Unlock Your Potential: The Best Supplements to Enhance Your Running Experience

Discover the science behind supplements and how they can transform your running experience!

We shall dive into the research that supports using supplements for runners. You will learn how specific vitamins, minerals, and amino acids can boost your energy levels, improve your stamina, and help you recover faster.

Equip yourself with knowledge and take your running to the next level!

Running and the Body

Running changes you. Running can make you happier, healthier and fitter. It can improve your endurance, control over body fat composition, and heart health.

Running is one of the most popular and practised sports worldwide. In the United States, nearly 50 million people ran and jogged in 2021.

In 2024, 22% of the UK population say that they run between 1 and 3 times per week. This includes people who run in the gym, on the road, or trails. Previous research has shown that running is the UK's most popular sport.

And, it is easy to see why. Running is accessible to most. All you require is little more than some spare time and you can run anywhere, be it the beach, grass, hilly terrain, the desert or even out of your front door.

Furthermore, it's widely accessible because it is so inexpensive. All you need is a pair of running shoes and you're good to go.

I initially didn't like the idea of running, I thought it would be boring, however, once I started, the distance started to rack up and I found it a perfect way to clear my mind and noticed the benefits straight away.

Before long I was researching new routes, looking at more advanced equipment and entering organised events.

The Physical Effects of Running

As you run, your body undergoes numerous changes and adaptations. These changes occur from the moment you leave the door to the hours after you finish.

You will feel a surge of energy as your body releases chemicals called endorphins. You will also notice your body temperature rising and that you start to sweat.

After a certain time, fatigue can cause you to slow down. If you run fast, lactic acids build up in your muscles. This can be painful and cause you to slow down and even stop.

However, you will feel energized and your mood will be elevated after a run. This is because the endorphins are being released by the brain.

Once you stop exercising, the benefits do not stop there. When your body heals after working out, it burns extra calories to get rid of lactic acid and repair muscles.

This effect, known as 'afterburn,' can continue for several hours, as noted in a sports science study.

The Importance of Nutrition for Runners

Running is a very intense workout that burns many calories. Research shows that running is great for anyone who is trying to lose weight.

Try it for yourself. If you have a smartwatch that tracks your heart rate and calorie expenditure you'll often find that running is one of the most efficient ways to burn calories compared to many other forms of exercise.

After a high-intensity exercise, your body will burn calories at a faster rate for a short period of time.

However, It is easy to overeat when your body is depleted. After your run, eat a small snack that is high in quality protein and carbohydrates, such as a chicken sandwich.

If you cannot stomach solids soon after running, you could opt for chocolate milk which has a good ratio of carbohydrates, proteins and electrolytes.

Chocolate milk has been identified as an optimal recovery solution for athletes by numerous scientific journals.

Low Energy Availability and Runners

Low energy availability (LEA), is a condition in which the body has not enough energy to support all the physiological functions required to maintain optimal health.

Athletes are at a higher risk of LEA than the general population due to their higher need for nutrients and calories.

Athletes with LEA can either improve, stagnate or decrease their performance depending on the intensity of LEA adaptation, and the importance of body weight to their sport.

If LEA is not recognized, it can lead to serious health issues that can affect your ability to compete and practice.

As such, it is well known that adaptations associated with LEA negatively affect muscular adaptations both in endurance and strength athletes.

That's because it harms mitochondrial protein synthesis and strength in endurance athletes.

Furthermore, if athletes develop low-energy availability, this can lead to a Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport syndrome (RED-S), which can have severe health consequences if it isn't treated.

Typical Nutrient Deficiences in Athletes

To achieve optimal athletic performance, you must meet a higher nutritional requirement than the general population. Despite this, many athletes are still deficient in certain nutrients.

This increases the risk of injury, illness, and fatigue.

Iron Deficiency

Iron is essential for oxygen transport, energy production and immune function. Iron deficiency is more common in athletes who train hard. This is due to the increased demand, elevated loss, and suboptimal intake that comes with it.

