Health and Sports Supplements and Foods. What are they and when are they needed?  

Among dietary supplements, those for sports use are primarily saline or multivitamin supplements. These are compounds based on mineral salts (saline supplements) and vitamins (multivitamin supplements) that are often used preventatively by athletes to avoid developing deficiencies, given the sometimes intense practice of sports. However, the use of supplements by athletes may be superfluous or necessary if the body requires it. It is important to never act alone, overusing these products which, although free of contraindications, can cause problems. To learn more, read the information.

Health: Supplements for Athletes

The Ministry of Health, in its Guidelines, also deals with the topic of "Nutrition and sport" and here specifies that the use of supplements is justified provided that:

• The contributions produced by the diet (healthy and balanced) are not unbalanced by the use of supplements, but only completed.
• Practice competitive activities with a high energy expenditure resulting in a loss of mineral salts.
• Use supplements that meet the actual needs of your body.
• Please carefully follow the instructions for use and the quantities indicated on the package, being aware of the possible contraindications and avoiding prolonged use of the same supplements.

Supplements designed for athletes are saline and multivitamin. Saline supplements contain:

• Potassium
• Sodium
• Magnesium
• Chlorine
• Zinc.
• Multivitamin supplements, on the other hand, contain:
• Vitamin C:
• Vitamin E
• B vitamins
• Carbohydrates.

Both of these types of supplements are found in tablet or powder form or in the form of isotonic drinks.

Supplements for athletes: when to take them

The Ministry of Health supports the concept that it is the correct and balanced diet, combined with appropriate training, that must guarantee sports performance and competitive efficiency. Food supplements only complement what the diet provides, integrating only those substances that the body is lacking or that it needs in particular circumstances.

In fact, food supplements should be taken:

• To complete an incomplete diet or one that provides insufficient nutritional sources (specifically mineral salts and vitamins)
• As a supplement to a low-calorie diet
• When following a ketogenic diet
• When there is an increased need due to the use of diuretics or excessive sweating (for example when playing sports at competitive levels).

In order for them to be effective, supplements must be taken when the body begins to lose mineral salts, during and after, never just after. The time to take them is important because it is only at this time that the body is able to absorb them best. At any other time, supplements are of little use.

Supplements for athletes: how to take them

The simplest way to take food supplements for sports purposes is represented by isotonic drinks. These are drinks that contain high levels of rehydration and are low in sodium. Typically, these drinks contain sugar, mineral salts, sodium chloride that help replenish electrolytes lost during sweating. This solution allows the body to absorb nutrients more easily. Even simpler is the absorption of food supplements that contain soluble carbohydrates (glucose and maltodextrin). However, carbohydrates increase the osmotic pressure of drinks, which is why it is necessary to strictly adhere to the indicated dosage, without ever exceeding it. Isotonic drinks should only be taken in a sports context and when training lasts more than seventy minutes. Furthermore, the ideal would be to drink these drinks in small sips, spacing them out over time (about a glass every 15-20 minutes). This type of supplement is available in the form of a drink, but also in powder, gel or concentrate form and there are different flavors. It would be appropriate, in any case, to know the isotonic drink, therefore the food supplement, most suitable for your needs by performing tests. In this way you could have the correct hydration routine without incurring gastrointestinal problems or other possible side effects especially when you do not know the real needs of your body.