Supplements: What Really Works to Complement Athlete Performance

Supplements continue to be a popular topic amongst athletes, coaches and on social media. Many athletes believe they need supplements to elevate their performance, so they focus their resources on supplements rather than on valuable nutrition practices such as adequate daily protein intake, carbohydrate timing and balanced/ complementary meals.^{1, 2} 

While some supplements may help an athlete’s performance and recovery, they do not replace the primary practices of a sufficient nutrition program and mainly come with additional risks. 

Questions and Considerations with Supplements 

When evaluating if you should consume a supplement, you should ask the following questions and follow up with any that you are unsure of¹:

• Have several scientific studies supported its use as an ergogenic aid? If yes, what kinds of studies are they? Expert opinion and case studies are a lower form of research that may not inform us as well as randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews.
• What intensity and mode of exercise were used in the research studies?
• Were the study participants evaluated athletes, well-trained, recreationally active, or untrained? Has it been effective in real sports?
• What are the effective dose, side effects, and toxicity concerns?
• Do these parameters apply to your current needs and goals? 

While some supplement companies can provide some of these answers on their product or website, you will likely have to perform your own research to properly evaluate the supplement’s potential benefits, risks and associated claims. 

How to Validate the Effectiveness and Safety of a Supplement 

The easiest way to validate a supplement’s claims and safety is to search for the supplement and its brand online, but this can yield a variety of sources that may contradict each other. 

Here are the steps you should take to help inform your choice on a supplement’s effectiveness and safety: 

1. See if the supplement’s brand is independently tested for quality, safety and purity. If it is not, perform an internet search to see if it has been linked to contamination or safety recalls/ problems.
   1. Common third-party testing companies include: Informed Sport/ Choice, NSF Certified for Sport, BSCG Certified Drug Free
2. Is the supplement listed under certain governing bodies, such as the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) or the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA)? This is noteworthy even if your organization is not affiliated with these groups.
3. Does the supplement list a proprietary blend under the nutrition facts? If so, this places effectiveness and safety into question since the ingredient amount and effectiveness of each ingredient cannot be verified.
4. After completing your research, ask yourself: Do the benefits outweigh the risks? 

Hopefully, after diligently going through these steps, you will be better informed about the supplement and/or the company that produces it. If you are still unsure, it is highly recommended that you seek guidance from a registered dietitian or a similar sports professional to help you make your choice. 

Additional resources are provided below to aid your research. 

What Should Athletes Focus on Before Supplementing? 

Supplements are designed to supplement the diet, not replace it. 

While your body can utilize nutrients from supplements, it prefers them from food and is usually more effective and efficient when a “Food First, Supplements Second” approach is used.^{1, 2} 

Here are the four aspects athletes should focus on before considering supplements if they are aiming to improve their performance and recovery¹: 

1. Primarily a Nutrient-Rich and Balanced Diet – variety of foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats at most, if not all, meals throughout each day.
2. Hydration – consuming enough fluids throughout the day so that you are urinating somewhat frequently (usually every 2-3 hours) and your urine is usually lighter/a pale yellow each time you urinate. Water should be the main focus, but other beverages, fruits, and vegetables can complement hydration levels.
3. Sufficient and Progressive Exercise Programming – workouts are sustainable, consistent and can make positive measurable progress.
4. Recovery Needs – obtaining 7-9 hours of sleep consistently, having a regular bedtime, minimizing electronic use before sleep and balancing school, work, family, friends and sport stressors well. 

Once these four categories are maximized, supplements can be a useful tool to complement them as needed, provided they are used appropriately and sourced from reputable companies.

Recommended Resources 

These are excellent resources that can help you with your research on specific supplements and sports nutrition protocols: 

• Examine.com - Free and paid versions of current evidence and recommendations
• Gatorade Sports Science Institute (gssiweb.org) - Excellent overview of research and recommendations for specific athletes & sports
• Mysportscience.com - Another great resource for sports nutrition applications 

Moving Forward 

It is important to do your own research when evaluating a supplement, rather than just trusting social media or someone you know. Anything you put into your body carries some risk, and supplements have caused unwanted side effects, so it is important to properly evaluate a supplement before considering it. Research on supplements is constantly evolving, and it is important to stay informed so that you can properly educate yourself, athletes, and even your colleagues, ensuring that safety remains the number one priority for one’s health and performance. 

About the Author 

Dr. Nicholas Mortensen is an assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology. He teaches in the Master of Applied Sport Science graduate programs, specializing in the Strength and Conditioning concentration. 

His research interests include athlete development through strength and conditioning and sports nutrition protocols, as well as obesity and nutrition interventions for general and specific populations. He has worked in a variety of athletic performance and health promotion settings, focusing on improving various metrics across all ages and abilities. 

References 

1. Jeukendrup, A. & Gleeson, M. (2024). Sport Nutrition. 4th edition. Human Kinetics. ISBN: 1718221703 

2. Jeukendrup, A. (n.d.). Food First. https://www.mysportscience.com/post/food-first