Sports supplements may be divided into three main categories in terms of their purpose, including: for muscle mass and strength, energy and endurance, and for recovery after exercise. Those taking sports supplements for muscle mass and strength will usually be those engaging in sports such as wrestling and body-building.
Sports Supplements – Improve Muscle Mass and Strength
In Sports Supplements - Which Nutritional Supplements Really Work, Bean (2007) identifies several different types of sports supplement aimed at improving or increasing muscle mass and strength in sportsmen and women, including as follows:
- all-in-one/combination supplements
- amino acids
- creatine
- meal replacement products (MRPs)
- protein supplements
- androstenedione
- glutamine
- HMB
- pre-hormones
- ZMA
Amino Acids and Meal Replacement Products (MRPs)
Amino acids are what the body uses to build protein and are a popular alternative for athletes who are not keen on drinking protein shakes. In The Essential Guide to Vitamins, Minerals and Herbal Remedies, Brewer (2010) highlights the following information regarding amino acids:
- Amino acid supplements more effectively absorbed between meals.
- Individual amino acids not recommended to be used for longer than 12 weeks.
- Medical supervision may be necessary for longer-term usage.
- Combine individual amino acid with mixed amino acid complex.
The reason why it is recommended that those taking individual amino acid supplements for more than two weeks should combine this with mixed amino acid complex is so as not to end up suffering from an amino acid imbalance. Amino acids are also particularly useful for when undertaking intensive training periods.
Meal replacement products (MRPs) are not the most ideal form of sports supplement because it is better for the body to get its essential nutrients from a healthy, balanced diet and MRPs can be especially risky for teenage girls who are most susceptible to eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. The main benefit associated with MRPs is that they are a very quick and easy way of ensuring one gets a mixture of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals and the like.
According to Bean (2007), a further benefit of meal replacement products is that they are specifically tailored towards helping aid both muscle growth and recovery in athletes.
As highlighted above, there are a whole range of different sports nutrition supplements for both improving muscle mass and increasing strength. Key supplements include amino acids, meal replacement products, protein supplements and glutamine. However, meal replacement supplements may be particularly unhelpful in the case of younger female athletes who are at a higher risk of developing serious eating disorders. Before beginning a new supplement, it is worth considering speaking to a specialised sports nutritionist, as some can have serious side-effects.
Source:
Bean, A. (2007) Sports Supplements London: A C & Black
Kate Le Page - Kate Henning-Le Page writes about eating disorders, body image and recovery issues. She specializes in anorexia recovery.
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