In an ideal world, we would get all of our nutritional needs from our diet. This is harder to do than it used to be, but it is possible. However, if we want to maximise performance, and be as fit, strong, and fast as we possibly can, thereby improving our times at HYROX (in an increasingly competitive field), then supplements can play an important role.
That all said, it’s important to remember that they are only supplements. There is no ‘magic pill’ and getting the rest of your training and nutrition on track (while sleeping well and keeping stress under control) is far more important than any supplement.
There are a huge number of supplements available that may be marketed towards HYROX athletes. However, many have no real proven benefit. This article will discuss the supplements that can help to improve your performance at HYROX and have some scientific backing behind them. I am not saying these are the ONLY supplements needed. But these are the ones I feel would potentially be beneficial, and which I consider have some good evidence to support that argument. I previously owned a supplement company and am very fussy around the quality and effectiveness of supplements. I am well versed in identifying if a company is largely selling expensive rubbish, or whether they care about what they are selling to their customers.
Additionally, it is quite likely that this list will prove to be outdated in a few years as more research becomes available. I’ll aim to keep this article updated the best I can.
Creatine Monohydrate
Creatine is one of the most well-researched and effective supplements that exists. It is found naturally in our muscle tissue and is usually used as the first energy source for fast, powerful movements (sprinting, lifting weights, etc). Even though it is found naturally in our body, we can benefit from additional levels with supplementation.
From a sporting performance perspective, the primary benefit is its association with helping to rapidly producing energy during intense activity. It has been shown to help increase muscle mass and strength levels in athletes. It is also associated with cognitive benefits. The benefits for a pure endurance athlete are less conclusive, but there are very few downsides to creatine, it is relatively cheap, and strength / power is an important element in HYROX. Therefore, it’s probably a no brainer for most people to supplement with.
The only real potential downsides to creatine are if you find that supplementing with it disagrees with you in some way, such as causing diarrhoea or nausea (rare but possible). Additionally, it could lead to some minor weight gain (partly caused by increased water retention in the body) which isn’t ideal from a running perspective (but the potential benefits almost certainly outweigh that very minor downside, imo). If either of these did become a problem, then lowering the dose a little may help.
In terms of dose, around 5g per day, taken with water, is appropriate for most people. Note that this should be every day, not just something to take as a pre-workout on days you train. Consistent use is relatively important if you want the benefits. The timing of when you take it doesn’t really matter; just once a day, any time, is fine.
When you first start to take creatine, you could perform a “loading phase” for the first 5 days, where you take four lots of 5-gram doses per day. You’d then continue at the normal 5g per day dosing thereafter. This isn’t essential, it simply brings your creatine stores up to a more optimal level in a faster amount of time.
When buying creatine, you don’t need anything fancy. A simple “creatine monohydrate” is perfectly fine. Anything jazzed up to be a “more effective” or “well absorbed” creatine is just marketing, with the company trying to differentiate its’ product in a crowded marketplace (or trying to charge you more money).
For more information on the benefits of creatine, Examine.com is a great resource.
This creatine monohydrate is a good, relatively cheap, option.
Carbohydrates
A sufficient intake of carbohydrates can be important when training for an endurance event such as HYROX. Glycogen is the main source of energy for the body. However, during exercise (especially when training for, or competing in, endurance events) it is depleted quite quickly. Taking on carbohydrates helps to replenish our glycogen stores, allowing a sustained level of performance and delaying the onset of fatigue. Therefore, carbs help to play a part in performing at your best, as well as helping you to sufficiently recover for your next session.
Supplementing with carbs isn’t essential as you can get a sufficient amount from the diet alone. However, depending on your diet, and your levels of activity / training, supplementation can be a relatively easy way to keep your levels topped up. It can also be good to use pre-race when you may not feel like eating too much but want a quick source of carbs, and / or during longer training sessions.
I personally like to use Cyclic Dextrin, mixed with water.
Beta Alanine
Beta-alanine is a precursor to carnosine, a molecule that helps buffer acid in muscles. This helps regulate the pH levels in the muscle, which can subsequently help to improve sporting performance. Carnosine can’t enter muscle cells to a significant extent, but beta-alanine can, making it a preferred choice for supplementation compared to L-Carnosine.
Beta-alanine supplementation has been shown to enhance muscular endurance. It is primarily of benefit during high-intensity exercise lasting from 1 to 10 minutes. Of course, a HYROX race lasts longer than 10 mins, so it’s not a clear-cut benefit for a HYROX athlete. However, personally I think of it as something that has minimal downsides, and certainly may be of benefit. If it’s been shown to enhance muscular endurance, could it improve your performance on the wall balls section, during HYROX, for example?
