In the picture: “Supplements – lycopene, ubiquinol, cherr” (CC BY 2.0) by HealthGauge
We try to understand when it is useful to supplement nutrients or when instead it is simply adequate to regulate your diet.
Supplements: precious allies of athletic performance or supplements you could easily do without? In this article, we will try to shed light on a phenomenon that moves a turnover of over 2 billion euro, especially concerning sports supplements made with amino acids, vitamins and minerals.
They can be purchased freely, without prescription, in supermarkets, health food stores, specialized shops or on the internet.
But are they necessary?
Competitive or amateur sports?
In the first case, sports doctors or nutritionists may prescribe vitamins as supplements for adequate nutrition in order to achieve an optimal nutritional state.
Since athletic performance in these cases requires a high degree of muscular activity and significant energy consumption (even twice as much compared to days of rest), you may think to supplement the loss of minerals, vitamins and proteins.
If you are an amateur swimmer and enjoy the activity for a duration of about 1 to 2 hours, from 2 to 4 times a week, even unprofessionally but with great physical exertion,…
