Supplements

The best-researched sports supplement there is. Creatine tops up the phosphocreatine stores in your muscles, giving you more energy available during short, intense effort. The ISSN position stand (2017) judges it safe and effective for strength and muscle mass; over weeks to months it gives more strength and muscle mass than training without it.

Dosage

3–5 g per day

Timing

Any time of day, as long as you take it every day

Approx. price

€3–6 per month

Basics · strong evidence

Not a magic product, but a practical way to reach your protein intake. For most athletes, 1.4 to 2.0 g of protein per kilo of body weight per day is enough to build and maintain muscle (ISSN, 2017). If you get that from quark, eggs, meat and beans, powder adds nothing. If you don't, one shake solves it.

Dosage

20–40 g per serving, until your daily target is reached

Timing

Whenever it suits; the daily total matters more than the timing

Approx. price

€15–30 per month

Basics · strong evidence

One of the best-researched performance aids: the ISSN position stand (2021) concludes that caffeine improves performance in many, but not all, studies, in trained and untrained people alike. Studies saw effects on muscular endurance, speed, strength and sprinting.

Dosage

3–6 mg per kilo of body weight

Timing

About 60 minutes before your workout

Approx. price

€2–5 per month

Performance · strong evidence

Carbohydrates during exercise improve performance in longer endurance efforts. Below 30 minutes it is not needed. For 1 to 2 hours, about 30 g per hour is probably enough; with longer duration it rises to 60 g per hour, and beyond 2.5 hours up to 90 g per hour (Jeukendrup, 2014).

Dosage

30–60 g per hour; after 2.5 hours up to 90 g per hour

Timing

During long training sessions or races

Approx. price

€8–20 per month

Performance · strong evidence

In Belgium the sun is too low from October to March to make enough vitamin D. The Superior Health Council therefore recommends adults a supplement of 10 micrograms (400 IU) per day in the winter months. Higher doses often seen in shops (800–2000 IU or more) are not needed for the official advice; have your level measured if you're unsure.

Dosage

400 IU (10 µg) per day in winter (advice of the Superior Health Council)

Timing

With a meal

Approx. price

€2–6 per month

Vitamins & minerals · strong evidence

Iron deficiency can cause fatigue and disappointing performance. Whether you have a deficiency can only be seen from your blood values (including ferritin). Supplementing only makes sense with a proven deficiency.

Dosage

Only based on a blood value

Timing

Discuss with your doctor; taking it every other day as a single dose seems to be absorbed better

Approx. price

€5–12 per month

Vitamins & minerals · strong evidence

B12 occurs naturally only in animal products. For vegans, fortified foods and supplements are the reliable sources. A deficiency can cause anaemia and nerve damage. People who eat animal products generally get B12 from their food.

Dosage

10 µg per day or 2000 µg per week (Vegan Society); some sources advise 25 µg per day

Timing

Any time

Approx. price

€2–5 per month

Vitamins & minerals · strong evidence

Protein right before bed raises muscle protein synthesis during the night. In a randomised trial of 36 healthy young men, 45 g of casein, 30 minutes before bed, gave the same effect as 45 g of whey. Casein is therefore not shown to be better than whey for this purpose. For muscle growth, your daily total of protein matters most.

Dosage

30–45 g (ISSN: 30–40 g; studies: 40–45 g)

Timing

About 30 minutes before bed

Approx. price

€15–30 per month

Basics · fair evidence