Calcium Deficiency

Calcium is essential for bone health and muscle contractions. It also plays a role in nerve transmission and enzyme function. Athletes who sweat excessively, restrict their diet, or consume low amounts of dairy products are at risk of having suboptimal calcium levels.

Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption and bone strength. Athletes are at risk of deficiency if they do not get enough sun or do not consume enough vitamin D.

B Vitamin Deficiencies

B vitamins, such as folate, B12 and B6, play a key role in the production of energy from carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Athletes often have inadequate intake.

Other Vitamin Deficiencies

Heavy training increases antioxidant requirements. Muscle cramps are associated with low magnesium levels.

Zinc is important for wound healing and immunity. Vegetarian athletes may be at greater risk of these deficiencies.

Athletes may also have a lower-than-optimal intake of antioxidants such as vitamin C, selenium and vitamin E.

To prevent insufficiency, it is recommended that you monitor your intake by keeping a food diary and using supplements.

Health Complications from Nutrient Deficiencies

Untreated nutritional deficiencies can have serious health effects on multiple body systems.

Bone Health

The risk of bone fractures increases when calcium and vitamin D deficiencies are chronic.

• Stress fractures

• Osteopenia

• Osteoporosis in later life and associated fractures

A high percentage of female athletes suffer from bone loss. This puts them at risk for fractures, and can also affect their performance.

Immune Function

Deficiencies in zinc, vitamin D and iron, as well as selenium and magnesium, can compromise immune function and increase the risk of illness.

Injuries can interfere with training and performance. Upper respiratory tract infections occur more frequently in athletes with low vitamin D levels.

Energy Production

A low B vitamin status reduces aerobic capacity and energy production pathways.

Iron deficiency reduces oxygen delivery to muscles and decreases endurance.

Neurologic Function

Iron, B vitamins and magnesium deficiency can cause fatigue, depression and impaired cognition/focus.

This can negatively impact motivation, concentration and coordination during training.

Endocrine System

Low energy availability affects hormone levels including thyroid hormones. Iron and vitamin D deficiencies can also affect thyroid function.

Thyroid dysfunction can cause metabolic changes that can affect performance and recovery.

Cardiovascular Health

Reduced oxygen-carrying capacity is caused by iron deficiency. This causes cardiovascular stress and reduces VO2 max.

Homocysteine, a cardiovascular risk factor, is elevated when B vitamins are deficient.

How to Prevent Nutrient Deficiencies

Over time, nutritional deficiencies can affect health and performance. It can be difficult to identify, however, a good sign is a lack or drop in performance.

For instance, if you are exercising a lot and not eating enough food, your training might feel more laboured and your results diminish or even reverse.

What Can You Do?

Eat a balanced diet that is high in fruits, vegetables and lean proteins. Also, include dairy products, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and seeds.

• Reduce the amount of processed foods and sugary sweets.

• Get enough calories to support your training.

• Iron-rich foods include red meat, poultry and seafood, beans, spinach and iron-fortified grains.

• Calcium-rich foods include dairy, leafy vegetables, almonds and calcium-set Tofu.

• Increase your vitamin D intake by eating fatty fish, eggs, fortified milk and juices, and mushrooms exposed to UV light.

• Always pursue a 'food first' approach where possible, but otherwise take supplements.

What Supplements Should Runners Take?

Athletes are at risk of micronutrient deficiencies due to inadequate dietary intake.

Iron, calcium, vitamin B, vitamin D and antioxidant deficiencies are common. Even mild deficiencies that do not cause overt symptoms can have a negative impact on health and performance.

Athletes can train at a high level while reducing their risk of chronic disease and injury by ensuring adequate intake of essential nutrients.

Vitamin & Mineral Complex

This may seem obvious, but a supplement such as beFit Performance Plus+ that contains multiple vitamins and minerals will help prevent deficiencies from such a high nutrient turnover experienced by athletes.

