Every now and again a story makes the media because there has been a tragic death as a result of supplement use.

Sometimes there are underlying, undiagnosed medical conditions and sometimes it is the result of, what I can only refer to as, gross negligence. It is a great tragedy and unnecessary loss of life. Unfortunately there just isn't enough regulation around supplements and literally anyone can sell them, whether they work in a  shop or sell them online as part of a growing number of MLM marketing schemes.

In my own practice, more than once I have seen young men in particular who have been given advice regarding their protein needs that are so far outside of the healthy range it is frightening. And on more than one occasion this has compromised their kidney function. Left to continue as they were, there could very well have been irreversible damage. But who is accountable? Seemingly no one.

There is a place for supplements, and I have discussed this previously in my post, "Supplements: who needs them?". Today though, I wanted to give you an idea of what I eat before exercise and also some advice on choosing a supplement for endurance events or training.

Exercise is a really important part of my daily routine. Outside of walking my dog every day, I try to get in about four decent bike rides a week. I do one with my husband on the weekend that is about two hours of reasonable intensity, one longer and slower family ride, and then during the week I do one long fast ride and another mountain bike alone or with a friend. In terms of what I'm burning energy wise, its not as big a difference as you may think - except for maybe the ride with my husband because he's annoyingly fit and fast so I have to work hard to keep up with him.

Do you want to know what I eat before a ride? My usual muesli and yoghurt for breakfast, followed by a snack about half an hour before I go out. My snack sometimes looks like the one below - 2 wholegrain crackers with cheese and a green tea (with a piece of cheese on the side because my dog complains if I don't share), or sometimes a piece of toast with peanut butter. Then I come home and have lunch after my ride. While I'm riding, I drink water.

Now, if you are going to be doing moderate to high intensity exercise for more than about an hour or so, you "may consider" a supplement. I still lean towards food here, because unless you are mid competition (and even then its often not an issue), why not stop for a snack? If you are competing in an event that is 2 hours or more then you will certainly need refuelling. For endurance events it is wise to test a few supplements before race day. Here are some things to consider:

1. How long is your event or training?
2. What sort of weather will your event or training be in?
3. What do you need to supplement?
4. If you are looking for an energy supplement, there is no shortage of supplements available on the market. I will leave it to you to choose one that you prefer but you will get the most benefit from one that contains a fast carbohydrate, such as glucose or maltodextrin, as well as a "slow" carbohydrate such as fructose. The reason for this is that your body has specific transporters for these - so you can only absorb as much sugar as you have transporters, at once. Therefore, if you approach refuelling from two angles, more fuel will reach your muscles, faster. 
5. Do you have irritable bowel or any food intolerances? If you do - then a supplement containing fructose may not be a good choice for you.
6. How much you actually need will depend on how long you are engaged in your endurance activity for. Using the instructions as a guide, and the advice of a health professional will help you make sure you get the most out of your regime.