Demystifying Sport Food Supplements

The availability of sport food supplements (bars and shakes) has exploded and it seems as though they can be purchased at any grocery store, corner market or even vending machine these days. I am always surprised at how so many athletes feel that these items are somehow “magical” and better quality than real foods. Perhaps it has something to do with the jazzy packaging or marketing claims, or the countless athlete endorsements.

The purpose of this blog is to help put the consumption of these supplements back into perspective. I have listed answers to some common questions that I get from my athletes about these products.

There are so many meal replacements shakes and bars out there! Which ones are the best?

Here are some rules of thumb to consider.

• Look at the ingredient panel first. Look for products with the least amount of ingredients and with contents that you are familiar with. Also choose products with natural ingredients. For example, some bars will use real fruit for sweetness versus corn syrup or sugar.
• Look at the nutrition facts panel. If you will be using this bar as a snack or as a meal replacement look for approx 250 calories, <7g of fat, 25-35g carbohydrates (including at least 2g of fibre), and 10-15g of protein.

Q.  Do I need to take a protein powder supplement? What is the best kind?

A. About 95% of the athletes I see are eating enough protein everyday from food alone. Research has shown that consuming more than 2.0g/kg of protein per day has no beneficial effects on protein metabolism (1).  Remember that protein is not only found in meat products, but is also found in dairy products, beans and legumes as well as grain products! Generally speaking, most athletes can get enough of the protein that is needed post workout (5-15g) from consuming 1-2 cups of chocolate milk!

Protein powders can be a nice convenience item when other protein items are not available or when travelling. Whey protein (a milk based protein) is a great quality protein with a high biological value (BV). BV is a measure of how well the body can absorb and utilize the protein.  Generally speaking, whey isolates are meant to enter the system faster (as would be needed in a recovery shake) where as whey concentrates will take longer (as would be useful in a meal replacement shake).

Q. Are bars and shakes better for you than real foods?

A. No, these should be viewed as convenience products, that are essentially processed forms of macronutrients (carbs, proteins and fats) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals).  For most of these products there are real food alternatives that offer the nutrition, usually at a cheaper cost . Remember that real foods are the original source of these nutrients! If you think about it, a multivitamin is probably one of the most “processed” foods out there, considering the original food sources of all of those vitamins and minerals!

1. Burke, L., & Deakin, V. (2006). Clinical Sports Nutrition. (3rd ed.). Sydney: McGraw Hill.