Supplements for runners ?
Kati9408
Posts: 67 Member
Hi, I was wondering what kinds of supplements do you take and do they help (of course in addition to strict diet and consistent running) improve your times ? My experience with supplements is that I used to take C4 pre-workout but it had tons of caffeine and in addition to hight heart rate I had tunnel vision sometimes so I stopped taking it. Now I take Beta Alanin, Magnesium with vit C and D and Glucosamine.
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I take Glucosamine, but I don't think it helps my times. It does help my knee with arthritis not hurt, but I think figuring out proper form and technique contributed as well. Otherwise, on long runs, I use water, gatorade, and sport jelly beans.1
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If you eat a well-balanced diet and are physically healthy, I don't think running supplements are needed. I think you are wasting your money with them.5
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I don't take anything except sports beans for a long run (sports beans, incidentally, will also help with hangovers... *she discovered accidentally once... or twice*). It never occurred to me to take a supplement, but now I'm going to watch this thread for other experienced runners thoughts on them.
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Yesterday I took Beta Alanin for the first time and my time was slightly better 38:45 8k taking into account it was very hot and the air was heavy and I leave near the beach.0
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Yesterday I took Beta Alanin for the first time and my time was slightly better 38:45 8k taking into account it was very hot and the air was heavy and I leave near the beach.
While it is good your time was better, that doesn't mean that the supplement you took had anything to do with your time.
How long have you been running and what kind of weekly running schedule do you typically do?2 -
Legal supplements will not do much for your time. Caffeine helps a little (it can also harm you - too much and your heart will not be happy). For long runs of more than an hour, gels consisting of mostly carbs and electrolytes (and even a little caffeine) can help maintain your stamina. That's about it.2
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For runs under an hour, I just take along some water.
For longer duration runs, I use some products made by Hammer Nutrition (I'm not affiliated). I eat one of their 100 cal. maltodextrin gel packets every hour or so whenever I start to feel low on energy. I also add about 1/4 the recommended serving of their "Heed" sports drink powder to my water. Its about 25 cals of carbohydrate and some electrolytes. Keeps me from feeling too "thirsty". If I experience muscle cramping, I take some of their electrolyte replacement tablets.
I'm certain there are competing products, I just have not searched for them. There are no "magic pills" that will make you run better, but these seem to make my longer runs a little more comfortable.0 -
Running fuel ( eg. carbs, natural body fat stores) and running supplements (as the OP is asking about) are two different things.2
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Everyone should take creatine. 5mg/day for the typical person.0
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BasicGreatGuy wrote: »
Protein is naturally found in the body. That doesn't mean one receives enough of it in their diet. In order to receive the most effective dosage of creatine one would have to consume massive amounts of meat or fish. I have neither the budget nor the appetite for that, so buying $14 of creatine monohydrate every 4 months and mixing it into coffee or water is far easier.0 -
BasicGreatGuy wrote: »
Protein is naturally found in the body. That doesn't mean one receives enough of it in their diet. In order to receive the most effective dosage of creatine one would have to consume massive amounts of meat or fish. I have neither the budget nor the appetite for that, so buying $14 of creatine monohydrate every 4 months and mixing it into coffee or water is far easier.
Creatine is not going to do what the OP is looking to do, which is boost her distance time.
While taking the supplement may make you feel good mentally, there is no peer reviewed data (that I am aware of) that notes the need for people to take it every day, much less as a running supplement to shave off seconds for a 5k, 10k or longer training run or race.2 -
BasicGreatGuy wrote: »Yesterday I took Beta Alanin for the first time and my time was slightly better 38:45 8k taking into account it was very hot and the air was heavy and I leave near the beach.
While it is good your time was better, that doesn't mean that the supplement you took had anything to do with your time.
How long have you been running and what kind of weekly running schedule do you typically do?
Almost 2 years (since November-December 2014), I usually run around 60-70 km per week, 8-10 km a day sometimes I run longer distances but recently I don't have time.0 -
BasicGreatGuy wrote: »Running fuel ( eg. carbs, natural body fat stores) and running supplements (as the OP is asking about) are two different things.
Yes I am asking specifically about supplements.0 -
Hi, I was wondering what kinds of supplements do you take and do they help (of course in addition to strict diet and consistent running) improve your times ? My experience with supplements is that I used to take C4 pre-workout but it had tons of caffeine and in addition to hight heart rate I had tunnel vision sometimes so I stopped taking it. Now I take Beta Alanin, Magnesium with vit C and D and Glucosamine.
