Unlike high-intensity workouts such as weightlifting, running is all about endurance. Sure, you can put one foot in front of the other, but unless you can keep putting one foot in front of the other at a decent pace for miles on end, you’re probably not getting the most out of your regimen.
Running takes your body to the limit of its endurance capabilities and then takes it even further. Of course, that means that once you’re out there on the path, you need enough energy in reserve to keep pushing those limits. The right running supplements can help.
Supplements for runners give your body what it needs to keep going mile after mile, hour after hour. By focusing on nutrition for endurance, you can run confident in the knowledge that you’re putting the most into your workout, and getting the most out of it.
Take a look at our quick guide to essential supplements for runners, and see which endurance supplement options you should be incorporating into your diet and training plans.
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BCAAs
If you’re running regularly, you may actually be burning calories faster than you can take them in. And while that may sound like the exact opposite of a problem if you’re trying to lose weight, the truth is that when the body needs energy, it’s not always discriminating about where it gets it — breaking down muscle tissue rather than focusing on fat reserves. Branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) help offset this muscle loss while promoting protein synthesis (muscle growth) throughout the body. BCAAs have been shown to be effective endurance supplement options, staving off fatigue in athletes. Additionally, BCAAs also reduce muscle soreness and speed up muscle recovery. Runners who take BCAAs promote the building of lean muscle mass.
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Whey Protein
Another way to offset muscle loss through supplementation is by incorporating whey protein into your diet. Whey protein (particularly hydrolyzed whey protein) is absorbed directly into strained muscle tissues, almost entirely circumventing the digestive process, and put to work repairing and strengthening. Drinking whey protein causes an increase in blood amino acids including BCAA’s and promotes muscle recovery and the building of lean muscle mass. It is recommended to consume a serving of whey protein in the morning for runners in order to keep their body on its muscle building trajectory. Protein is the building block of muscle tissue, so make sure to have enough in your system to keep your muscles happy while you run.
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Multivitamins
Vitamins play a key role in nutrition and running supplements, but they are also a part of nutrition for endurance. Vitamins C and E are antioxidants that fight free radical damage, delaying muscle fatigue (while also fighting muscle damage and promoting cardiovascular health). Vitamin B-12 combats fatigue and weakness, while also helping runners make more efficient use of other vital nutrients. Vitamin D3 is essential for maintaining healthy bones. Additionally, Vitamin D3 plays a key role in a number of processes that are key for optimal athletic performance - muscle contraction, nerve stimulation, immune system, and improved anti-inflammatory response. An effective multivitamin will help you maintain your endurance levels and your muscle health while you run.
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Glutamine
Although it’s not much use as an endurance supplement, glutamine does play a key role in runner health. This is because running (or any other endurance exercise) has a way of depleting glutamine levels in muscles and in the blood stream. As glutamine acts as fuel for immune cells, when those levels get too low, the immune system can’t function optimally. Simply put, if you’re not getting extra glutamine, you risk getting sick.
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L-Carnitine
L-Carnitine is a popular weight loss supplement that also has an honored place among supplements for runners endurance. This is because L-Carnitine burns fat so effectively that it provides runners with a boost of additional energy, while also protecting muscle from being broken down. Runners who use L-Carnitine thus enjoy better endurance and improved lean muscle growth.
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Fish Oil
We really can’t say enough good things about omega-3 fish fatty acids. Also called fish oil, this supplement offers a range of health benefits. But where runners are concerned, the top advantages of fish oil is that it fights inflammation and reduces lactic acid build up in the muscles. That means less soreness, longer runs, and quicker recovery. This makes omega-3 fish fatty acid one of the most important supplements for runners available.
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Calcium
No list of supplements for runners would be complete without calcium. Running puts a lot of stress on your skeletal structure. Repeated impacts to feet and joints, step after step, mile after mile, can even lead to stress fractures and other injuries. But just like how muscles need protein to repair and maintain themselves, your bones rely on calcium. Calcium supplements can help ensure that your healthy bones are strong enough to withstand the rigors of running.
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Minerals Zinc and Magnesium
Nutrition for endurance can give runners the edge they need to keep going, which is why the minerals zinc and magnesium are so advantageous. Magnesium helps transport energy to your muscles and also assists in muscle contraction. Zinc, on the other hand, helps you metabolize energy (so you can put it to good use). Both of these minerals are essential, and both can be depleted quickly during runners endurance exercises. In these cases, a little supplementation can go a long way.
- Iron Supplement
Adding in an iron supplement for runners might be wise. Runners tend to have low iron because of the repetitive impact which contributes to muscle loss and the destruction of red blood cells. Iron supplements will improve physical performance, stamina, and muscle recovery for endurance athletes such as long-distance runners, cyclists, bodybuilders or swimmers whether they are anemic or not. - Nitrates
Nitrates in vegetables are beneficial to your health and may even boost your running performance. Dietary nitrate, found in certain fruits and vegetables, has been found to improve blood flow, thus delivering more oxygen to the muscles and enhancing athletic performance. Foods that are high in nitrate are - spinach, mint, arugula, celery, and beetroot juice.
Running tests the limits of your body’s endurance, but with the right running supplements, those limits can become unlimited. Supplements for runners empower endurance athletes to keep going, one foot in front of the other, for training that makes a real difference. From 5k to ultramarathon, as long as you have the nutrients your body needs, you’ll always make it to the finish line.
Progenex Recovery & Force should be a staple in your endurance efforts and training plans for a runner endurance. Progenex Recovery promotes muscles recovery that allows you to hit the road or trail again the next day feeling fresh. Progenex Force is a pre-workout, or pre-run, supplement that contains caffeine and BCAA’s giving you the force to pick up the pace in your run.
