Nutraceuticals as Food Supplements for Athletes

Abstract: This review manuscript discusses several food supplements that may benefit athletes' health, exercise adaptation, and recovery. Additionally, probiotics, creatine monohydrate, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, gelatine/collagen, and certain dietary supplements with anti-inflammatory properties may influence cellular and tissue resilience and healing in ways that help athletes maintain fitness, adapt to training, and enhance the quality and scope of their conditioning. Athletes often place high value on improving their musculoskeletal strength and function. Within this group, specific diets and training regimens are used to improve skeletal muscle remodelling and stimulate muscle growth. Although athletic intervention strategies are performance-driven, many principles are directly applicable to the skeletal muscle health of older adults. Both ageing populations and athletes can accumulate hours of training to achieve competitive objectives. Athletes have experimented with various substances to enhance performance for as long as competitive sports have existed. Curcumin and tart cherry juice, for example, are anti-inflammatory agents with the potential to reduce symptoms of muscle inflammation and injury. For vegan athletes, certain nutraceuticals can serve as beneficial food supplements to address potential nutrient gaps and support performance. Although there is currently no evidence that a vegan diet directly improves athletic performance, adaptation, or recovery, there is evidence that athletes can follow a predominantly vegan diet without experiencing negative effects. However, there is a clear caution that vegan diets alone may lead to suboptimal intakes of key nutrients, particularly the amount and quality of dietary protein and certain micronutrients such as iron, calcium, vitamin B12, and vitamin D.