ProLine Sports, Nutrition Blog

Everest Schmerest, This Supplement Will Make Your Local Hill Feel Like a Speed Bump

Alright, endurance junkies and weekend warriors, gather 'round for a little history lesson mixed with some sassy truth-telling. ProLine Sports Nutrition isn't just another face in the crowd - we're the OG supplement slingers who've been keeping your muscles happy and your PR's smashed for a quarter of a century. And boy, do we have a story for you.

Cast your minds back to the dawn of the new millennium. While everyone else was worrying about Y2K and wondering if their computers would suddenly gain sentience, we at ProLine were busy making history. You see, when First Endurance burst onto the scene with their revolutionary OptygenHP, we didn't just sit back and watch. Oh no, we dove in headfirst like a triathlete hitting the water on race day.

That's right, folks. ProLine Sports Nutrition was the very first to bring OptygenHP to the masses on a grand e-commerce platform. While other retailers were still figuring out how to spell "website," we were already shipping this game-changing supplement to athletes across the globe. Talk about being ahead of the curve!

Now, 25 years in the supplement game teaches you a thing or two. We've seen more fads come and go than a fashion designer with ADD. But OptygenHP? This stuff has stood the test of time, much like your favorite pair of running shoes that you just can't bear to throw away (even though they're more hole than shoe at this point).

Let's get one thing straight - we don't put our name behind just any product. When First Endurance opened up shop and introduced OptygenHP, we knew we were onto something special. It was like love at first sight, if love came in a bottle and promised to make you feel like you could run up Everest while barely breaking a sweat.

OptygenHP isn't some fly-by-night miracle cure cooked up in somebody's garage. This is serious stuff, backed by science so legit it makes rocket science look like a kindergarten puzzle. We're talking increased VO2 max, better oxygen utilization, higher anaerobic threshold, and less lactic acid. In other words, it turns your body into an endurance-crushing machine.

But here's the kicker - it's not just for those crazy ultrarunners who think a casual weekend involves running 100 miles through the desert (though if that's your jam, more power to you). This supplement is for anyone who wants to push their limits, whether that's finally beating your personal best in the local 5K or keeping up with your annoyingly fit neighbor on weekend bike rides.

Now, I know what you're thinking. "But what's in this miracle elixir?" Buckle up, buttercup, because we're about to get science-y. Optygen HP is packing a blend of adaptogens so potent, it'll make you feel like you could climb Everest... twice. We're talking Ashwagandha, Cordyceps, and Rhodiola - the same stuff Tibetan Sherpas use to scale the world's highest peak like it's a stroll in the park.

But wait, there's more! They've thrown in their own secret sauce called OptyMax Proprietary Matrix. It sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, but trust me, it's all about keeping you hydrated and pumping out energy like a boss. And let's not forget the pièce de résistance - Beta-Alanine. This bad boy teams up with histidine to create carnosine, which is like kryptonite to lactic acid. Less lactic acid means you can push harder, go longer, and leave your competition wondering if you've secretly been bitten by a radioactive spider.

Here's the lowdown on how to make this stuff work for you. Start popping these bad boys about 4-5 weeks before your next big event. We're talking 4 times a day, with meals. And listen up, because this is important - consistency is key. You can't just start chugging these the night before your race and expect to turn into Eliud Kipchoge. This isn't a fairytale, and OptygenHP isn't a magic bean.

But stick with it for a month, and I promise you'll start to notice a difference. You'll be adapting to your training sessions like a chameleon on steroids. Hills that used to make you want to curl up and cry? You'll be bounding up them like a mountain goat on a mission.

So there you have it, folks. After 25 years in this business, ProLine Sports Nutrition has seen it all. We've weathered more fads than a teenage girl's closet and come out the other side stronger than ever. We were the first to recognize the potential of OptygenHP, and we've been singing its praises ever since.

Are you ready to take your training to the next level? Are you prepared to push your limits and discover what you're really capable of? Then it's time to give OptygenHP a shot. Trust us, your body will thank you. And who knows? Maybe you'll finally be able to keep up with that smug gym rat who always seems to be one step ahead. Game on, athletes. Game on.