The main ingredients would be:

• Boron

• Iron

• Vitamins A

• Vitamin B

• Vitamin D

• Vitamin K

The research shows that these nutrients help with bone health (a lack of vitamin D can make your bones, joints and muscles ache), immunity, protection against cardiovascular disease, reduced inflammation, improved haemoglobin, and energy whilst optimising hormone levels.

Let's Not Forget Electrolytes

Electrolytes are important for homeostasis and fluid balance. A lack of electrolytes can diminish your athletic and mental performance. Key ones to look out for include:

• Magnesium

• Zinc

• Potassium

• Phosphorus

• Calcium

Looking for a supplement that includes all of these would be ideal, however, phosphorus is easily attainable from a normal diet as it is so abundant in many foods.

Additionally, calcium in supplement format has been demonstrated in studies to increase cardiovascular risk. As a result, I would advise that you obtain your calcium through dairy products or soy, seeds, grains, legumes and nuts.

Including and ensuring that you get sufficient electrolytes will help the following key areas:

• Muscle function

• Heart health

• Blood pressure

• pH balance

• Energy

• Immunity

• Prevent heatstroke

• Brain health

Phytonutrients for Runners

They are often overlooked but show lots of promise for runners and other athletes. Phytonutrients are antioxidant compounds and extracts from plant sources that can benefit the body.

However, there is a difference between phytonutrients that have scientific evidence from numerous studies and some that are merely used in a traditional sense due to anecdotal evidence and use based on ancient practices. Many ancient remedies do not have any robust evidence at all and should be avoided.

That said, some extracts have proven to be very powerful and beneficial.

These are being accepted within the Western medical and nutrition sphere due to their effects on improving health and performance parameters backed by strong evidence.

Let's take a look at the most useful phytonutrients from an athletic perspective:

• Ashwagandha

• Fenugreek

• Tongkat Ali

• Urtica Dioica

• Mucuna Pruriens

These natural, plant extracts have proven anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial properties and can reduce stress. Furthermore, they are reported to help improve endurance, strength and lean muscle mass.

These extracts have also demonstrated their ability to balance hormones and reduce menopausal symptoms in females.

Can Creatine Help Runners?

If you want to improve your running performance, it is difficult to overlook a creatine supplement such as beStrong Creatine Gummies.

Why? Because creatine is a highly effective and safe ergogenic aid that has been proven in a huge number of studies to improve athletic performance.

Benefits of Creatine for Runners

Creatine, a nitrogenous acid, helps provide energy to all cells in the body. This is especially true for muscle cells. Red meat and fish are excellent sources, but cannot provide the amounts that would give you a performance edge.

Research shows that creatine may help to improve cognitive ability, enhance cognitive function, treat multiple sclerosis, and prevent skin ageing.

It can enhance power or speed bursts that require short periods of anaerobic activities. This could be because creatine supplementation increases glycogen storage and glycogen is a quick source of glucose and instant energy.

Some evidence suggests that a combination of adequate protein and calories, along with creatine, can help muscles recover faster after strenuous workouts because glucose-derived energy helps to aid the healing process.

When combined with regular weight training and a balanced diet creatine supplementation may offset age-related muscle loss.

Sarcopenia is a loss of muscle mass that occurs as we age, but can also occur when muscles are not adequately activated, for example after an injury.

A 2023 study shows that creatine can enhance anaerobic capacity and performance by boosting intensity on a repeated basis.

Thus it is beneficial for sports such as cross-country skiing, mountain biking, triathlons, and short-duration events that require end-spurts for performance.

Further noted benefits of creatine monohydrate are enhanced force output, enhanced power output, increased strength and endurance, increased anaerobic tolerance, increased work capacity, improved recovery, and enhanced adaptations to training.

Joint Pain Supplements for Runners

It isn't uncommon for runners to experience joint pain, such as 'runner's knee', known as patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS).

Whilst it may seem that runners are more susceptible to joint pain, it seems that actually we're less likely to experience it compared to our less active peers.

That's because running strengthens bones and muscles, and is thought to do the same with cartilage that cushions joints.

