Supplements can play a very practical role when a team is travelling however, and their hectic schedules do not allow for carefully planned meals.
Playing matches in a foreign country where the quality of food cannot be guaranteed can also create dietary challenges, and meal replacement powders for example, can come in very handy.
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When good vitamins go bad
"It is important that supplementation is done on an individual basis, as players can develop an over-reliance on supplements for nutrition and actually develop an unbalanced diet," says dietitian Shelley Meltzer, a consultant from the Sports Science Institute.
There is always the danger that supplements could cause a player to test positive for a banned substance, emphasising the importance of individual supplement prescription and monitoring.
Creatine
Ergogenic supplements are substances that can lead to improvements in performance. One of the more popular (and legal) of these supplements is Creatine.
The energy for short sprints in soccer comes from phosphocreatine stored in the muscles. This is depleted very rapidly, but is replenished during the interspersed lower intensity activities like walking and jogging.
Creatine is found naturally in meat and fish, but not in the concentrations required by players. For example, 1 kg of fresh uncooked steak contains only 5 g of Creatine.
Creatine supplements can, in some individuals, improve recovery between high intensity exercise, increase power and muscle strength and improve sprint times.
How to use Creatine
"Recent research has shown that smaller doses of Creatine over a long period of time works as effectively as larger doses taken over a shorter time period (loading phase)," says Meltzer.
“But Creatine can also cause an increase in body mass due to water retention which can be disadvantageous” warns Meltzer. "A heavier player can have a higher risk of muscle strain, tears or injury."
Further research is needed to look at the long-term effects of Creatine.
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