Remember, ProLine Sports Nutrition isn't just selling you a supplement. We're offering you 25 years of experience, a pioneering spirit that brought OptygenHP to the masses, and the kind of sass that keeps you coming back for more. So what are you waiting for? Let's make some endurance magic happen!

The Miracle Workout Lotion That Saved My Muscles (And Reputation)

As a fitness enthusiast always chasing new PRs, I've tried every workout supplement and recovery product under the sun. Protein powders? Slammed them by the tub. Foam rollers? Oh yeah, intimately acquainted with those torture devices. BCAAs, beta-alanine, creatine - you name it, I've gulped it down in powder and pill form.

But nothing, and I mean nothing, has revolutionized my training and muscle recovery abilities like Momentous PR Lotion - AKA the most brilliant and delightfully bizarre sports science invention since hydrogen-infused alkaline water. This workout slather is the real deal, and I'm about to break down why it deserves a prime spot in every athlete's locker room.

But first, let me take you back to the dark days before PR Lotion entered my life. I was plagued by the dreaded "bonk" - that soul-crushing point during high-intensity training when your muscles are screaming "STOP!" and filling up with burning lactic acid. I'd be cruising along, smashing rep after rep, only to be relentlessly assaulted by intense fatigue, loss of power, and that miserable "hurt so good" sensation of being trapped in a muscle cramp jacuzzi.

My post-workout life wasn't much better. The next day, it would feel like I got hit by a truck made out of small children's elbows - groaning in agony with debilitating DOMS (that's "delayed onset muscle soreness" for you newbies). Those were dark, dark days filled with limping around and horrific displays of staircase avoidance.

It was bad, folks. Like, potentially giving up exercise to take up extreme basket weaving bad. Which would have been a real kick to the masculinity for a former school athlete who once dreamed of going pro. That is, until I discovered PR Lotion, aka "miracle gel for sore muscles."

This madcap creation is the world's first topical lotion that delivers sodium bicarbonate (baking soda's fancier cousin) directly through your skin and into your working muscles using some kind of freaky dermal voodoo technology. By acting as a buffering agent against rising acid levels in the muscles, PR Lotion allows you to bust through fatigue and maintain peak power output for drastically longer than you could au naturel.

Here's how it works: simply lather up your trusty muscle groups with a liberal coating of PR Lotion pre-workout, let it absorb for a few minutes, and BAM! Your muscles are instantly in fat-burning, acid-buffering beast mode. No more bonking out or pulverizing yourself into a lactic acid grave - the bicarb is buffering all that acid madness on a molecular level so you can keep cranking out reps.

I can't even begin to describe the shock and awe the first time I unleashed PR Lotion on an intense leg day. I was powering through squats and Bulgarian split lunges without that usual feeling of being cemented into the ground. No fading out, no hugging the tank gasping for air - just crisp, powerful movements from start to finish. Then after my workout, I simply showered off and washed away the typical soreness demons that haunt me for days post-leg sesh. It was freaky...and utterly life-changing!

Thanks to PR Lotion, I'm smashing PRs right and left. I'll never go back to relying on shady supplement powders or antacid dixie-cup cocktails to power through grueling workouts. From now on, my muscles are rolling tight with a slick coating of sodium bicarbonate teflon armor for ultimate performance and recovery. You'll find me secured in the discount muscle rub aisle at CVS, loading up on a trunk's worth of this magic moisture.

So if your muscles are being dramatic divas holding you back from gains, do yourself a favor and get your hands on some PR Lotion stat. Just be prepared for some hardcore side effects - like massive pumps, blinding vascularity, and being uncomfortably jacked. You've been warned!

Who Can Benefit from the Sportlegs Supplement?

When it comes to exercise supplements, you have hundreds of products to choose from to solve each specific performance problem. Making it even more difficult is the fact that some companies only advertise their supplements work for certain types of athletes. Looking for a product that boosts your endurance performance regardless of whether you're running a marathon, cycling 100 miles in one go, or climbing a cliff side this week? Sportlegs is just what you need to control the burn in your legs during those most challenging moments.

