Using Energy Supplements to Aid Performance

By Lewis Lake

Energy supplements are everywhere, from the cup of coffee you drink in the morning to the red bull you get from the petrol station, to the bottle of lucozade you drink on the way to 5-a-side football. Although many athletes use all of the above on a regular basis, they are often too quick to disregard energy supplements as a fad or a waste of money. This is far from the case as they are, for the vast majority of the time, of a much higher quality and far more cost effective than the regular energy drinks you see in the high street.

As there are several different types of energy based supplements, its best to initially work out which one would work best for you. Whether it be stimulant based, carb powder, a pre bottled ready-to-drink or maybe an energy gel sachet. The sporting activity that you’re undertaking usually decides the type needed. Stimulant based drinks often contain caffeine as well as other ingredients, often thermogenic, that will cause an extreme rush of energy. This types of supplements are known as pre-workout formulas in the bodybuilding world a serving of this is normally taken around 30 minutes before hitting the weights. Because of the nature of these products they aren’t often recommend to any type of endurance athlete. If you are taking part in any kind of endurance event, such as running or cycling, then a carbohydrate powder would be far better suited to you.

I’m sure you would of heard of carb loading before a run i.e eating loads of pasta or jacket potatoes, then you will see the reasoning behind this. Often trying to consume large quantities of food such as those mentioned can cause that horrible bloating feeling that leaves you all lethargic. By having a carbohydrate powder around 30 minutes before training, you will benefit from its fast absorption and sustained energy release throughout your session. If you are going to be performing cardiovascular training for anything up to around the 60 minute mark then it would be highly recommend having a carb powder around 30 minutes before starting. If you are going to be putting your body under strenuous activity for over an hour then it would be recommended to consider using energy gels. Energy gels, as you’ll often see cyclists using them during a race and premier league football players towards the end of a match, are a great way to quickly increase your quickly depleting energy stores so that you can continue performing to your optimal level. There is nothing worse than underperforming, not because you aren’t of a good enough standard and not physically capable of keeping up with the competition, but because of running out of fuel!

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