Creatine ethyl ester: better than creatine monohydrate or just hype?
Creatine monohydrate (CM) is an ergogenic aid capable of improving both strength and explosive power. The ergogenic effects of CM have been replicated multiple times by scientific research, but supplement companies are still creating new forms of creatine. They always claim that their newest formula is better than good old CM. One of those newly created forms is creatine ethyl ester (CEE), which is an ethyl ester derivative of creatine. In this article, I will… Continue reading
Antioxidant supplementation and heavy exercise: friends or foes?
It is generally accepted that exercise is beneficial for maintaining good health. In addition, regular exercise can also help in the prevention of chronic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes and many more. However, upon heavy exercise, the exercising muscle will consume a lot more oxygen to supply the increase in oxygen demands. This significant increase in oxygen consumption by the muscle increases the local formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), causing oxidative stress. Exercise-induced oxidative… Continue reading
Foundational supplements (for athletes)
In this article I will discuss the dietary supplements that will form your foundation to good health and performance, in addition to a healthy diet. These foundational supplements are nutritional aids based on essential nutrients and should therefore be used daily. Essential nutrients are nutrients that the body can’t produce by itself (mostly amino acids, some fatty acids and a bunch of vitamins and minerals), and they need to be provided by the diet. The… Continue reading
Nitrate-rich vegetables can enhance endurance performance
Almost anyone in the world would agree that vegetables are good for us. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber and also contain a lot of different phytochemicals, but for some reason we don’t eat enough vegetables. Apparently, the health benefits are not convincing enough to stimulate athletes to eat more vegetables. Recent studies on dietary nitrate might change this, as it has been shown that nitrate-rich vegetables can enhance endurance performance.
Nitrates are composed… Continue reading
The optimal nutrient composition for sports drinks
In an earlier article I discussed the ideal nutrient composition for recovery drinks. This time I will put my focus on the optimal composition for sports drinks, which are mainly required during exercise to achieve peak performance. It will clearly be shown in this article that there is a substantial difference between recovery and sports drinks!
An optimal sports drink needs to meet 5 requirements.
1) Carbohydrates:
During exercise, you want a carbohydrate source that… Continue reading
Nicolas Paraskevopulos is a sports- and nutrition enthusiast. He is a dietitian and is now finishing his Master of Science in Nutrition and Health Sciences.