Lactate Isn't the Enemy

Most athletes are well aware of lactic acid. This is a by-product of the breakdown of glucose, which your muscles use for fuel during intense activity. It's not the lactic acid itself that causes your muscles to burn painfully, but rather that it gets built up because the body can't flush it out as quickly. You do need some amount of lactic acid in your muscles to perform. Managing the amount of acid produced allows you to perform while reducing the discomfort you feel during training or a race. Sportlegs adds lactate to your blood stream to tell your body to wait longer before triggering a major flush of lactic acid.

Who Needs Sportlegs?

Since this supplement reduces pain caused by lactic acid buildup, any athlete that uses their legs can benefit from taking a few tablets an hour before an event begins. Some of the sports in which athletes can most benefit from Sportlegs include:

• Cycling
• Running
• Swimming, both racing and synchronized
• Hiking
• Climbing and rappelling
• Decathlons and triathlons
• Hockey and figure skating
• Rollerblading
• Speed walking
• Soccer
• Football
• Weightlifting
• Mixed martial arts and other competitive fighting formats
• Baseball
• Basketball

Uses for Sportlegs Outside of Athletics

While this supplement was obviously designed for both hobby and professional athletes, it also helps anyone who uses their legs on a daily basis for work. For example, linemen who climb dozens of power poles and towers a day will feel a lot less exhausted at the end of the day if they take Sportlegs in the morning. Even retail employees should keep a bottle on hand for those Black Friday sales and inventory overhauls that leave them walking dozens of miles a day around the store. Any kind of exercise can trigger soreness and burning due to lactic acid buildup, so you don't need to be a marathon runner to appreciate the effects of this safe supplement. If you have restless legs syndrome, you may also find Sportlegs a helpful way to reduce the cramping and sensations keeping you awake at night. It's well worth a try, especially when other treatments are failing to work or lose effectiveness over time.

Ready to give Sportlegs a try? We've got it here at ProLine Sports Nutrition. Whether you want to visit our store in person or prefer to shop online, we can supply you with all the performance supplements you need.

Steps to Help You Achieve Endurance Athlete Status

When you watch an NBA game, you might be amazed that the best athletes can compete for 30 to 40 minutes a night and still be at the top of their games. Basketball players run the equivalent of two miles per game, while soccer players might run three or four times that distance. Other endurance athletes, like cyclists or marathon runners, have to train just as hard to keep themselves in good enough shape to be able to conquer huge distances. What are the secrets to their success?

Go from Small to Big

A factor for endurance workouts in the corner of even the worst couch potatoes is that no endurance athletes go the full distance in their training. In fact, quite the opposite — training occurs gradually and builds up to one big push. The body performs better when it gradually builds up to an effort, rather than trying to re-create that effort over time. As such, any athlete (pro or amateur) who wants to improve their endurance should start small and then push themselves on only one training day per week. For example, start marathon training by running a mile on Monday, two miles on Tuesday, one mile on Wednesday, two miles on Thursday, and five miles on Friday. Monitor your progress and pace using a tracker like a Garmin to make sure you're going far enough but not pushing yourself too far.

Stretch it Out

One of the fiercest debates in the fitness industry these days involves the role and importance of stretching. Go to any basketball or hockey game and you'll be certain to see athletes stretching before they subject themselves to 60 minutes of the most intense workout in the world. Some experts, however, believe that stretching after a workout is more beneficial than stretching before. Whether you prefer to do it before or after, take the time to flex your muscles, extend your joints, and get each muscle working. Muscles that cannot extend fully run the risk of cramping, tearing and fatiguing over the course of a long-distance game or workout.  

Make Time for Recovery

Sometimes the most important part of a workout is what happens as soon as you step off the treadmill or bike. Lifting even the heaviest weight means nothing if you are not able to properly recover from a workout, increase the blood flow through your body and get the necessary nutrients for muscle growth. Supplements go a long way toward managing the recovery from an endurance workout because they replace the minerals and vitamins that you sweat out. They can alleviate the buildup of lactic acid that creates soreness after long workouts, too.

Want to be able to push yourself to new limits? Check out the products that ProLine has available to athletes to help prepare, perform and recover from the most intense workouts.

