Do supplements work?

There is a great deal of interest in running nutrition and the role that supplements can take in our training and the debate rages hard and fast, as science continues to come up with new discoveries. Certainly for those training for speed events or marathons, effective supplementation can only be a boost. However, it's important to choose correctly for your circumstances and goals, after seeking advice from your doctor and avoiding wasting money on unnecessary products.

Running - particularly distance training - does put stress and damage onto the body, so it makes sense to supplement to repair and boost performance.

Popular supplements include whey protein, creatine and protein powder. Whey protein tends to be used by those seeking repair and protein for muscle growth. Creatine is used sometimes by sprinters to build strength and speed - as it works best for anaerobic activity. Running longer distances, basically anything beyond a sprint, becomes aerobic exercise. Protein powder is thought to build lean muscle, prevent injury and help the body shed fat and repair.

Of course, classic wisdom is that a good balanced diet should be sufficient for most people. However some runners, especially long distance runners, struggle to get the right balance of calories, nutrients and vitamins from their everyday food.

For those running distance, protein powder may have benefits in strengthening muscles and helping with repair; particularly important for those doing half and full marathons, as these put muscles under significant strain and trauma. Whey protein is a good way to take this, as a shake after a workout. It provides high protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals and is also said to have other health benefits. Other whey protein products are available such as energy bars. These products can also be beneficial for vegetarians and vegans who may not get enough protein in their diets, however it's important not to overdo protein intake - we need a maximum of just two grams of protein each day, for every kilogram we weigh. More than that can lead to fat and dangerous health complications.

As for creatine, the debate wears on. It appears to be a useful supplement for some fast sports and often creatine does appear in combination supplementation products designed to improve strength, endurance and repair. It will be interesting to see what further research on creatine emerges, but in the meantime, it can be worth experimenting- within guidelines and recommendations of a health practitioner - to find which supplements work for you and improve your running experience.