. Athletes can handle a bit more, but it’s best to check with your doctor for a specific dosage.
The research to support supplemental arginine as a performance enhancer is limited and conflicting. Overall, it suggests that doses of 2–20 g/day arginine have little to no effect on performance in either anaerobic or aerobic exercise . Furthermore, arginine typically had no effect on nitric oxide concentration, blood flow, or exercise metabolites (e.g., lactate and ammonia), especially when well-trained athletes—including cyclists, tennis players, and judo practitioners—took the supplement for 1–28 days . A recent review assessed 54 clinical studies examining the effects of arginine supplementation on strength performance, endurance, muscle blood volume and flow, cardiorespiratory measures, and nitric oxide production in healthy, active adults. The authors concluded that supplemental arginine (either alone or, more commonly, in combination with other ingredients, such as branched-chain amino acids and lysine) provided little or no enhancement of athletic performance and did not improve recovery from exhaustion . Most of the studies included few participants, primarily young men age 18–25 years (only four studies included women), and lasted only 4–8 weeks (with none lasting 3 months or longer). In the 18 studies that compared arginine alone with a placebo, the most common doses were 2–10 g/day as a single dose and up to 20 g/day divided into three doses.
This isn’t the most exciting topic, but it’s incredibly important. That’s because if you don’t drink enough water—and become dehydrated as a result—your health will decline, your metabolic rate will slow, and your athletic performance will tank.12
2. Logue DM, Madigan SM, Melin A, Delahunt E, Heinen M, Donnell SJM, et al. Low Energy Availability in Athletes 2020: An Updated Narrative Review of Prevalence, Risk, Within-Day Energy Balance, Knowledge, and Impact on Sports Performance. Nutrients. 2020 Mar 20;12(3).
The nutrient timing doesn’t change a whole lot. However, some of the nutrients that you take in may change. Your protein may be increased a little bit throughout the day if you’re in a power sport as compared to a runner who might need more glycogen or carbohydrates to make sure they can get through a longer run.
This isn’t the most exciting topic, but it’s incredibly important. That’s because if you don’t drink enough water—and become dehydrated as a result—your health will decline, your metabolic rate will slow, and your athletic performance will tank.12
2. Logue DM, Madigan SM, Melin A, Delahunt E, Heinen M, Donnell SJM, et al. Low Energy Availability in Athletes 2020: An Updated Narrative Review of Prevalence, Risk, Within-Day Energy Balance, Knowledge, and Impact on Sports Performance. Nutrients. 2020 Mar 20;12(3).
The nutrient timing doesn’t change a whole lot. However, some of the nutrients that you take in may change. Your protein may be increased a little bit throughout the day if you’re in a power sport as compared to a runner who might need more glycogen or carbohydrates to make sure they can get through a longer run.
Joy JM, Lowery RP, Wilson JM, Purpura M, De Souza EO, Wilson SM, et al. The effects of 8 weeks of whey or rice protein supplementation on body composition and exercise performance. Nutr J. 2013;12:86.
Antonio J, Ellerbroek A, Silver T, Vargas L, Tamayo A, Buehn R, et al. A high protein diet has no harmful effects: a one-year crossover study in resistance-trained males. J Nutr Metab. 2016;2016:9104792.
Wilson GJ, Layman DK, Moulton CJ, Norton LE, Anthony TG, Proud CG, et al. Leucine or carbohydrate supplementation reduces AMPK and eef2 phosphorylation and extends postprandial muscle protein synthesis in rats. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2011;301:E1236–42.
Nutritionists in private practice may also be hired to consult for individual athletes or teams for special competitions such as the Olympics. Some jobs may be available in stores and for companies which sell sports nutrition supplements.
Fitness-focused nutrition jobs can be found in many commercial gyms and fitness centers, as well as community centers such as YMCAs. Individuals will need at least a bachelor’s degree in a nutrition program to qualify for this type of job and in some cases a Registered Dietitian is required.
A nutritionist or dietitian working in a fitness setting provides nutrition consultations for members and offers eating plans for weight loss and improved health. In addition, the development of nutrition education programs, creating handouts and writing newsletter articles are all possible duties in this position.
Sports nutrition jobs focus on improving the performance of athletes by offering dietary guidance that will result in muscle gain, weight loss, improved endurance, increased energy or increased strength. Sports nutrition jobs are most often available within collegiate athletics or professional sporting organizations.
Additional certifications in the fitness industry can be beneficial for those working in fitness-focused nutrition. It can demonstrate the diversity of your knowledge and make you more marketable for fitness nutrition jobs which also might include duties such as personal training or group exercise instruction. For example, certifications in personal training or health and fitness instructing from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Council on Exercise are well known and respected in the field.