The 2016 Chicago Marathon: How to Prep the Smart Way

Do you have your eye on the 2016 Chicago Marathon? It's a fun event, especially if you do it with friends, but you need to prepare carefully. We've got just the ideas to help you get started and stay prepared for the big day!

Choose Your Gear Carefully

It's going to be busy out there: Restrict yourself to one easy-to-carry bag — a day pack that you can strap to your back is often one of the best choices, or a gym bag that you can entrust to friends who will be at a certain point along the route. While there are some free supplies, it's best to stock up with everything that you need — that includes water and food, of course, but also a couple changes of clothes (you never know when you might need them), basic first aid materials, important medications, etc. Pack it together and get ready to go!

Check Out Registration Requirements

The Expo center usually has space devoted to the marathon where you can pick up important items like your race number and so on. Schedule some time to go here first and maybe some extra time to check out the many booths and other attractions there.

Eat and Drink Regularly

As you can probably guess, we don't mean "three times a day" here. Your body needs consistent, regular access to nutrition and water to fuel up for the marathon. The day of the event, eat regular, high-energy snacks made for running and avoid getting even a little bit dehydrated.

Save Your Energy for the Back Half

The Chicago marathon is infamous for being very, very easy for the first half. The streets are even, there's a lot of energy in the air and it's really easy to start sprinting. However, it's this first half where you have to be particularly careful to take it slower and conserve your energy because the last half is significantly more challenging. Store up your enthusiasm and remember one of the most important rules of marathons: Pace yourself.

Run With Friends Ahead of the Race 

There are a couple reasons to do this. First, friends are a great encouragement and getting healthier together is an awesome goal. Second, the Chicago marathon tends to be pretty crowded, and you need the experience of running with other people to avoid accidents, tripping and other issues that may crop up if you only run solo.

Read a Guide on What to Expect

There are many different guides for runners and spectators on the route, telling you what the race passes by and what to expect. Review these beforehand so you know what you're getting into and where to go if there's ever a problem. Keep a guide map handy on your person if you've never traveled this route before.

Join a Training Program

There are plenty of training program options for getting ready for the Chicago marathon! Take advantage of some of them to help train with others and get a reliable schedule for your performance. This is often more effective than training on your own.

If you want to prepare like a professional, take a look at some of the products offered by ProLine Sports Nutrition and how they can help runners when they need energy the most.

5 of the Best Supplements for Joint Pain

Endurance athletes, and active individuals in general, are particularly hard on their joints. Many marathon runners, triathlon winners and dedicated bike riders find themselves with achy, swelling joints at a younger age than their less active counterparts. Taking the right herbal and dietary supplements could reduce your joint pain, whether it's from exercise fatigue or a long-term condition like arthritis. Try a few of these five options with the guidance of a sports nutrition expert and your doctor's approval.

Ginger

Need a mild but effective pain reliever so you can stop taking over the counter NSAIDs that can hurt your kidneys, liver and stomach? Look for ginger extract. It's shown some effectiveness as a pain reliever you can take either on a daily basis or after you notice tenderness. It also has demonstrated the ability to reduce joint stiffness in the morning, making it helpful for both active and retired athletes.

MSM

Methylsulfonylmethane, commonly known as MSM, is a powerful joint supplement with proven benefits but an unknown history of medication interactions. Taking a daily dose for 12 weeks can reduce both pain and tightness in joints regardless of the cause. However, you may find that the treatment interferes with medications you take for other health problems. Talk to your doctor before adding MSM to your daily routine and be prepared to document your own side effects. Most patients in the three completed studies reported few to no side effects.

Turmeric

Ayurvedic doctors have recommended turmeric as a supplement to patients for thousands of years, and modern medicine backs up some of the claims about this herb. The colorful root powder has been proven to reduce pain and swelling in clinical trials, in addition to reducing the body's inflammatory response to common allergens. Plan to stop taking your turmeric supplement before having any surgery performed, though, since it also acts as a mild blood thinner. While blood thinning can be a great treatment for people with heart disease or even just endurance athletes looking for an edge, it increases your bleeding during surgery. Notify the surgeon if you're not able to give yourself a few days to get the turmeric out of your system so the surgery team can plan around it.

