Performance Q&AThe big cycling questions answered by our team of expert coaches, nutritionists and riders
01 WHAT SUPPLEMENTS WILL IMPROVE MY PERFORMANCE?
Creatine, sodium bicarbonate and caffeine all have a solid base of evidence behind them. But what about the new wave of performance-enhancing supplements? We investigate four credible options...
Collagen
Collagen makes up a whopping 30% of total protein mass in your body and is a must for performance enhancers such as joint mobility, strong bones and healthy muscles. It’s why Greg Whyte OBE launched U-Perform with collagen at the heart of the range.
Nutritionist Peter Res has worked with Ajax FC. “We’ve improved recovery rates of our athletes by supplementing with gelatin,” he says. “It’s a powder and you dissolve it in hot water.”
The theory goes that collagen is essentially the same ‘material’ as that found in tendons, ligaments and bones. When you break a bone or tear a ligament, the first bridges over the injury are collagen. “The ingested collagen contains the same amino acids as the collagen in our body, so provides all the building blocks,” says Res.
Exercise also increases collagen production. A 2017 University of California study found that short periods of exercise with at least six hours of rest increased collagen production. When participants took 15g of gelatin an hour before six minutes of skipping, it doubled the rate of collagen synthesis. This means cyclists could take a gelatin or collagen supplement before a short session in the morning to boost their collagen levels and so increase their resilience to a lengthier afternoon ride.
Cannabidiol (CBD) “Pain relief and improved sleep are two reasons for taking CBD,” says Graeme Close, professor of human physiology at Liverpool John Moores University. “The body has an endocannabinoids system, which is crucial in pain management, and CBD is a cannabinoid that can bind to these receptors.”
However, you may need to take a huge amount to enjoy much pain relief. Two CBD products, Sativex and Epidiolex, have licences to treat MS sufferers and epileptics, respectively. “With Epidiolex, you start at 500mg [a day],” says Close.
“Whether athletes would take it in those quantities, with the potential risk of anti-doping plus the cost (£35K a year in that amount), is unlikely. But the evidence behind the smaller dosage isn’t quite there.” This is reflecte