Strong muscles, which are built through running and strength training, support joints so they're less susceptible to injury.

This is great news, but it still doesn't help those of us that do suffer from joint pain, however earned.

There are some typical causes, and some may be injury-related. You may have fallen over and damaged ligaments or joints in the process, other reasons might include muscle imbalances.

Your pain might be down to your genetics, arthritis can be passed down through generations, whereas females seem to report a higher incidence of knee pain compared to men.

Another possible cause could be your weight, that said, if you do run regularly it is possible to lose some weight which may reduce those pains.

Important Supplements for Runners

Whilst it may be comforting to know the cause of the pain, that doesn't help alleviate the uncomfortable symptoms. As a result, you should consider a joint pain supplement such as beFlex.

Our joint support supplement contains ingredients that have recognised abilities to reduce the symptoms of joint pain and help reverse the issue.

beFlex Joint Support includes five key ingredients supported by science, which are as follows:

• Curcumin

• Ginger

• Boswellia

• DHA (Omega 3)

• Bioperine

The studies show that these ingredients reduce pain, inflammation and improve overall joint function.

Energy Booster Supplements For Runners

Picture this, you're at the start line of your event. You've been training for months and want to perform to your best. Your nutrition has been on point just like your training schedule and you've managed to avoid illness and injury.

What's next? Clearly you want all of that time and effort to produce the goods. It might be a personal best, or it could be just to complete the event. And you can do this with a legal and natural helping hand. It is most likley that the people standing next to you are all doing the same.

They're using energy supplements to boost their running abilities. Okay, but with so many drinks and other options available, what should you choose?

beEnergy uses just two, yet extremely effective ingredients in a convenient capsule format which you can use alongside your carbohydrate sports drink.

These ingredients are caffeine and red spinach extract.

Why have we included these two? I'll explain.

Caffeine

It is well known that moderate to high caffeine intake before and during exercise increases endurance performance.

The ergogenic effect of caffeine appears to be due to antagonistic interactions between adenosine-receptors in the peripheral and central nervous systems.

This increases central drive while reducing the perceptions of effort and pain when exercising.

For sports like running and swimming, muscular endurance is crucial, and caffeine has shown a positive impact on muscular endurance ranging between 6-7%.

Although caffeine can improve performance in most sports, it is likely that sports with a longer duration will benefit the most.

Red Spinach Extract

Red spinach is a superfood with a high nutrient content that offers many health benefits.

Its impressive nutrient profiles include a variety of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other nutrients that make it an excellent addition to any diet.

Red spinach is a great source of nitrates, which can help to support healthy circulation and increase nitric-oxide levels in the body.

Nitric oxide relaxes blood vessels, supports healthy blood flow, and improves cardiovascular health whilst enhancing athletic performance.

According to a Journal of Strength and Conditioning study, supplementing with red spinach improved cycling performance for both recreationally active women and men.

Participants showed a reduction in time to complete the exercise, as well as increased power and speed. They also experienced lower levels of exertion.

A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology showed that red spinach extract increased oxygen uptake in a group of athletes and improved endurance.

Conclusion

We've just covered a selection of good supplements that will benefit runners, regardless of your discipline. I tend to run long-distance events, but as a soldier, I'm accustomed to short bursts of aggressive running while carrying kit and wearing military clothing.

If you want to ensure that you put your best foot forward with your training and competition, ensure that you are consuming enough calories to support your regime, if you are not you are susceptible to injury or illness.

Furthermore, the nutrients your body needs are important, that's why we have included a supplement such as beFit that provides vitamins, minerals, electrolytes and plant extracts to support your physiological processes.

To combat joint pain a product like beFlex has been formulated to reduce inflammation, cartilage degradation and improve mobility.

Creatine is also incredibly well regarded, and whilst for many years it was only considered a supplement useful for muscle building, it is now clear that runners and other athletes can benefit.

If you are looking to run faster and farther, do not overlook the effects of increased energy and nitric oxide provided by beEnergy - your training and event partner!