Glucosamine

One of the most tested and widely recommended supplements for joint pain is glucosamine. Your body is supposed to produce this compound naturally to rebuild your joints as they're damaged, but your supply of it diminishes as you get older. Taking a daily dose of it now can prevent joint deterioration, but it also works when you already have arthritis.

Stinging Nettle

Finally, don't forget about the humble stinging nettle. The same compounds that are so irritating to your skin when you brush against its needles are quite soothing to joint pain and other forms of internal inflammation. It's often combined with other herbs like turmeric to make a broad spectrum joint supplement, or it can be taken separately.

Looking for more information? Visit us today at ProLine Sports Nutrition for customized recommendations on supplements. 

Staying Hydrated is Crucial to Your Health

Hydration is essential for everyone, but it is especially important for athletes. Hydration affects your muscle growth, recovery and weight loss, so dehydration can have a significant impact on an athlete's performance. 

One of the most important sports nutrition supplements your body craves is water. Your body requires water to flush out toxins, help you feel full, absorb nutrients and to perform many different metabolic processes, several of which have an effect on muscle repair and recovery. Summer is coming, so it is especially important to be aware of not only hydration, but the other essentials an athlete needs to maintain his or her overall general health.

Warning Signs of Dehydration

Whatever type of sport you participate in, staying hydrated is critical for your health. Without the appropriate amount of water, vitamins and supplements, you can become dehydrated. Dehydration can be extremely dangerous, even life-threatening if not caught and treated immediately. Some of the warning signs of dehydration include:

• Heat cramps, which is a common condition in extremely hot weather or when doing heavy physical activity. Symptoms of heat cramps may include fatigue, excessive sweating, thirst and cramps (usually in the arms, legs or stomach). Heat cramps can usually be treated quickly by drinking water or sports nutrition drinks and resting in a cool spot.
• Heat exhaustion, which occurs if you do not react to the symptoms of heat cramps. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include dizziness, headache, nausea and muscle cramps. It can usually be treated with cool beverages, taking a cool shower and getting into an air-conditioned area.
• Heat stroke occurs when your body temperature is 104 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Your skin will feel dry and hot to the touch. However, if your heatstroke has been brought on by strenuous exercise, your skin will feel moist. You will also feel sick to your stomach, your breathing may become rapid and shallow, skin will turn red and you will experience a throbbing headache. In severe situations, you may hallucinate, have seizures and/or have difficulty speaking.

Add Minerals

Water is good, but it is also important to drink sports nutrition drinks that contain electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium. These minerals are absorbed quicker by your intestines than pure water, so it puts the water into the blood quicker. Be careful not to overdue the salts, though, because too much in the drink will cause your intestines to dilute intestinal contents before they can be absorbed. On days that are extremely hot and humid, consider rotating beverages — drink one sports nutrition beverage for every three glass of pure water.

Consume Protein

It is important to keep in mind that following any kind of exercise there will be cellular damage, which causes an increase in the breakdown of protein. The majority of disruption in the cellular process begins to be repaired as soon as the stressor is removed, so as soon as the activity stops, repair begins. Consuming endurance supplements and other sources of protein during exercise will help to speed up the recovery.

Don't Forget Your Vitamins

Next to water, vitamins are one of the most important things your body needs. Oxygen radicals, a byproduct of metabolism, causes some tissue damage during exercise. However, like the cellular process, the damage begins to repair itself when exercising stops. To increase the recovery rate, it is essential that you have sufficient amounts of vitamins C and E, which help minimize free radical buildup.

It is important to keep in mind that the longer you are training, the more water you should consume for your cells to keep up with demand. When competing in extreme temperatures or high altitudes, you will need extra hydration as well as an increase in protein and vitamins.

Please contact ProLine Sports Nutrition if you need more information about proper hydration or to visit us for quality vitamins and protein supplements from our vitamin and supplements store. Right now, when you spend $50 or more in Gatorade® products you will get a free Gatorade® sideline towel. 

