Nutrition Supplement Timing For triathletes

Almost every time you thumb through a triathlon magazine or wander into the health food section of your local grocery store, there are laods of new bottles that threaten you with subpar performance unless you swallow a handful of them ASAP.

Some of these nutritional supplements work, and some don’t. Ultimately, it’s a good bet that if you’re a triathlete, you probably do have pills that you pop. As a sports nutritionist, I get many questions about which supplements to take when, so here’s a brief primer on nutrition supplement timing to help you along.

By the way, don’t worry: your stomach won’t explode, you won’t grow a third arm, and your wattage on the bike won’t go significantly down if you fail follow these rules. But you might just make some expensive pee as you get less absorption from the supplements that you take.

Nutrition Supplement Timing: The Multi-Vitamins

Let’s start with one of the most common supplements among Most people. Since most multi-vitimin contain fat soluble vitamins, they should be consumed with food that contains fat. But don’t drive to buy a Wooper you can munch on with your multi instead, some whole fat yogurt, nut butter, avocados, olives or fish will do or just about any meal that has some healthy fat.

But, vitamin B12, is actually best absorbed on an empty stomach – if you are taking an energy powder or energy drink, which usually contain high doses of B12, you’ll want to use it in the mid-morning or afternoon on an empty stomach, or mid-training session or race.

Nutrition Supplement Timing: and Fish Oil

Fish oil is shown to be beneficial for a wide range of reasons, but for the same reasons that the fats in a multi-vitamin absorb best when you eat them at a meal, this is true for fish oil too. Take note since fiber can “envelope” fat and decrease absorption, don’t eat your fish oil with a huge salad or other high fiber supplements.

Iron

Iron absorbs best on an empty stomach, and that absorption can be inhibited by Vitamin E and Calcium. If you’re using iron, take at some time of day other than your multi-vitamin and fish oil, that you consume with a meal. Don’t worry about the trace amounts of iron in a multi-vitamin not being absorbed if you’re anemic or low iron there’s not enough in there to help you very much any ways.

Nutrition Supplement Timing: Amino Acids

The whole idea behind using an amino acids supplement is that they’re going to reduce your body’s propensity to dip into it’s own muscle and protein stores for energy during a workout. But many athletes make the error of using an amino acid capsule for post-workout recovery, since we associate it with “post-workout protein”. But in reality, for the best benefit, you should be popping these before your actual workout.

Nutrition Supplement Timing: Electrolytes & Minerals

Absorption of minerals like calcium and magnesium is enhanced by consuming these with meals, so something like your pre-workout meal is the perfect time for mineral intake. Both calcium and magnesium can also assist with sleep and muscle relaxation, so prior to bed or with dinner, additional magnesium supplementation can also be beneficial.

Nutrition Supplement Timing, High-Fiber Supplements

If you use some kind of “greens” supplements, which contains ingredients like psyllium husk, powdered broccoli, spirulina, kelp and inulin, be aware that high fiber in these supplements can slow gastric emptying, and may also cause gas, bloating or some seriously slippery bowel movements. For this reason, their use prior to a workout or race may mean you need to be eating your pre-workout meal 1-2 hours earlier than usual, or tapering down consumption before a big workout or race.

Nutrition Supplement Timing and Proteolytic Enzymes

Proteolytic enzymes such as bromelain, papain, trypsin and chymotrypsin are found in many recovery capsules and pills (just turn your bottle around and check the label if it’s a “recovery” supplement, one of these is most likely there). For recovery and anti-inflammation, these will work best on an empty stomach. If you eat them with a meal, they can help digest food, but will not significantly enhance muscle recovery.

Nutrition Supplement Timing, Probiotics

Probiotics are crucial for a healthy digestive system and should ideally be taken on an empty stomach, such as early in the morning, or before you go to bed at night.

Nutrition Supplement Timing: Antioxidants

Several studies have suggested that antioxidant intake prior to exercise may actually decrease insulin sensitivity and reduce activation of the body’s natural defense mechanism against oxidative damage. By shutting down the body’s need to for natural antioxidant activity that helps adapt to stress and respond to exercise, antioxidant consumption may actually blunt the workout benefit. So even though you’re technically supposed to take them before a workout, I personally recommend just using them here and there when you’re exposed to high amounts of stress, pollutants, extremely heavy exercise, or other environmentally difficult conditions, and not as a daily “pre-exercise” boost.

Hopefully that gives you a better knowledge of when to take what! There are certainly many cases that need to be approached on an individualized basis. Which is why I have created the rock star triathlete academy to get you all more crucial information you need to rock.

For more of the latest information on Nutrition Supplement Timing go to Rock Star Triathlete and sign up for your free tips today

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