Supplements and short cuts

A common question asked of applied sport scientists is the use and veracity of supplements to enhance performance.  I should stress here that we are not talking about illegal drugs, rather legitimate and tested products that are available on the open market, for example protein shakes and commercially available energy drinks.  There has been an innumerate amount of research conducted on these products, some good some bad, and it is beyond the scope of this blog to review the literature in detail.  Suffice to say however that there seems to be a strong evidence base for the use of supplements to fuel performance, especially in events lasting more than 60 minutes and in the recovery process following vigorous exercise.  Despite the supportive evidence I still would not recommend a supplement to anyone under the age of 18 – and this has nothing to do with their potential (or otherwise) effect on performance. 

There is nothing in commercially available supplements that cannot be delivered from freshly prepared meals; this is an important point and something worth noting especially if a young athlete you are responsible for wants to begin using them.  Given this it is worth asking the question why supplements are so popular and with this popularity generate a multi-million pound business.  Firstly supplements are a relatively cheap alternative to preparing a meal with the same nutritional value from natural produce.  Take for example a readily available protein supplement; each serving will provide 23g of protein, an amount shown to be optimal in encouraging protein synthesis following intense exercise.  Achieving these quantities of protein through a meal is slightly more difficult, although not impossible however and will almost certainly cost more in the long term.  Secondly, supplements are convenient and require little effort in terms of planning and preparation.  It is this aspect which I believe is most detrimental to young athletes.

The attainment of success in any discipline requires, without exception, hard work and commitment.  It necessitates undertaking tasks that others shy away from or do not have the fortitude and/or character to see through to completion.  In short it requires you to go the extra mile without being distracted by short cuts and quick fixes.  Unfortunately this is exactly what supplements promote; short cuts and quick fixes.  It is easier to take a recovery shake than it is to prepare a snack in the morning and take it with you to have after your afternoon training session.  However it is the willingness to engage in what may be considered tiresome activities that may distinguish great athletes from the rest.   Diligence and conscientiousness is not something we can switch on and off as and when we please; a predilection for taking the easy option will often manifest in other areas if allowed to do so.

Before then recommending supplements to young athletes think whether they could learn and benefit more from a process which requires them to take responsibility for ensuring they are able to adequately fuel exercise and recovery through their diet, with all the requirements for preparation and organisation that this brings with it.  Exposing young athletes to the requirement for ownership early in their career may pay greater dividends as they mature and genuinely do have less time surrounding their training.