Supplements For Endurance

Even though you might be following a good nutrition plan, there might be times when you need an extra boost to help increase your endurance and performance.

The right supplement can help you achieve that without affecting your health or the chances of competing. After all, you don’t want to consume a banned supplement that will prevent you from competing.

Endurance supplements can help you last longer and delay fatigue, allowing you to give it your best.

Endurance means having the ability to maintain activity levels for a long time. It combines psychology and physiology to help you endure the activity of your choice. It can be running, going on a bike, or swimming.

Now, people often confuse endurance with stamina. Stamina refers to how long you can do an exercise at full capacity. Endurance, however, means how long you can maintain the exercise without necessarily being at full capacity.

There are several ways for you to build endurance. But overall, you need constant stimulus to your mind and body to adapt to long distances.

Supplements like beetroot powder, caffeine, creatine, and beta-alanine can effectively boost your endurance levels. They can help you last longer during exercise and delay fatigue.

In this article, we’ll review the best supplements scientifically proven to help improve endurance.

The Role Of Beetroot In Endurance

Superfoods can help improve performance and endurance.

One of the best superfoods to boost endurance might be in your fridge without knowing it.

I am talking about beetroot.

Beetroot is a highly nutritious food. It is high in vitamins like folate, manganese, iron, vitamin C, and potassium.

Its intense color means it is high in antioxidants, which can help reduce the damage done by oxidative stress. Thus, helping reduce inflammation and promoting good recovery.

But what makes beetroot a powerful food that helps boost endurance?

Beetroot is high in nitrates, a component that increases nitric oxide production. According to studies, nitric oxide can help widen blood vessels and improve circulation. (Source)

There are several ways nitric oxide can increase endurance. It can help regulate blood pressure. With fewer blood pressure spikes, you don’t have to stop several times while exercising.

It also seems that consuming beetroot can decrease oxygen use during exercise. As a result, it increases the efficiency of energy production by the mitochondria, the internal power plants in the body. (Source)

The science behind beetroot in endurance sports is vast.

Let’s take a closer look at some of those studies.

A study showed that men and women who took beetroot significantly improved running performance. In fact, they increased their running velocity by 5%. (Source)

Another study where people consumed 490mL of beetroot before a team sport exercise shows that performance increased by 4%. (Source)

Finally, the last study gathered information from several studies related to endurance athletes in different sports. They gathered information on swimmers, cyclists, runners, kayakers, and triathletes. (Source)

Overall, there were significant improvements in speed, oxygen intake, performance, and cardiorespiratory fitness in all sports. (Source)

Currently, it is challenging to determine the exact dosage that can provide health benefits. But, according to several studies, good results have been seen with an intake of 3 to 6 g of beetroot powder. (Source)

If you drink beetroot juice, you can benefit from taking 150 to 500 g.

Super Red Powders That Contain Beetroot

Drinking beetroot juice has its benefits.

However, for some people, it might bring certain challenges. For example, you need to drink a high amount of liquid to get its benefits. Also, some people might not like the taste of beetroot, making it more challenging to drink.

Red powder supplements are a good way to get your daily dose of beetroot without an awful taste and with additional benefits.

What Are Red Powder Supplements?

Red powder supplements contain different red-colored fruits and vegetables in powdered form.

The supplement’s composition depends on the brand, but overall you can find red powder supplements that contain beetroot, strawberries, raspberries, turmeric, and carrots.

Red powder supplements contain several health benefits. It can improve heart health, reduce inflammation thanks to its high antioxidant capacity, and help improve endurance and recovery.

Remember that the benefits you get from red powder supplements depend on their ingredients. Some might have more benefits, while others might have fewer. That is why it’s important to check the nutritional label.

Finally, one of the greatest benefits of red powder supplements is their taste. In most cases, they come in a delicious berry taste, masking any flavors some ingredients might possess (like beetroot juice).

Best Red Powder Supplements

There are several red powder supplements, making it challenging to know which one to choose.

Here are the top three red powder supplements I recommend that contain beetroot powder.

Red Tonik

The number one red powder supplement on the market is Red Tonik. 

Red Tonik is one of the few supplements with a clear label, meaning it has no proprietary blends. You know what you are getting and in what doses. This makes it easier to determine if the supplement is within the recommended doses.

This red powder supplement contains 13 powerful ingredients: beetroot, Cordyceps mycelium extract, cranberry fruit extract, turmeric root extract, tart cherry fruit powder, pomegranate fruit, goji fruit, grape seed extract, trans-resveratrol, blueberry fruit, raspberry fruit, strawberry fruit, and ginger root extract.

One of the biggest benefits of Red Tonik is that you get 4 g of beetroot powder, which is within the recommended range. And, it comes in a delicious cranberry-berry taste.

To improve your endurance and recovery, add a green powder supplement like Supergreen Tonik. Its high antioxidant capacity makes it one of the best post-workout snacks.

You can get a greens and reds bundle to take your performance and recovery to the next level.

Organifi Reds

Another red powder supplement that contains beetroot is Organifi Reds.

