In a previous article we looked at some of the supplements that may help athletes competing in HYROX. You can read that here.
Something that I deliberately excluded from that article were any supplements not necessarily associated with “sporting performance” but, because of their benefits on your general health, should also be considered for any person wanting to feel and perform at their best.
HYROX is a fitness event that can push you to your limits. It will test you and put a high demand on your body. If you aren’t in good health, then that will show in your finishing time. That’s why supplements to support your health can play a part in your finishing time (and recovery). So, let’s look at some of those…
Multivitamins
Each moment we are alive, billions of processes are happening inside us on a microscopic level. Cells are born and die. Messages travel between our systems to regulate balance, and by-products of our food are turned into fuel that our brains use to function. To keep these processes going, we need to consume at least thirty different vitamins and minerals which the body is unable to make on its own in large enough amounts. They equip us with the ability to perform basic needs like wound healing, water balance, immune function maintenance, and countless other essential activities.
While it is possible to obtain all the vitamins and minerals you need from your diet, to do so would be very rare. For example, an estimated 10% of Britain’s population over 40 is deficient in vitamin D. Likewise, B12 and Magnesium deficiencies are very common, as are many others.
What’s more even if someone isn’t typically classed as “deficient”, that doesn’t mean that they necessarily are taking on enough of that vitamin / mineral to feel as healthy as possible. There’s often a very big difference between the recommended daily amount, and the amount you need to feel great. We want to thrive, not just survive – especially if we plan on competing at HYROX!
Therefore, whilst diet will always be important, a quality multivitamin can be a good insurance policy against nutrient deficiencies. A multivitamin is unlikely to be something that you start to take and immediately notice the benefits. But if you have somehow built-up nutrient deficiencies over time (perhaps by placing large demands on the body without sufficiently fuelling yourself with good quality nutrition), then a multi can play a part in helping to resolve that.
Some multivitamins will be designed to address specific issues / geared towards certain people or deficiencies. For example, some may be designed for vegans who may be more prone to iron or B12 deficiencies. From the perspective of someone looking to compete in HYROX, where energy is obviously important, it’s worth understanding that B Vitamins, Vitamin C and Magnesium (all found in a good quality multivitamin) all play a part in supporting energy levels in the body.
This product is worth checking out.
Omega 3 / Essential Fatty Acids
Omega 3 / essential fatty acids are important for overall health. The two that appear to provide most benefit are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These omega-3 fats are usually found in fish, animal products, and phytoplankton. When people use a fish oil supplement, it is normally because they are trying to obtain the benefits of EPA and DHA.
Amongst other things, these essential fatty acids have been shown to help with depression, reducing triglycerides, and reducing blood pressure.
It is possible to get enough EPA and DHA from your diet alone. For example, if you are getting a couple of servings of oily fish each week (such as mackerel or wild salmon) then you may not need to supplement. If not, it is worth considering.
When buying omega 3 / fish oil the level of EPA and DHA content is obviously important. You also ideally want the fish oil to be of good quality, low in detectable levels of mercury and derived from wild fish. Poor quality fish oils could have an adverse impact on your health.
If you don’t eat fish, or don’t like taking fish oil, you can also get EPA and DHA from an algae supplement. This is what the fish eat that gives them the EPA and DHA that we are looking for.
In terms of dose, most adults would be looking to obtain roughly 1-2g per day of EPA and DHA (combined).
Vitamin D3
Most people, unless they work outside during the day in a sunny climate, will be deficient in vitamin D (if they don’t supplement). Some foods (such as fatty fish, eggs, and some meats) do contain vitamin D but often not in sufficient quantities.
Adequate vitamin D levels can aid a strong immune system, support bone health, increase free testosterone, and may reduce the risk of cancer mortality, diabetes, and multiple sclerosis.
The dosage required for each person will differ depending on how much sunlight exposure someone gets. But as a very rough guide, 2000iu per day is normally a reasonably starting point for most adults. It is possible to test your vitamin D levels relatively cheaply, to keep an eye on if you are deficient or not. It may also be possible to ask your doctor to perform the test for you.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and needs fats for it to be absorbed. Therefore, if supplementing, consume along with some food that contains fats.
It’s worth appreciating that once you have corrected a deficiency, there’s no evidence to suggest that higher levels of vitamin D continue to support improved health. In fact, excess levels may potentially be harmful. More is not always better!
Vitamin D supplements are relatively cheap. I tend to like to use ones that are sold as 1000iu per tablet, as opposed to a larger dose, so you can better personalise it to your needs. This is a good example.
Gut Health
A healthy gut is essential for good health. It helps us digest food properly, absorb nutrients, and fight off infections. However, our modern lifestyles mean we often eat poorly, leading to imbalances in the bacteria living in our digestive tract. These changes can lead to inflammation, leaky gut syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome and more.
The impact that our gut health can have on overall health and performance should not be underestimated. In fact, if your gut health is not where it needs to be, that is probably your priority to resolve over and above anything else we talk about on this site for improving your long-term performance.
Whilst this article is primarily about supplements, it would be wrong of me to imply that any one supplement is a priority for someone suffering with their gut health (diet, stress, sleep, addressing any pathogens, for example, are all critical) but I will also say that I have seen certain supplements work near miracles in some people (I previously worked as a nutritionist specialising in gut health). Probiotics would be one example of these. They really do work differently in different people, and it’s almost impossible to know if you need them and what exact product you need until you try them, but this Symprove product I have seen get some very impressive results time and time again.
There are of course other supplements that may play a part in your health, many of which will differ depending on your own individual health and needs. But I feel the above are worthy of consideration for most people. I hope it helps. Remember to check out this post on performance supplements for HYROX, and if you would like some more help with your nutrition – an incredibly important part of your HYROX performance – then check out our performance nutrition calls here.
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