Nutritional Supplements - Weight Lifting Vs. Cardio

The vast majority of people tend to fall into one of two camps when it comes to supplements. There are those who think that supplements are “unnatural,” expensive, unnecessary and a waste of money. Then there are those who rely on supplements for everything, buy all the latest products and spend half their monthly income in the local supplement store.

Unfortunately, neither of these approaches is the best one to take.

Supplements aren’t essential, likewise they’re not worthless – they play an important role in boosting the effectiveness of an already healthy diet and giving your training a lift.

Whether you’re running marathons, taking part in track and field events, bodybuilding or just a general gym-goer, the supplements you take depend on the training that you do.

The following lists are far from exhaustive but they cover the basic tried and tested recommendations on supplements for weight lifting and cardio.

Supplements for Weight Lifting

Protein Powder

If you’re familiar with any current literature on bodybuilding, gaining muscle and training for strength and power, you’ll know that protein is a big player in your diet. It’s essential for muscle growth, repair and recovery. While recommendations vary, it’s typically advises that strength athletes consume around one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight every day.

While it’s certainly doable to get this much protein from food, it’s not always convenient or cost effective. A 200 pound person will need 200 grams of protein per day. This would be something along the lines of –

- 1 large chicken breast
- 8 ounce rump steak
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup of cottage cheese
- 1 tin of tuna
- 6 slices of deli-style roast beef

To consume this much food can be costly, time-consuming and not always easy. Which is where protein powder comes in handy. One scoop of powder delivers around 25 grams of protein with minimal fat and carbs, costs next to nothing if you buy in bulk and can be drunk in 10 seconds.

Creatine

Creatine is a naturally occurring amino acid (amino acids are the components of protein) and an increased intake has been associated with increased muscle size due to water retention. However its main benefit is that it increases your stores of Adenosine Tri-Phosphate or ATP, which is your muscles’ main source of energy when lifting weights.

Creatine has been tested extensively and an optimal dose is around five grams per day.

Beta Alanine

A slightly more obscure one, but potentially just as important. Beta alanine is a common ingredient in many pre-workout drinks and powders. Beta alanine acts to stable your blood pH levels which delays the onset of fatigue and boosts strength, muscular endurance and power output. When you take it you may also feel a tingling in your hands and face, which is caused by an increase excitement in nerve receptors.

Multivitamins

You may think that multivitamins aren’t all that important. Sure, they can help compensate for a lack of nutrients in your diet, but do they really matter for building muscle?

Well yes, they do, definitely.

Weight lifting causes a lot of stress, which is a good thing when your nutrition is on point as this stress leads to positive adaptations in muscle mass growth and strength increases. But one thing that’s vital in order for this to happen is an adequate vitamin and mineral intake. Even if you think your diet is pretty healthy, you can’t go wrong adding in a daily multi.

Supplements For Cardio

Protein Powder

If you’re thinking that this was just included in the weightlifting section, you’d be right. Protein is just as important for runners, cyclists and swimmers as it is for bodybuilders and powerlifters.

While cardio may not break down muscle tissue in the same way lifting weights does, muscle damage does still occur and you probably don’t need quite the same levels of one gram per pound on a daily basis, but 0.6 to 0.75 grams per pound is a good place to start.

Carb Supplements

Carbs are an endurance athlete’s best friend, and for good reason too. Increased consumption of carbs improves recovery times by helping to shuttle nutrients to the muscle fibers, plus, pre-training carbs can give you a huge energy boost.

Carbs during longer sessions can also be of use as they top up your body’s stores of glycogen, hence why you often see marathon runners or road cyclists shoveling down energy gels or sports drinks on the hoof. There’s no set amount of carbohydrate that you need to take on pre, during and post training, as it depends on your energy levels, carb tolerance, the intensity you’re working at and how long you’re training for. You don’t want to become over reliant on them though, as many contain large amounts of caffeine and sugars, which when consumed in high amounts can go the other way and start to negatively impact your performance.

Fish Oils

Fish oil, or omega 3 as it’s often referred to is one of the best all round supplements for general health, but it has two distinct advantages for cardio training.

Fish oils have an anti-inflammatory effect so can reduce the aches and pains of muscle damage as well as improving joint health – something which can be an issue for many runners due to the constant high impact vibrations caused by road running.

Secondly, fish oils are a source of fat and fat is an excellent source of energy, providing nine calories per gram. Instead of just carbs before your next training session or race, try a mix of carbs from food and carb supplements along with fat from fish oils.

Creatine

Another supplement that benefits both weightlifters and cardio trainers. Creatine buffers lactic acid – the stuff that makes your muscles sore. You’ve probably found that during long sessions your muscles start to cramp and you get a burning sensation. This is caused when lactic acid is released. Lactic acid is essential as it neutralizes the pH of your blood when the acidity starts to increase as a result of more oxygen circulating around the body. Unfortunately though, it also causes soreness. 5g a day of creatine can delay the fatiguing effects of lactic acid and help you go harder for longer.

Caffeine

Caffeine – the depressed office worker’s favorite afternoon pick-me-up is also a life saver for runners.

While you can just as easily get caffeine by drinking coffee, it’s often a lot easier to take a few caffeine pills. As mentioned above, too much caffeine can have a negative effect so use it sparingly. Only use it on race days or when you’re feeling particularly in need of a boost.