Organifi Reds contains 13 organic ingredients: pomegranate juice powder, cranberry powder, blueberry powder, raspberry powder, strawberry powder, red beet powder, Cordyceps mushrooms extract, Reishi mushroom extract, lemon powder, acai powder, Rhodiola powder, and Siberian ginseng powder.

However, one of the drawbacks of Organifi Reds is that it contains proprietary blends.

So, we don’t know exactly how much of each ingredient they use. It is possible that according to the serving size and the ingredients used, some might be underdosed. 

Superbeets

Finally, the last red powder supplement that contains beetroot powder is Superbeets.

Superbeets only have one ingredient, which is beetroot powder. You get the same dose as in Red Tonik, 4 g of beetroot powder per serving.

While it can be an excellent way to boost your beetroot intake, you are missing other vital red fruits and vegetables that can also bring several health benefits.

Other Supplements For Endurance

Overall, beetroot powder is the king of supplements when it comes to endurance. But, other supplements can also take your exercise to the next level.

Here we are going to talk about caffeine, creatine, and beta-alanine and their impact on endurance. (Source)

Caffeine

Caffeine is a well-established supplement to help improve endurance.

There are several ways in which caffeine can help take your workouts to the next level: (Source)

• It stimulates the central nervous system, improving focus and reducing fatigue.
• Increases the flight or fight response, making you more alert.
• It might promote fat burning, which spares carb utilization during exercise.

Several studies have shown how exercise can increase performance. 

A study where cyclists consumed 200 mg of caffeine prior to their workouts had an increase in performance. (Source)

According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition, the recommended intake of caffeine is 3 to 6 mg per kilogram of body weight one hour before exercise. (Source)

This means consuming 200 to 400 mg of caffeine.

To consume 200 mg of caffeine, you must consume 2 cups of coffee. If this sounds too much, there are caffeine supplements that can help you reach the recommended intake without adding too much liquid before a workout.

While there are several benefits to consuming caffeine, there are some potential drawbacks.

Everyone has a different sensitivity to caffeine. People sensitive to caffeine might experience jitters, headaches, stomach cramps, and insomnia.

If that is the case, I recommend consuming caffeine early in the morning, avoiding having it in the evening and starting with a smaller dosage.

Creatine Monohydrate

Another supplement worth adding to help improve endurance is creatine monohydrate. 

Creatine is a natural molecule you can find in the body. The main role of creatine is to enhance energy production. More specifically, explosive energy. Taking creatine saturates the cells with extra reserves of creatine to use when in need.

Research shows that creatine can positively affect high-intensity interval training and strength, which are explosive movements. While the greatest benefits are mostly experienced in these exercises, evidence suggests creatine can also improve endurance training. (Source)

One possible hypothesis on how creatine can affect endurance is the ability to improve training sessions, which can improve endurance in the long run.

The International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends consuming 3-5 g of creatine daily. (Source)

But, there have been reports of large doses running in 10 to 20 g of creatine per day. 

While creatine is a safe supplement to take, it might produce stomach distress. If you are not used to taking it, it can increase the risk of stomach cramps, bloating, and gas.

If this is the case, try breaking the dose into smaller doses to make it easier for your digestive system. 

Beta-Alanine

The final supplement that can improve endurance is beta-alanine.

Beta-alanine is an amino acid that can help improve muscle endurance. Along with histidine, it produces carnosine which can help reduce lactic acid accumulation.

When you exercise, the muscles produce lactic acid, which is then converted into lactate. This increases the pH levels due to a larger production of hydrogen ions. A higher pH level can affect glucose conversion, which promotes fatigue.

When you consume beta-alanine, the increase in carnosine acts as a buffer, delaying lactate accumulation, which delays fatigue.

In a study, rowers who consumed beta-alanine for four weeks had an increase of time to exhaustion of 13%, helping them last longer and increasing endurance. (Source)

The International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends consuming 4 to 6 g of beta-alanine for the desired results. (Source)

Beta-alanine is a well-tolerated supplement and safe to take. However, some people experience a tickling sensation on the skin called “paraesthesia.” If so, you can lower the dose until the body gets used to the supplement.

Conclusion

Some sport nutrition supplements can help improve endurance. They work by increasing oxygenation, improving energy, or delaying fatigue.

Beetroot powder is one of the top supplements to help improve endurance. It helps by increasing nitric oxide, which boosts oxygen intake.

While you can take beetroot juice to take advantage of its benefits if you don’t like the taste or don’t want to have the hassle of making the juice, red powder supplements can help.

Besides having beetroot powder, they have other antioxidants that can help improve performance and recovery.

Other supplements like caffeine, creatine, and beta-alanine also boost endurance.

Now, remember that supplements are only a tiny part of sports nutrition. You need to have proper nutrition. A balanced diet around whole grains, lean protein, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats will improve endurance and recovery.

Brenda Peralta, RDN, CDE

Brenda Peralta is an experienced Registered Dietitian (RDN) and Certified Diabetes Education (CDE). She is a freelance health and nutrition writer based in San Jose, Costa Rica. She has several certifications in sports nutrition, women’s health hormones, and gut health.