At INDYA – Sports Nutritionists, we know that supplements cannot fix a poor diet. Deep down, you know it too: worthwhile goals take work. If you are looking for a magic list of supplements, let us know when you find a wish-granting genie.
If you want to understand sports supplementation to improve performance and work towards your goals, we are here to help.
Which supplements matter most?
A common mistake is relying on supplements without first managing rest, food intake and a sports diet suited to your training.
Cardio? Strength? HIIT?
The healthy diet that supports your goals depends on your training. No single eating plan works for everyone or every workout.
And what are your personal goals?
Losing fat. Building muscle. Improving flexibility. Making it to the end of a high-intensity session… All valid goals, but they need different plans.
Can you complete a puzzle with a piece in the wrong place? If you never correct it and keep adding pieces, more and more will fail to fit.
Using supplements can be similar.
Address the underlying problem rather than disguising it. If your diet is inadequate, improve it; do not try to replace it with supplements.
What should you know before taking supplements?
Before using dietary supplements, establish a healthy foundation.
That means looking after the other variables affecting health and performance.
Which variables?
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Nutrition:
Define your goal so you can establish an appropriate balance of protein, carbohydrates and fat. Without understanding your needs, it is difficult to know whether you need protein supplements or changes in dietary fat.
Meet appropriate micronutrient intakes (vitamins and minerals) and maintain suitable hydration.
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Training:
Plan the exercise type, intensity, volume and duration. Training for muscle gain differs from training aimed at weight loss.
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Rest:
A pillar of a healthy lifestyle. Manage stress and get enough sleep each night to support your body.
Once those basics are covered, how do you decide whether a supplement is useful?
Types of supplements
Not all supplements have scientific support. Before adding one, assess whether it is effective, safe and permitted for your circumstances and sport, including contamination and anti-doping risks.
In the Australian Institute of Sport framework, Group A supplements have strong evidence for specific uses under individualised protocols. That classification is not blanket approval for everyone.
The group includes selected medical supplements, protein products and sports foods (gels, bars, sports drinks, electrolytes), and performance supplements such as creatine and caffeine. Evidence and suitability depend on the particular product and use.
Vitamins
Supplements have sometimes been recommended without considering individual health status.
A mistake!
Before taking a multivitamin, remember that both deficiencies and excesses can harm health. Fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin D can accumulate in the body; elimination differs from that of many water-soluble vitamins.
Vitamins are not something to take at random.
A clinician can assess symptoms, diet and any appropriate blood tests before supplementation. Plan food intake well and supplement when there is an identified need, rather than assuming every vitamin requires routine testing.
Protein
If you want to build muscle, you may wonder whether you get enough protein. A commonly used sports range is 1.4–2 grams per kilogram of body weight per day, adapted to individual needs; the reference is body weight, not muscle mass.
People following vegetarian or vegan diets may need to plan protein sources carefully. There are many protein-rich plant foods, and plant-based protein powders can be useful when food alone is inconvenient.
Whey protein is popular because it provides essential amino acids and can support muscle gain alongside training. Its content of vitamins C, D and E and minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium varies by product and fortification; they are not guaranteed features of every powder.
For vegan diets, pea protein is one popular alternative.
No protein target fits everyone. Your nutritional needs are individual and change with your circumstances.
Check with a qualified professional whether you need additional protein. People with kidney disease in particular need individual advice; appropriate higher-protein diets should not automatically be described as causing kidney damage in healthy people.
Carbohydrates
Sports foods can be useful on long sessions lasting more than 90 minutes. Gels, glucose tablets and bars can supply carbohydrate during exercise, helping maintain fuel availability and delay fatigue.
Your refuelling needs are individual, so practise your strategy before an important event.
Creatine
A name you have probably heard a lot recently.
But is creatine effective?
Yes: creatine monohydrate is one of the best-supported performance supplements. Its effects depend on increasing muscle stores over time, so consistent intake matters more than a particular time of day.
Creatine helps replenish ATP during short, intense efforts, supporting the availability of energy. Alongside training, it can improve strength and repeated high-intensity performance and support muscle gain. This is more specific than claiming it universally reduces fatigue or directly increases protein synthesis.
It may be useful within an individualised protocol when the athlete’s activity and needs justify it.
Caffeine
Caffeine occurs naturally in coffee and tea and is also available as a supplement.
Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors, which can increase alertness and reduce feelings of fatigue.
Potential benefits of caffeine include:
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Improved concentration
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Reduced perceived effort
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Improved sports performance
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Changes in fuel mobilisation, although greater fat use does not automatically mean greater long-term fat loss
Caffeine use should be individualised because sensitivity varies greatly.
The original article mentions 9 milligrams per kilogram, but this should not be treated as a safe ceiling or target. Adverse effects can occur well below that amount; dose, total intake, health, medication and sleep all matter.
Beta-alanine and bicarbonate
These supplements can help in certain high-intensity exercise settings through buffering mechanisms. Accumulation of hydrogen ions during intense efforts can contribute to fatigue; this is not simply a fall in the pH of the whole body.
They do not have to be taken together. Their usefulness, dosing schedules and side effects differ, so any combination requires an individual assessment.
For help planning nutrition and individualising supplementation, explore our online sports nutritionist services.
