The best sports supplements for runners

The first questions a runner should ask himself is if he really needs supplements and for what reason. If so, which are the best supplements for runners? This article will consider all topics so that any runner has enough information to choose the most convenient ones. 

The first thing is to put everything into context, without this it’s not possible to answer properly if taking supplements is required for running. 

Therefore, firstly determine what kind of runner we’re referring to; asphalt runner, track runner, trail runner and specially, the level and distance the athlete runs, if its sprint, high intensity endurance or ultra distance.

As a general rule, the first piece of advice for the runner is to have a proper and balanced diet, this will significantly reduce the need for supplements.

Nevertheless, in some cases it’s necessary to take a series of supplements, either because it’s not possible to get the necessary amounts of nutrients through natural food or due to training and racing logistics.

The goals pursued by runners taking supplements can be several:

• Improve endurance
• Improve speed 
• Optimize recovery 
• Maximize racing performance 
• Enhance training sessions

But not any supplement is valid, a certain set of criteria must be established to choose them correctly. 

Firstly, supplements that are banned and are doping products should be ruled out, as they may not only lead to a sports sanction, but may also endanger the health of the runner.

Secondly, unnecessary supplements that don’t have any positive effect on the athlete or have no strong or moderate scientific evidence supporting its use, should be discarded.

Thus, the following classification can be used to establish which types of supplements can be beneficial for runners:

• Sports nutrition supplements 
• Performance-enhancing supplements

6 best sports nutrition supplements for running

This group of supplements are characterized by their energy and nutritional value, and are used when the circumstances or the sporting context doesn’t allow the intake of common food or meals.

The following are recommended for runners: 

1. Sports drinks

Drinks or specific powders to be dissolved in water which, besides hydrating, include several carbohydrates that provide energy.

Recommended for moderate or high intensity workouts, or even for long training sessions and, of course, recommendable when competing.

Within the sports drinks, there are those with a low content of carbohydrates, such as 226ers Isotonic drink (19 g/500 ml), with a medium amount, such as Energy drink (45 g/500 ml), and others with a high content, such as High Fructose (87 g/500 ml).

If you’re looking for sports drinks tu improve your performance during intense workouts or races, take a look at out sports drinks range.

They are recommended for circumstances that cause loss of liquids (heat, humidity, altitude, indoor training, etc.), and to ensure an intake of 30 grams per hour of carbohydrates during low intensity activities, 30-60 grams/hour during moderately high intensity, and up to 60-90 grams of carbohydrates per hour during high intensity workouts or competitions. 

2. Energy gels

Gels are products characterized by the fact that they take up little space and provide a lot of energy in the form of carbohydrates, optimum to enable the runner to carry quite a lot of energy in a small space.

As for the sports drinks, gels can provide a moderate amount of carbohydrates, such as 226ers energy gel (18 grams), or a high amount, such as the high energy gel (50 grams).

Gels are recommended when the energy intake cannot be done through drinks, either because the runner prefers it so or due to logistic reasons, and to reach the amount of carbohydrates previously described.

When taking these gels, it’s also recommended to drink a small amount of water. As easy as at a race’s feed station or during a workout, but if this isn’t possible, a hydrogel such as 226ers isotonic gel can be a good alternative.

3. Energy Bars

Energy bars, as well as gels, basically provide energy, and can be an alternative to gels when the training or competition circumstances allow their intake, such as a trail run or a long low intensity session. 

Besides the energy they can provide, similar to that of gels, they can satisfy the runner’s feeing of satiety by the simple act of chewing.

If you’re looking for a useful and effective energy source to take before or during your workouts, check our energy bar category. 

They can also be used as a snack in-between hours to provide enough daily carbohydrates that an athlete needs to fill his muscular glycogen deposits, especially when it’s not possible to have access to natural food (work, traveling, etc.).

4. Protein products. 

Whey protein products either in powder to prepare as a shake or as a bar, that basically aim to provide 20 to 30 grams of protein to the athlete.

It’s recommended to enrich breakfast that may lack a high amount of protein, to take them after a workout to promote recovery, or even before going to sleep to ensure an optimum amount of protein during the day and favours night recovery.

5. Recovery drink

This kind of supplements mix carbohydrates and proteins, and are ideally taken after a workout or competition. 

Taking them as a shake, provides liquids that improves the athlete’s rehydration, proteins for the body’s resynthesis, and carbohydrates to replace the muscular glycogen depleted during exercise.

6. Electrolytes and hydration

These supplements will help the athlete to have an appropriate hydration state prior to a competition, either hydrating the runner during a workout or competition, or promoting his rehydration after efforts.

There are two kind of supplements. 

On one side, electrolyte capsules, mainly sodium, potassium and magnesium, in order to take them with sports drinks. Or powder products such as 226ers hidrazero, which allows to prepare electrolyte enriched drinks with no calories, which are quite useful to hydrate or rehydrate athletes when they loose excessive liquid or don’t requiere a high energy intake, being an alternative or complement to sports drinks.

The best products to improve the runners’ performance 

This group of supplements are those from which a runner can benefit to improve racing performance, although sometimes it’s also recommended to perform some very important or key workouts of the program. 

These are usually single dose supplements but some of them must be taken throughout a certain time period in order to achieve its benefits, such as creatine or specially beta alanine. 

Caffeine

A legal stimulant with highly scientific evidence of its positive performance benefits, improving effort capacity and reducing rate of perceived exertion.

The recommend dose is around 3 mg/kg of body weight, although it’s suitable to start trying this product with half the amount. In some cases and as long as it’s properly tolerated, the dose can be increased up to 5 mg/kg body weight.

Besides natural products such as coffee, caffeine can be found in pills (226ers caffeine), or gels and sports drinks. Taking into account that caffeine’s peak occurs 30 to 45 minutes after its intake and remains for another 45 minutes.

With this information and the total amount of caffeine the runner is going to take, it’s possible to establish an intake plan with the dose and re-doses, and its timing. 

Beta alanine

Beta Alanine is a supplement that increases the amount of muscle carnosine, buffering lactic acid produced during high intensity workouts or competition, delaying fatigue and improving performance. 

In order for this supplement to be effective, it’s necessary to take a minimum dose of 3,2 grams for eight weeks, or double the amount during four weeks. The maintenance period can be 1 to 1,5 grams per day. 

Since this product can cause stinging, it’s recommended to split the dose into three or four intakes.

Nitrates

Nitrates, commonly found as powder of beetroot juice (226ers nitropro), act as vasodilators and therefore increase the capacity to exercise and improve performance. 

A 400 to 600 mg dose, two to three hours before exercising or competing, is recommended at least three days ahead of the main competition, being able to continue this intake up to fifteen days. 

Creatine

Creatine supplementation will optimize high energy phosphate metabolism, improving performance during short intense efforts, such as sprints or strength training.

A short distance runner or sprinter will clearly benefit from this supplement. A long distance runner might also benefit, but should take into account that it could entail a 1 to 1,5 kg increase in body weight, due to liquid retention. 

The recommended dose is 3 to 5 grams per day during at least a week.