More Energy with Protein Shakes & Co? Nutritional Supplements and their Use in Sports

The consumption of nutritional supplements is widespread in high-performance athletics; many athletes use several supplements simultaneously. Vitamins and minerals are the primary supplements in use, but protein supplements, creatine, and other substances are also popular. Many athletes hope that taking food supplements will improve their performance and lead to faster regeneration, increased muscle growth, delayed bodily fatigue, or a stronger immune system. In actual fact, however, most such preparations are redundant in people with a balanced diet and do not offer any benefits over normal foods. By the same token, nutritional supplements cannot compensate for an inadequate diet. Some entail the risk of overdosage with individual nutrients. Some substances, such as antioxidants, can have a negative effect on adjustment of training and health. However, the targeted use of nutritional supplements can be useful in certain settings, depending on the type of sport and the phases of training or competition. Such settings include the treatment of diagnosed nutritional deficiencies with vitamin or mineral preparations. Generally, athletes should discuss taking nutritional supplements with an expert in the setting of professional nutritional advice.