18/09/2022
Probiotics
Best for: Maintaining performance
How it works: You may have tried probiotics to boost your health, but did you know they can support performance, too? First off, these gut-loving supplements help prevent the exercise-induced stomach cramps and bloating every endurance runner and cyclist dreads. ‘Our research shows that because probiotics can help reduce GI discomfort during exercise, athletes can maintain performance towards the end of competition better,’ says Professor Close.
A study in the European Journal of Applied Physiology found runners taking probiotics for four weeks before a marathon suffered less GI symptoms. And you know those annoying colds you get when training hard? Probiotics are also proven to reduce upper-respiratory tract infections in athletes. ‘Probiotics are good if you train intensively, to support immunity,’ confirms Hobson. Excitingly, research on cyclists now suggests probiotics may improve carbohydrate metabolism during exercise and aid protein absorption, too.
Want to give them a go? Ensure you buy the right blend and dose. ‘The lactobacillus and bifidobacterium blend of probiotics is shown to help gastrointestinal issues in athletes,’ says Professor Close. ‘Research shows we need greater than 20 billion colony forming units (CFU) in a tablet to be effective.’
