Supplements are often used to fill nutritional gaps in a person’s diet and are essential in cases of nutrient deficiencies. (1) Athletes take supplements to enhance their performance and push their limits.
Mitchell Hooper, the 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) and 2024 Strongest Man on Earth (SMoE), emphasizes that supplements can provide the boost needed to excel in training. Which supplements are best for workout performance, longevity, and optimal health? Hooper broke down the essential supplements for strength training below:
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Mitchell Hooper’s Supplements for Increasing Strength
Hooper organizes supplements into the following categories:
- Non-negotiables
- Performance Enhancers
- Worth a Shot
- Potential Deficiencies (most important to address to operate optimally)
Supplements should be at the forefront of your mind. “If you can get this stuff through food sources, that should be your priority,” Hooper said.
Non-Negotiables
“If exercising and resistance training, three supplements must be consumed,” Hooper explained. These are:
- Whey Isolate: Choose whey isolate over whey concentrate for its superior purity and protein content. It may cause gastrointestinal discomfort, particularly for sensitive stomachs. In such cases, a vegan protein alternative is a great option. A high-quality whey isolate provides more than enough nutritional benefits for most individuals. (2)
- Creatine Monohydrate: Creatine monohydrate is safe, effective, and one of the most extensively researched supplements. Creatine is also found naturally in significant amounts in foods like red meat. (3)
- Probiotics: When building strength and muscle, supporting digestive and immune systems is crucial. (4)
“BCAAs are not on my list because they are not something that I find as any sort of non-negotiable for your training,” Hooper explained.
Performance Enhancers
Hooper approves the following supplements for enhanced workout performance:
- Pre-workouts: Pre-workouts can be either stimulant-based or non-stimulant. Their purpose goes beyond simply providing caffeine for an energy boost — otherwise, you could just take caffeine pills.
- Good pre-workouts might offer more ingredients, such as beta-alanine, which can enhance psychological focus, promote vasodilation, and enhance exercise performance. (5)
- Citrulline Malate: Enhances anaerobic capacity while accelerating recovery.
- Sodium: Replenishing sodium lost during training is important. In small amounts, sodium maintains fluid balance and ensures the proper functioning of muscles and nerves. (6)
- Electrolytes: Effective in relieving muscle cramps, especially during training sessions. (7)
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Worth a Shot
Some evidence supports the effectiveness of these supplements, though opinions remain divided.
- Sodium Bicarbonate: Effective for high-volume exercises, as it helps minimize the buildup of hydrogen ions. According to Hooper, it’s not lactic acid but the accumulation of hydrogen ions that leads to the discomfort experienced during training. (8)
- Sodium is a buffer, enhancing work capacity and alleviating the pain often associated with high-volume anaerobic workouts. (9)
- Mass Gainer: The effectiveness of mass gainers depends largely on brand, as some can be harsh on the stomach. They can be a great option for those seeking extra calories.
- Essential Amino Acids: Essential amino acids are vital because the body cannot produce them independently. Consuming them during workouts can enhance protein synthesis and accelerate recovery. (10)
- Glutamine: May help reduce muscle fatigue; available in various forms, including powder, oral supplements, and injections. (11)
Potential Deficiencies
Hooper explains that three potential micronutrient deficiencies are prevalent. He acknowledges such deficiencies are rare in the Western world due to abundant vitamin-fortified foods.
- Iron: Iron deficiency is more common in women than men, largely due to menstruation. When iron levels are low, the body struggles to transport oxygen effectively, leading to fatigue and slower recovery. (12)
- Vitamin B12: Plays a vital role in energy production, but supplementation is only needed in cases of deficiency. (13)
- Vitamin D: Vitamin D is crucial in supporting hormonal health, particularly for individuals in colder climates or the Northern Hemisphere. (14)
- Our bodies naturally produce it when sunlight interacts with our skin, but many aren’t exposed to enough daylight to absorb efficient vitamin D levels.
