Endurance and performance nutrition: Recap from "The Outlook on Active Nutrition"

At "The Outlook on Active Nutrition," Maura McDonald, a medical education specialist for sports nutrition at Thorne, presented “Fueling Optimal Performance: The Fundamental Ingredients of Endurance Nutrition,” highlighting endurance ingredients, their combinations, and how they can be optimized to enhance performance. Based on data from the Australian Institute of Sport, MacDonald said there are five key ingredients with a high level of evidence to improve athletic performance: beta alanine, caffeine, creatine, sodium bicarbonate, and beetroot juice. Her presentation focused on beta alanine, caffeine, and creatine, as well as amino acids and carbohydrates.

How amino acids and BCAAs support endurance and recovery

Amino acids are building blocks of protein aid in endurance through recovery, but are also as an energy substrate during activity. For example, for athletes who cannot eat before a workout, MacDonald explained that taking amino acids such as branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) will provide an energy substrate, preventing the breakdown of muscle mass. Emerging research has indicated that BCAAs for women in particular can help prevent muscle breakdown after activity.

MacDonald also highlighted unique amino acids: leucine and glutamine. Leucine stimulates muscle protein synthesis while glutamine can support gut health. Intense exercise can deplete glutamine, she explains, breaking down the gut barrier, so increasing intake of glutamine post-exercise can help rebuild the barrier.

Possible combinations with amino acids include collagen and electrolytes. MacDonald explained that BCAAs can help the absorption of collagen, and the combination can be used as a performance and energy hybrid. Used in an intra-workout supplement, electrolytes can help maintain hydration while amino acids act as the energy substrate.

Creatine for energy, hydration, and injury prevention

The amino acid derivative creatine is known for supporting lean muscle mass and mainly helps to replenish cell energy. MacDonald explained that creatine has also been shown to increase cell hydration, helping prevent injury in muscles and joints. It also supports a quick burst of energy at the end of an activity.

Ingredient combinations with creatine include Alpha GPC, glutamine, and beta-alanine. A combination with Alpha GPC has been demonstrated to benefit cognitive function, showing onset within an hour, said MacDonald. Both creatine and glutamine are depleted during exercise, so a combination of these two as a post workout supplement could help their replenishment. For a pre workout combination, creatine can support energy and beta alanine helps with buffering lactic acid.

Beta alanine for lactic acid buffering

Beta alanine helps with the production of carnosine, also supporting the perceived time to exhaustion, and the buffering capacity of muscles. MacDonald explained that most research indicates beta-alanine helps with one-to-four-minute exercise bouts, such as 800 meter runs, but also highlighted newer research showing that it can help longer performance, such as up to 25 minutes. One clinical trial showed beta alanine helped with performance in a 10k run, which can last anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes.

Potential ingredient combinations include nitric oxide, sodium bicarbonate, and caffeine. Nitric acid can help with blood flow and nutrient access, allowing for longer workouts and performance.“That's a big theme with endurance and ingredients that help support endurance,” MacDonald stated. “Extending the amount of time that you can hurt without it hurting too much that you want to stop.” A newer product on the market, sodium bicarbonate also helps buffer lactic acid, but it is usually taken before a bigger event.

Caffeine for endurance: Optimal doses and combinations

The familiar ingredient caffeine helps lengthen perceived time to exhaustion and time to fatigue, extending workout ability. Effective doses, MacDonald explained, are three to six milligrams per kilogram. For a 150-pound person, that's about 200 to 400 milligrams at a time.

Effective combinations with other ingredients include alpha-GPC, L-theanine, and nitric oxide. Alpha-GPC helps with enhancing focus, L-theanine can support stress relief and reducing the jitteriness associated with caffeine, while nitric oxide acts as a vasodilator, balancing effects of caffeine.

Carbs for performance, hydration, and recovery

While carbohydrates get a bad reputation, MacDonald explained that you actually need carbohydrates for any activity, particularly when endurance is needed.

“Carbohydrates are providing our body's main energy source,” stated MacDonald. “It's going to help with the absorption of water and electrolytes, and then eating enough carbohydrates minimizes risk of energy deficiency, relative energy deficiency in sport minimizes the risk of injury.”

Pairing electrolytes with carbohydrates would be an ideal pre-workout, she explained, while creatine and carbohydrates work as both pre- and post-workout by providing energy and starting the recovery process. The combination of carbohydrates and whey protein after a workout will also support recovery.

Key takeaways

Beta alanine, caffeine, and creatine are the three supplements with high levels of evidence demonstrating improvement of endurance performance. Though amino acids and carbohydrates are already found in our diets, they can supplement endurance performance. Combinations of ingredients can fit in multiple categories, though some will fit more so in pre or post workout. The timing of ingredients and combinations can depend on what an individual wants to get out of a performance: preparation, activity, or recovery. Strategic stacking of ingredients can enhance their effects synergistically and improve overall outcomes.

This article was created with assistance from Gemini. The content has been reviewed and edited by Erin McEvoy, Associate Editor. For more information on the extent and nature of AI usage, please contact us.