Numerous supplements may be effective for improving sports performance. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, or AAOS, maintaining a healthy and balanced diet will help you maximize the strength, power and endurance you gain from training. If you are an athlete, you should base your diet on several factors, including your age, size, physical condition and the type of exercise you are doing. Certain nutritional supplements may help augment a healthy diet and give you a competitive advantage. Before taking any supplement, meet with your doctor to discuss possible side effects and proper dosage.
Coenzyme Q10
Coenzyme Q10 may be a beneficial sports nutrition supplement. According to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, coenzyme Q10, also known as ubiquinone, is a lipid with vitamin-like characteristics. Coenzyme Q10 is found in the mitochondria -- cellular power plants that generate most of your cell's supply of ATP, or energy -- of all your tissues, especially your heart and skeletal muscles. Coenzyme Q10 is also an antioxidant, which means that it reduces oxidative damage in your body caused by free radicals. The President's Council states that coenzyme Q10 has been used to treat cardiovascular disease because it boosts oxygen uptake in the mitochondria of your heart. It is believed that increased oxygen consumption and usage in your heart and skeletal muscles could enhance your aerobic endurance performance. Before taking coenzyme Q10 to boost your sports performance, meet with your doctor to discuss possible side effects and proper dosage.
Ginseng
Ginseng, also known as Panax ginseng or Panax quinquefolium, may be an effective supplement to improve your sports performance. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, or NCCAM, states that traditional and contemporary uses of ginseng are manifold. Ginseng may be used to improve your health after an illness, lower your blood glucose levels and regulate your blood pressure, improve your sense of well-being and stamina and boost your mental and physical performance. According to the President's Council, ginseng supplementation has been purported to temper the stress of exercise, although the underlying mechanisms of how this occurs have not been determined. A 2000 article by Luke R. Bucci published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" states that controlled studies of ginseng found improvements in exercise performance when the studies met certain conditions, including the use of standardized root extracts, more than eight weeks of study, a large sample size and older study participants. Before taking ginseng, meet with your doctor to discuss possible side effects and proper dosage.
Inosine
Inosine may be an effective dietary supplement to boost your sports performance. According to the Naturopathy Digest website, inosine is a nucleoside, or one of the basic substances of which your cells are comprised. Inosine may play a supportive role in many biologic processes, including insulin release, protein production and oxygen metabolism. Some studies show inosine may facilitate oxygen delivery to your muscles during exercise, resulting in enhanced endurance. Inosine may also work with other chemicals in your body to decrease lactic acid accumulation, which improves your energy production and enhances your exercise or athletic performance. In addition to being found in dietary supplements, inosine is also available in brewer's yeast and certain organ meats. The Naturopathy Digest website states that the amount of inosine you should consume depends on the condition being treated. Some practitioners suggest you should consume between 500 and 2,000 mg of inosine in supplement form about 30 minutes prior to exercise. Before taking inosine to boost your athletic performance, consult with your physician for proper dosage and potential side effects.
References
- President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports: Nutritional Erogogenics & Sports Performance
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Sports Nutrition
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Asian Ginseng
- "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Herbals and Human Exercise Performance; L. Bucci; August 2000
- Naturopathy Digest: Inosine
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