Guest Post: The Best Supplements For Runners

It is important to fuel your body as an athlete (of any kind) before a race or competition. Endurance runners need to be specifically thoughtful about what they are eating in order to keep their bodies light and lean.

Before a run or race, you want to eat food like chicken, walnuts and raisins since they have lots of carbohydrates, which will fuel your energy levels. Healthy fat and fiber will keep you full on a light meal so you feel lean and not bloated while running.

Carbohydrates like whole wheat pasta, brown rice and whole grain breads and natural protein shakes are best for recovery, after an especially grueling workout.

About an hour after your workout, you want to eat fruits like raspberries and blueberries, especially when you combine them with yogurt.

The fruit is full of antioxidants that will help build any DNA broken down during the race, while the yogurt has more extra protein your body will need to rebuild your muscles the quickest possible.

Although sometimes even a diet rich in vitamins and minerals does not always replace the nutrients lost during athletic training. This is why it is also important to consider matching your diet to your specific exercise, and for runners, adding supplements like the ones below:

Celadrin. Joint health is incredibly important to runners. Celadrin works at the cellular level to lubricate the cell membranes that help cushion joints. This improves flexibility, making celadrin great for your muscles and tendons. It can be taken as a pill or as a cream applied directly onto your sore, tired muscles.

Whey Protein. The more you run, the more muscle mass you may lose. Whey protein ensures that you keep that lean muscles in the recovery stage after a hard workout. It also helps your sore muscles heal faster than they would without a protein supplement.

Magnesium. If you’re running long distances, chances are your magnesium levels are being depleted. This supplement aids in giving you enough energy to finish your marathons and races. It helps your muscles contract faster, therefore helping your overall time in a competition.

Zinc. This supplement promotes a healthy immune system, losing too much can sometimes compromise your wellness and hinder you from racing. Zinc may also improve your recovery time and you only need very small amounts of it to be beneficial.

Fish Oil. It’s good for your blood vessels, helping it flow freely through your veins. It’s also good for your heart, which is a great benefit, since you want to keep it extra healthy as an athlete. Fish oil is full of a ton of Omega-3 fatty acids that you probably wouldn’t receive the same amounts of by just eating fish alone.

Overall, it is important to be aware of what you need to be putting into your body as an athlete to properly fuel yourself. Healthy food choices and added supplements are the perfect way to ensure spot-on performance.

Marcela De Vivo is a freelance writer in the Los Angeles area. She has written on everything from health & wellness, marketing, and technology. Her exercise of choice is yoga, but she loves getting outside and running or taking walks with her three kids.

*If you’re interested in snagging a spot for a guest post, please e-mail me at crouch.adrian@yahoo.com. I’d be more than happy to discuss details! Topics can be success stories, tips, recipes, etc. as long as it’s related to healthy living.

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