The Importance of Recovery in Your Fitness Routine

There is a misnomer in the health and fitness world that the secret to increasing strength and/or endurance is formulating an eccentric, state-of-the-art exercise routine. The reality is, the type of exercise a person does has virtually nothing to do with aerobic and anaerobic development.

Of much greater value is how a person exercises and how he or she recovers. Increases in aerobic or anaerobic maximums occur in direct proportion to how much damage — damage being much different than injury — to their muscles and how a person proactively encourages their body to recover. 

Effects of Exercise on Muscles

In all cases, exercise damages muscles. The only variant is the degree to which the damage occurs. The damage occurs as microscopic tears in the muscle fibers and the lining of the muscle fibers. The thicker the lining of the fibers of a muscle, the harder a person must work to generate the micro-tears in the fibers. If damage does not occur, the body is not prompted to rebuild, which means the development and strengthening of the muscles do not occur. 

Regardless of how en vogue an exercise routine or contraption, if it does not stress the muscles to the point of damage, no growth will occur. The old adage still applies — "no pain, no gain."

Muscle Fiber Rebuild

In order for muscle fibers to rebuild, the body needs two things: the right nutrition and recovery. The word "recovery" is a concept that the vast majority of people, even those in the heath and fitness industry, do not understand. But understanding recovery is far more important than choosing the right exercise plan. 

Plateaus in strength gains, the inability to move the endurance wall, chronic fatigue after exercise and loss of aerobic and anaerobic output performance are all symptoms of poor recovery techniques and methodology. 

But, recovery is not a complex concept. There are only two premises an athlete or exercise fanatic must understand: nutrition and metabolic state. 

Recovery Concepts 

Nutrition

The body requires amino acids, fats, minerals and vitamins to rebuild muscles. In addition to tearing muscle fibers, exercise also depletes the body of these building-block essentials. It is critical to provide the body with these essentials within 1/2 an hour of finishing a workout because while the body has states in which it recovers most productively (e.g. when it is not under stress) the body is always rebuilding.

Metabolic State

The most perplexing concept of the premises of recovery, corporal state is quite simple on the surface. The body only has two metabolic states: anabolic and catabolic. The anabolic state is that in which the body is working and therefore breaking down. The catabolic state is the recovery state in which it is metabolizing food and sending it through the circulatory system to repair muscles and tissue.

While there are only two metabolic states, there are degrees or phases of each. The most productive catabolic phase occurs while a person is sleeping, during REM sleep specifically. In other words, the recovery rate is at its maximum when a person has a combination of proteins, fats, minerals and vitamins in their body and they are in the REM sleep stage. 

To find out more about how nutrition and rest prompt recovery, visit ProLine Sports Nutrition! Our expert staff can guide you on your workouts and your recovery routine, as well as help you find the best vitamins and supplements to fuel your body. We're currently offering a promotion where customers can receive a free Gatorade® sideline towel when they purchase $50 or more worth of Gatorade® products. 

Supplements for Runners Part 2: Whey Protein and Calcium

Protein is the name of the game when it comes to endurance. This building block is a very important piece of a healthy runner's puzzle. So is calcium, which is key to building strong bones.

Protein and calcium are two of the most powerful substances in our bodies and are found in each and every one of our cells. When calcium is combined with a high-protein diet, absorption is increased and bones stay stronger. 

Endurance runners may not be getting enough of these two nutrients in their diets and should add whey protein and calcium supplements to their daily routine. This is especially true for athletes running long distances, training for a special race, or amping up endurance.

Here's how whey protein and calcium can benefit runners.

Whey Protein

Protein keeps the immune system at tip top shape as well as so many other bodily functions. Runners need much more protein in their daily diet than they can get from food, so whey protein is an excellent supplement choice. 

Whey protein is absorbed by the body more quickly than a food source, and it is lower in calories, fat and lactose. Whey protein also replenishes all the proteins the body uses while running and aids in overall muscle recovery. Another benefit of whey protein is that it has high levels of amino acids that support the immune system. 