Eating enough calories is supplement enough1 -
Everyone should take creatine. 5mg/day for the typical person.
She's asking about supplements specific to running. While creatine has many benefits, studies don't show any benefit for cardiovascular exercise.
https://examine.com/supplements/creatine/
(20th entry down in the Human Effects Matrix)Aerobic Exercise -
See all 7 studies
Does not appear to confer any apparent benefit to prolonged cardiovascular exercise.0 -
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BasicGreatGuy wrote: »Running fuel ( eg. carbs, natural body fat stores) and running supplements (as the OP is asking about) are two different things.
Yes I am asking specifically about supplements.
Personally I stick with food.
I do take a multivit, a fish oil capsule and garlic tablet but not for any running related reason. Mainly because my diet isn't that great.0 -
OP if I need a little something, I just take caffeine. Not enough to take me into jitter land, but a little boost as I run fasted so no coffee for me before hand.
I always make sure my nutrition the day before (I run 5:30 a.m.) is enough to fuel my run, and I also hydrate very well. There are no magic supplements. Its all in your training and of course diet and enough sleep. These two things can do wonders for one's performance.2 -
But is Beta Alanin bad for me ? Should I stop taking it ?
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But is Beta Alanin bad for me ? Should I stop taking it ?
Probably only bad for your wallet.
From what I've read (and it's not exhaustive) is that beta alanine may confer some benefits for weight lifting and other non-aerobic activities but doesn't seem to offer anything for distance runners.0 -
I just do a good store bought multivitamin and an iron supplement (spatone pursorb iron water). Donuts and coffee as needed.
happy running! 0 -
Best way to improve your running times is to follow a real actual running program.
Eating a well balanced diet and being "race weight" will help your times as well.
Supplements are overrated (and most of them are shams). I take a very limited amount that are very high quality (and expensive, gah) and they are to improve my overall nutrition which helps my body be more efficient. Does that directly relate to noticeable time improvements? Not really. Unless you are already an elite running athlete - your most effective way to decrease times is to follow a real personalized program from an experienced coach.1 -
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MeanderingMammal wrote: »
And adequately fuel the miles in the first place3 -
There are no supplements that will make you run faster, unless you are actually deficient in something your body needs. I take iron and vitamin D supplements because my blood tests showed insufficient levels of both. Otherwise, you just need to think about your training to make sure it will help you reach your goals.1
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Everyone should take creatine. 5mg/day for the typical person.
Creatine does not help with long distance running. Your body stops using the creatine phosphate system to metabolize more ATP within seconds of running.
C4 pre-workout (which the OP mentioned) has the same effect of drinking 5 cups of coffee for me. It's just a stimulant.
Some pre-workouts may contain other things in it (like Nitric Oxide or Beta-Alanine or Amino Acids or other vitamins and minerals (what you would find in a One A day tablet), but in essence what you are buying the pre-workout for as a stimulant. Coffee in my mind would be the cheaper way to go.
OP also mentioned Beta Alanin which is supposed to help balance your pH from lactic acid production. I would say, save your money. Just do lots of conversational pace running to build up your aerobic base. Then when you graduate from that, do some tempo and threshold workouts. When you purposely make your body dump lactate into the blood at reasonable levels, the body can adapt through training for better buffering and lactate clearance capabilities.
I personally have my protein shake (regular whey powder from GNC but I also used the MuscleTech from Sam's Club and even the Body Fortress from Walmart when in a pinch) mixed in low fat milk. I drink it within 15 minutes of a run. On long runs (90 minutes or longer) I just use Gatorade or PowerAde during my workout. I just gotten used to carrying a 32 oz bottle around while running, and my running group plants aid along the course for our Saturday long runs.
I used Gu's and gels in the past but learned to just rely on the Gatorade. I will keep a few packets in my spy belt during my longer races (HM and fulls) just in case, along with some salt tablets.
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Some pre-workouts may contain other things in it (like Nitric Oxide or Beta-Alanine or Amino Acids or other vitamins and minerals (what you would find in a One A day tablet), but in essence what you are buying the pre-workout for as a stimulant. Coffee in my mind would be the cheaper way to go.
Gross. A nice cup of Earl Grey has the same amount of caffeine as coffee though (really all black teas have about the same amount of caffeine as black coffee, depending on how it's brewed. You can make a cup of tea with a lot of caffeine, but I'd think it would be undrinkable) 0
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