While your training will achieve plenty of great results, especially if you’re going at a high intensity, getting the right mix of cycling supplements will ensure that you get the most out of each workout, allowing you to achieve the results you want much more quickly.
There are tons of different supplements on the market, all of which target different aspects of your workout and body, so it is a good idea to know what each one does and how you can use it to help you along the way to becoming a better cyclist.
Whey Protein
A favorite of practically every athlete and gym rat, whey protein aids in the building and recovery of muscles. It should be consumed during the exercise sessions, when it will be quickly absorbed and put to use by your body.
Alternatively, if you take some whey protein after a hard cycling training session, you will find your muscles recover quickly enough for you to go on another ride. Couple that with the fairly low price, the ease of making and consumption and it’s no wonder why this is one of the most popular supplements on the market.
Electrolytes
You will probably find that an awful lot of sports drinks make a big deal about how they include electrolytes, so you are probably consuming this supplement whenever you bring one along with you. That is generally a very good thing, as electrolytes aid in the process of rehydration, helping you to maximize fluid recovery.
The electrolytes mix into the fluid that contains them to help your body retain them, rather than expelling them through sweat. This keeps you feeling hydrated, particularly in hot weather after a tough training session, when you are gasping for a drink.
Multivitamins
Taking the recommended amount of vitamins that your body needs on a daily basis can be tough, especially if you are using them up with high intensity training sessions. This is where multivitamins come in, as they can be used to replace anything that you lose during the session in addition to helping you to stay healthy.
They also act as a recovery aid, though their effects are much slower than most other supplements on this list. Try taking one pill a day and you will gradually notice a difference in how you recover post-workout.
Fish Oils
Is there anything worse for a cyclist than getting yourself all hyped up for a training session, only to fall ill a couple of hours before? Fish oils aim to help in that respect, as they take care of your immune system and keep it performing no matter how hard you are training.
Ideally you want to find a fish oil that contains omega-3 fatty acids, consuming somewhere in the region of 500-1000mg every day. While they don’t aid in muscle building, meaning the effects aren’t immediately apparent, your immune system will be bolstered and you will get ill less often as a result.
Caffeine
We all know about caffeine and its ability to make us feel energized, and we would be willing to bet that there are more than a few people reading this article who barely even feel human in the mornings until they have had a cup of coffee.
However, caffeine can also be used as a handy cycling supplement that is vital for many riders who take part in endurance races. A caffeine-based drink or supplement boosts energy and increases the metabolic rate, allowing riders to keep going at a faster pace for longer, allowing them to stave off the effect of exhaustion so that they can keep pushing through.
Do you use cycling supplements? Which cyclist supplements are best for you?