“So those are my supplement guidelines to be able to build strength and become the strongest, healthiest, most robust version of yourself,” Hooper concluded.
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References
- Wierzejska R. E. (2021). Dietary Supplements-For Whom? The Current State of Knowledge about the Health Effects of Selected Supplement Use. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(17), 8897. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18178897
- Duarte, N. M., Cruz, A. L., Silva, D. C., & Cruz, G. M. (2020). Intake of whey isolate supplement and muscle mass gains in young healthy adults when combined with resistance training: a blinded randomized clinical trial (pilot study). The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness, 60(1), 75–84. https://doi.org/10.23736/S0022-4707.19.09741-X
- Cooper, R., Naclerio, F., Allgrove, J., & Jimenez, A. (2012). Creatine supplementation with specific view to exercise/sports performance: an update. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 9(1), 33. https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-9-33
- Nichols A. W. (2007). Probiotics and athletic performance: a systematic review. Current sports medicine reports, 6(4), 269–273.
- Rogers, J. M., Gills, J., & Gray, M. (2020). Acute effects of Nitrosigine® and citrulline malate on vasodilation in young adults. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 17(1), 12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-020-00343-y
- Veniamakis, E., Kaplanis, G., Voulgaris, P., & Nikolaidis, P. T. (2022). Effects of Sodium Intake on Health and Performance in Endurance and Ultra-Endurance Sports. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(6), 3651. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19063651
- Lau, W. Y., Kato, H., & Nosaka, K. (2019). Water intake after dehydration makes muscles more susceptible to cramp but electrolytes reverse that effect. BMJ open sport & exercise medicine, 5(1), e000478. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2018-000478
- Poole, D. C., Rossiter, H. B., Brooks, G. A., & Gladden, L. B. (2021). The anaerobic threshold: 50+ years of controversy. The Journal of physiology, 599(3), 737–767. https://doi.org/10.1113/JP279963
- Grgic, J., Pedisic, Z., Saunders, B., Artioli, G. G., Schoenfeld, B. J., McKenna, M. J., Bishop, D. J., Kreider, R. B., Stout, J. R., Kalman, D. S., Arent, S. M., VanDusseldorp, T. A., Lopez, H. L., Ziegenfuss, T. N., Burke, L. M., Antonio, J., & Campbell, B. I. (2021). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: sodium bicarbonate and exercise performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 18(1), 61. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-021-00458-w
- Markofski, M. M., Jennings, K., Timmerman, K. L., Dickinson, J. M., Fry, C. S., Borack, M. S., Reidy, P. T., Deer, R. R., Randolph, A., Rasmussen, B. B., & Volpi, E. (2019). Effect of Aerobic Exercise Training and Essential Amino Acid Supplementation for 24 Weeks on Physical Function, Body Composition, and Muscle Metabolism in Healthy, Independent Older Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial. The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences, 74(10), 1598–1604. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/gly109
- Coqueiro, A. Y., Rogero, M. M., & Tirapegui, J. (2019). Glutamine as an Anti-Fatigue Amino Acid in Sports Nutrition. Nutrients, 11(4), 863. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11040863
- Kardasis, W., Naquin, E. R., Garg, R., Arun, T., Gopianand, J. S., Karmakar, E., & Gnana-Prakasam, J. P. (2023). The IRONy in Athletic Performance. Nutrients, 15(23), 4945. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15234945
- Lukaski H. C. (2004). Vitamin and mineral status: effects on physical performance. Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.), 20(7-8), 632–644. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2004.04.001
- Pilz, S., Frisch, S., Koertke, H., Kuhn, J., Dreier, J., Obermayer-Pietsch, B., Wehr, E., & Zittermann, A. (2011). Effect of vitamin D supplementation on testosterone levels in men. Hormone and metabolic research = Hormon- und Stoffwechselforschung = Hormones et metabolisme, 43(3), 223–225. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0030-1269854
Featured image: @mitchellhooper on Instagram