A daily dose of 3-5g is normally effective for most people. It is another supplement which should be taken daily for greatest benefit. So even though it’s typically included in “pre-workout” supplements, it is really something that should be taken every day, at any time, regardless of if you are training that day or not.
Large doses of beta-alanine may cause a tingling feeling called paresthesia. It is a harmless side effect, but some people find the sensation uncomfortable. Normally this experience can be avoided by halving the dose, and taking twice per day separated by a few hours.
I use this product.
Caffeine
Caffeine is a powerful stimulant. It can be used to either help suppress tiredness or enhance sporting performance. There is also some evidence to suggest that it may help as a “fat burner”.
Caffeine can be obtained from coffee, tea and popular energy drinks, but it can also be taken in capsule form. Caffeine is the primary ingredient in most “pre-workout” supplements and is likely a much cheaper (yet just as effective) option on its own if you need a boost before training or competing.
Many of caffeine’s benefits are subject to tolerance. Those people who are used to taking caffeine on a regular basis may not experience the benefits as much as someone else. It’s worth noting that this is an ‘insurmountable’ tolerance, meaning more caffeine will not simply overcome it. Therefore, if you want to use caffeine as a performance enhancer, it is probably wise to limit any non pre workout caffeine intake. It’s also best not to take unless you feel you really need it. On a day when you’re feeling good and energetic, it might be best to give caffeine a miss. But if youre feeling lethargic, and not up for it, yet still want to get a good training session in, then that’s when it becomes more worthwhile. If you feel like you have built up a tolerance to caffeine (which can happen quite quickly), then taking a month break from it will likely help.
Dosing wise, it should be tailored to the individual. A good place to start for most adults would be 100mg dose, and then build up from there depending on your reaction. If you feel jittery, for example, then it may not be for you, or you need to reduce the dose. Researchers tend to use a dosage range of 4-6mg/kg bodyweight (so an 80kg individual, for example, might be looking at around 400mg per dose).
If considering caffeine before a race (a HYROX event, for example), then it’s worth thinking about how you normally feel before those events. If you are anxious / wired / jittery already, then adding caffeine into the mix may not be the best strategy. Just because you like to use it for the occasional training session, it may not be suitable for you on race day.
These caffeine capsules are a good, inexpensive option, or these pre workout shots also contain caffeine.
Protein
Protein provides you with the essential amino acids needed to build (and maintain) lean muscle mass. It is important for everyone, not just people who participate in sport.
It is possible to get enough from food intake alone, but most people typically don’t get anywhere near enough. A protein powder can, therefore, be a convenient (and tasty) way to keep protein levels topped up without having to eat lots of meat, fish and other food sources of protein each day. Even though the price of powdered proteins has increased, it is still a relatively cheap way to keep your protein intake at optimal levels when compared to the cost of normal food sources of protein.
You can supplement with protein at any time of the day, though it may be of added benefit if taken soon after a workout.
Whey proteins tend to be fast digesting and the best tasting, though the availability and quality of vegan protein powders is also improving.
I personally like to use this whey protein product. This vegan protein is a popular choice for those who don’t want to use a whey.
Electrolytes
Staying well hydrated is critical for your performance during training and HYROX events. It has been shown that just 5% dehydration can lead to a 30% reduction in performance.
For someone who doesn’t exercise, and sweat, frequently or intensely, water intake alone (combined with a good diet), is normally sufficient to keep that person hydrated in day-to-day life. However, as soon as you start to exercise, and sweat, you begin to lose vital electrolytes. Failure to top up these essential electrolytes (through diet and supplementation) will inhibit your body’s ability to absorb the water it needs. This can be a particular issue for someone training or competing in HYROX as the training can be intense, and the venues themselves, during a HYROX, can be very hot. Cramping and fatigue can be two of the effects of this. Electrolytes also help top maintain neural function.
There are a wide range of electrolytes supplements on the market. This product tastes great (though I personally only use half sachet per bottle of water, a whole one was too sweet for me and I’m sweet enough! I prefer the Lemon and Lime flavour).
Summary
Aside from the above, there are supplements that you may benefit from that I would consider more from a health perspective than a sporting / HYROX performance perspective. Of course, with improved health you will almost certainly experience improved performance (especially over the longer term). I discuss those in this post.
If you would like further help with your nutrition and supplementation for HYROX, then check out our performance nutrition calls.
Finally, remember to always check with your doctor / dietician before beginning a supplementation protocol or following any diet changes.
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