Although there is some evidence that glutamine supplementation with protein can improve training adaptations, more research is needed to determine the ergogenic value in athletes. There is currently no research to suggest that glutamine has a direct effect on performance. Ribose Ribose is a 3-carbon carbohydrate that is involved in the synthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in the muscle (the useable form of energy). Clinical studies have shown that ribose supplementation can increase exercise capacity in heart patients [455–459]. For this reason, ribose has been suggested to be an ergogenic aid for athletes. Although more research is needed, most studies show no ergogenic value

Epacadostat order of ribose supplementation on exercise capacity in health untrained or trained populations [460–462]. A 2006 study [463] Selleckchem Citarinostat investigated the effects of ribose vs. dextrose on rowing performance. After

eight weeks of supplementation dextrose had a better response than ribose across the subjects [463]. Kreider and associates [462] and Kersick and colleagues [464] investigated ribose supplementation on measures of anaerobic capacity in trained athletes. This research group found that ribose supplementation did not have a positive impact on performance [462, 464]. It appears at this point that ribose supplementation does not improve aerobic or anaerobic performance. Inosine Inosine is a building block for DNA and RNA that is found in muscle. Inosine has a number Selleckchem Emricasan of potentially important roles that may enhance training and/or exercise performance [465]. Although there is some theoretical PRKD3 rationale, available studies indicate that inosine supplementation has no apparent affect on exercise performance capacity [466–468]. Supplements to Promote General Health In addition to the supplements previously described, several nutrients have been suggested to help athletes

stay healthy during intense training. For example, the American Medical Association recently recommended that all Americans ingest a daily low-dose multivitamin in order to ensure that people get a sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals in their diet. Although one-a-day vitamin supplementation has not been found to improve exercise capacity in athletes, it may make sense to take a daily vitamin supplement for health reasons. Glucosomine and chondroitin have been reported to slow cartilage degeneration and reduce the degree of joint pain in active individuals which may help athletes postpone and/or prevent joint problems [469, 470]. Supplemental Vitamin C, glutamine, echinacea, and zinc have been reported to enhance immune function [471–474]. Consequently, some sports nutritionists recommend that athletes who feel a cold coming on take these nutrients in order to enhance immune function [55, 471–473].