Therapeutic nutritional supplements and prophylactic nutritional supplements

The third category of nutritional supplements for athletes includes the so-called therapeutic nutritional supplements and prophylactic nutritional supplements. The main representatives of this group are vitamins and minerals, which can be deficient in athletes due to increased training loads and inadequate nutritional intake, while certain nutritional supplements have the ability to modulate inflammatory processes and can help heal injuries.

However, this has recently become less popular with athletes, we know from basic scientific research that vitamins and minerals are absolutely necessary for the functioning of physiological processes and therefore have an ergogenic effect themselves. They are closely related to the action of enzymes that catalyze biochemical reactions, with the help of which our body uses energy from macronutrients (catabolism) and uses it for anabolic processes.

In addition, vitamins and minerals play a structural, catalytic and regulatory role in the function of the body's defense systems, such as the antioxidant and immune systems. All of the systems mentioned above are put under additional strain by athletes, so that physically active people not only have an increased energy requirement but also an increased need for micronutrients that is disproportionate to their energy requirement.

A typical example is iron deficiency in endurance athletes, particularly in the female population. Because iron availability is directly related to tissue oxygenation and energy utilization, reduced hematologic function can negatively impact athletic performance. Adequate nutritional correction with various strategies, including the use of dietary supplements with iron, in such cases, represents an important intervention to eliminate the basic deficiency and improve the performance of the athlete. Likewise, taking nutritional supplements can improve the supply of calcium to the body.

In athletes, the immune system is put under additional strain; an increased incidence of respiratory diseases can be observed, especially before and after competitions in endurance sports. Although the low availability of energy (i.e. the amount of energy available to the organism for physiological functions when total energy intake from food is subtracted from intake during training/competition) has been recognized as a central nutritional factor).

Dietary supplements to alleviate stress-related immunosuppression have also been well researched in the field of nutritional supplements. In general, it makes sense to take vitamin D to support the immune system. Adding zinc can also be helpful, especially in the period between autumn and the end of spring, and in certain situations the use of multivitamins is pragmatic and safe.

Recently, the use of probiotics and prebiotics to strengthen the immune system in athletes has also been intensively studied, but the effect of these supplements depends on many factors, in particular on the appropriate dosage of live bacteria and certain strains (e.g. Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium) and therefore larger and additional studies to classify probiotics as beneficial for athletes.

The use of immune system support amino acids, such as glutamine and branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), which are often marketed to support exercise for muscle building and post-exercise recovery, play an unclear role in supporting immune function in athletes to date. It must be emphasized that the field of modulating the immune system of athletes with the help of nutritional supplements is a rapidly growing and important field that needs to be monitored, its advantages and disadvantages carefully studied.

Use of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory substances

The use of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents is also very interesting in the area of nutritional supplements and athletic performance. The most important component that influences the potential benefit of these supplements is the goal of the training period itself or the individual training session. Training places a strain on the organism, which manifests itself at the cellular level in increased oxidative stress and an increased inflammatory reaction.

Therefore, at first glance, it makes sense to reduce this burden with the help of nutraceutical and other interventions, such as the use of an ice bath. However, one must be aware that this stress is absolutely necessary for the organism to adapt to the stimuli that training and progress itself brings with it. For this reason, the use of these interventions is less useful in preparation phases, while they can be useful in competition phases or training cycles when rapid recovery is required. An example of a dietary supplement in this category is vitamin C.

More and more research is also focusing on investigating the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of polyphenols and flavonoids, i.e. secondary plant substances in plant nutrition. The use of tart cherry juice - CHERRY JUICE, which is rich in anthocyanins, is known to reduce oxidative stress markers and inflammatory markers in marathon runners and cyclists who have completed very high intensities for several days in a row. The potential benefit of this dietary supplement therefore lies in recovery after a very long and intense training before the marathon, in recovery after the marathon and also in rapid recovery in competitions in which athletes take part in several disciplines at the same time, or in intermediate and Long distance running events that include qualifications and preliminary rounds on consecutive days before the actual final event. Other anti-inflammatory nutrients include flavonoids such as quercetin and green tea extract as well as fish oil and long-chain omega-3 fatty acids.