If runners don't get enough protein in their bodies, they can become fatigued quickly, be more prone to injuries and eventually lose important muscle mass. Most runners should add approximately 40 to 60 grams of whey protein per day to their diet. 

Runners who would like to lose a few pounds before running a big race should double up on protein. Protein's "thermic effect" aids weight loss. As we digest protein, our bodies amp up calorie burn faster than if it were digesting high-fat or carbohydrate-rich foods. Plus, protein is perfect for keeping us satisfied longer, so we are less likely to binge eat.

Calcium

Many runners do not get enough vitamins and minerals to support their bodies. One of the most overlooked minerals for endurance running is calcium. Most of us already know that calcium is the key to protecting and strengthening our bones and preventing osteoporosis and stress fractures. 

Runners should pay special attention to make sure they are getting enough (and absorbing enough) calcium while training. This is especially important for runners with low body fat counts. Calcium plays an important role in strengthening and repairing the bones after long, hard run.

This important nutrient can be found in foods like dairy products, baked beans, tofu and broccoli, but calcium supplements are a great way to ensure you are getting the right amount. Experts recommend that adult runners consume at least 800 mg of calcium each day. It's much easier to measure this amount with calcium supplements. 

In addition, calcium needs ample amounts of Vitamin D to be absorbed by our bodies, so a combination of calcium and Vitamin D supplements is essential to a runner's health.

Getting enough protein and calcium and knowing how it helps your body is necessary for everyday living and vital during extensive training. Get more information about whey protein, calcium supplements and other valuable tips to keep your body running at ProLine Sports Nutrition's blog. Don't forget to stop by the shop to get all the supplements you need to fuel your training.

Supplements for Runners Part 1: Caffeine and Creatine

If you are interested in or heavily involved in endurance activities, you know the importance of good nutrition to build your body, promote stamina and develop your speed. While most people get the protein and vitamins they need from their daily food consumption, endurance athletes have special nutritional needs.

Supplements may be able to provide you with the edge that you are looking for and compensate for elements that you do not receive from food. It is important, however, that all supplements be researched and taken according to the manufacturer’s direction. In some cases, over consumption of supplements can be harmful, so pay attention to all guidelines.

There are many common nutrients ingredients that support the activities of endurance athletes. For example, iron, calcium and whey protein each provide benefits to runners. Two of the most popular choices, however, are caffeine and creatine. 

Caffeine

Caffeine is a valued supplement for many athletes. In fact, recent studies have shown that more than two-thirds of Olympic athletes use the benefits of caffeine to enhance their performance. 

The most recognized advantage of caffeine is its ability to heighten mental alertness. This is great in the morning to get you moving, but it works equally well in the evening to stimulate performance after a hard day. Another benefit, perhaps of most importance to long-distance runners, is that caffeine improves the body’s ability to use fat as fuel. In doing so, it conserves glycogen, which is essential for high functioning in the last leg of a marathon. 

Caffeine, when used in combination with carbohydrates, has been shown to aid in recovery as well. Researchers discovered that athletes who consumed a combination of caffeine and carbohydrates following a workout had 66 percent more glycogen in their muscles after four hours than athletes who consumed a drink with just carbohydrates.

Moderation is key to determining the amount of caffeine you should consume. The recommendation is about 550 milligrams per day which is equal to roughly five cups of coffee. 

Creatine

Creatine as a performance enhancement supplement has been used by athletes to improve muscle strength, size and power. These are terms that are not often used when considering a supplement for endurance athletes, however. 

Creatine aids in muscle recovery. When used correctly, it can benefit endurance runners as well. While using creatine before or during a race event is not recommended, it can provide runners benefits during training. 

Long distance runners use interval training to build running speed and performance. This is where creatine can help. During high-intensity training sessions, it can improve speed and efficiency. It can also decrease the amount of recovery time needed. These improvements during training translate into improvements on race day. 

ProLine Sports Nutrition can give endurance athletes the edge they need to perform at optimal levels. Visit our website today for more information on specific products and ongoing promotions. 

Whether you are an amateur, professional or elite endurance athlete, ProLine Sports Nutrition has the information and supplements to help you perform your best. 

Check back soon for part 2 of this series on supplements for runners!