Runners Supplements: Yes? No?

Any endurance athlete needs to be conscious of their nutritional requirements. Marathon runners and tri-athletes may ask, is a runner's supplement right for me? Supplements play an important role in two different ways.

The Proper Diet Challenge

Because of the athlete's high demand for energy during performance, getting enough carbohydrates and protein they need every single day can be very challenging. Runner's supplements can help. Sports drinks, energy bars and meal replacements allow an athlete to fuel their body without having to eat a lot of carbohydrate heavy foods.

It seems as if the athlete never quits in their day to day on-the-go lifestyle. The idea of eating 5 to 6 meals can be daunting, if not impossible for some. Carbohydrate supplementation via sports drinks and meal replacements can be a viable option.

The Protein Issue

The protein issue poses another barrier to round-the-clock eating. Protein comes from animal sources such as meat, fish, poultry, and dairy products. Trying to eat 5 to 6 meals a day that include protein is a problem because most people will not carry a chicken breast or a piece of around with them to meet those nutritional requirements. So, this makes sticking to a proper nutritional plan even more difficult.

Protein powders offer quite an advantage. They are easy for the body to absorb, making your daily protein goal much easier to achieve.

Food or Supplements?

Many athletes want to know if they should eat supplements or just follow a good diet. The answer to that question is both. If an athlete is hoping to hit their peak, they need to start with a good nutritional plan. This plan should include high carbohydrates for energy needs and protein for muscle repair and growth and along with small amounts of fat.

Proper nutrition should always be the primary goal for any athlete, so spending a fortune on supplements doesn't have to happen. If you are sticking to a 5-6 meal a day plan, you will probably not need runner's supplements, like sports drinks. If you find yourself skipping meals because you are pressed for time, then you may want to consider runner's supplements.

Vibe Works

Whether an athlete is eating 5-6 meals a day or supplementing their diet with energy bars and powders, a good multi-vitamin is essential to good health.

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Karen Vertigan Pope writes for Ciniva Systems, an award winning Virginia web design company. Ciniva specializes in web design and SEO. Ms. Vertigan Pope is the Project Support Manager of Ciniva Systems. Ciniva Systems is in charge of SEO for Nutrition For Champions.