How To Use Energy Supplements for Intense Training?

Intense training sessions can place substantial demands on your body’s energy systems. Whether it's high-intensity interval training, endurance sessions, or strength testing, your body requires a continuous supply of energy to sustain muscle contraction and maintain exercise intensity. On regular days, this is provided in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which powers muscle activity during physical exertion1. However, during more demanding workouts, your usual energy sources may be insufficient, making energy supplements helpful to meet increased requirements.

Scientifically, in demanding training, your ATP sources can fall short compared to the energy your body actually needs. When this occurs, the body relies on stored fuels, such as muscle glycogen, blood glucose, and fatty acids. Complementing this, research in Nutrition Reviews2 finds that during intense sessions exceeding 60% of maximal oxygen uptake, carbohydrates become the primary source of ATP in working muscles, underscoring the importance of targeted nutrition.

For athletes engaged in demanding training sessions, maintaining proper energy levels may be the key to performance nutrition. In fact, according to some reviews published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition3, athletes undertaking frequent intense training sessions may require more carbohydrates than the general population to support repeated training efforts.

In this context, energy-enhancing supplements may be used by athletes and like professionals to support energy fuelling during demanding training sessions. This article explores how energy supplements may be used in the context of intense training and the right supplements for the best results.

Pro Tip: Energy gels, by Kinetica Sports, come in two categories, including ones with caffeine and those without. Depending on your goals and energy requirements, each Kinetica energy gel (without caffeine) may offer 24g of carbohydrates, 30% of your recommended daily allowance of vitamin C and 0.06g of salt.

What are Energy Supplements?

Energy supplements are products designed to support the body’s energy systems during periods of intense physical activity. When it comes to sports nutrition, these supplements are mostly used by athletes undergoing demanding training sessions, competitions or frequent endurance exercise where adequate energy levels are necessary. Unlike general supplements, good supplements for energy may be formulated to provide the right ingredients that help in energy metabolism, hydration and neuromuscular functioning.

If we talk practically, energy supplements are usually a combination of carbohydrates, stimulants like electrolytes or caffeine and other nutrients responsible for metabolic processes within the human body. According to the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition research, nutritional strategies involving carbohydrates, caffeine and electrolytes are frequently used to support exercise capacity and maintain training intensity during high-demanding training sessions4.

Supplements for more energy are available in different forms. Based on the type and duration of the training session, the products may include drink mixes, energy gels, energy powder, electrolyte tablets and even pre-workout powders. Many athletes may consume energy supplements to maintain their blood glucose levels, while others consume caffeine-based energy supplements to support alertness. Evidence in Sports Medicine suggests that taking carbohydrates during prolonged physical exertion can help sustain endurance by adding additional fuel to the body’s depleting glycogen levels5.

It is vital to note that energy supplements may be used to complement a well-structured nutrition plan. The supplement alone can not replace a balanced dietary intake. Athletes, in most cases, may have to rely on a combination of hydration, dietary nutrition and targeted supplementation to support the metabolic needs of the body.

How Energy-Enhancing Supplements Work During Intense Training?

During intense training, the human body produces constant energy to sustain muscular activity and training intensity. The energy levels rely on the ATP process that is responsible for powering muscle contraction. However, the body has a limited amount of ATP, which may fall short during intense training sessions.

In this context, below is how energy supplements may seem like a useful sports supplement:

Supporting Energy Production

ATP is primarily generated through three energy systems: the aerobic metabolism, anaerobic glycolysis and the phosphocreatine system. During short bursts of high-intensity workouts, the phosphocreatine system provides rapid ATP production, whereas longer exercises rely on the other two ATP metabolism systems.

According to research published in Sports Medicine, with the rising exercise intensity levels, the body becomes more reliant on carbohydrates because carbohydrates can produce ATP more rapidly than fat6. This is one of the reasons why most energy supplements might have carbohydrates in them.

Maintaining Energy Levels

Besides helping ATP regeneration, good energy supplements might also help maintain energy levels during intense training sessions. One of the key challenges most athletes face during endurance or strength training is the depletion of energy. As the body begins to work out, it starts consuming the glycogen levels. With intense training sessions, the glycogen stores may fall short, leading to low energy levels during mid-training.

A citation from the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition highlights that athletes performing high endurance training sessions may benefit from carbohydrate availability before and during exercise7. Maintaining sufficient levels of energy, through energy supplements, might also help sustain blood glucose levels and provide a constant energy source for working muscles during demanding training sessions. Besides carbohydrates, caffeine may also be beneficial during intense training. Since caffeine and other stimulants are usually consumed to improve focus., reviews in the British Journal of Sports Medicine cite that caffeine may influence the central nervous system. It is also being widely investigated for its potential effects on improved focus and alertness during training sessions8.

Kinetica Tip: Taking energy gels, with or without caffeine, before or even during training sessions may significantly improve your energy levels. Integrating energy gels as part of the overall nutritional plan may also improve your endurance, strength and even focus during high-demanding training sessions.

When to Take Energy Supplements for Best Results?

Energy supplements are often incorporated strategically to help athletes manage energy demands during intense training sessions. The timing, in this context, can be a very vital factor for sustained energy levels. When it comes to energy gels by Kinetica Sports, we recommend taking the gel 15 minutes before a demanding training session for higher than usual energy levels.

The timing of energy enhancing supplements may, however, depend on the type of physical activity, duration, intensity and overall goal of the training session. Below is how to decide the right time of consumption for you:

Before Training

In most cases, supplements for more energy, like energy powders or gels, are taken before a training session, as part of a pre-exercise nutrition strategy. In this context, consuming certain ingredients prior to the training session may help maintain the metabolic and neurological demands of a highly intense training session.

According to research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, caffeine is one of the most widely researched ingredients used before training sessions. The research also cites that studies done on caffeine are mostly to identify its role in causing potential positive effects on endurance performance, alertness and focus9.

Consuming carbohydrate-based energy supplements before a training session may support energy production and availability. This is particularly for athletes performing highly intense or prolonged training sessions.

During Training

For endurance or strength-training athletes dealing with long training sessions, energy supplements may also be consumed during training. Activities like cycling, long-distance running, swimming and other extended forms of physical workouts can place high demands on the body’s energy levels, especially when the training session extends beyond 60 minutes.

During prolonged and intense training sessions, carbohydrates are usually consumed to maintain the body’s glucose levels and provide additional energy fuels to the working muscles. Reviews published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition cite that consuming carbohydrates during prolonged training sessions may help sustain performance10.

Electrolytes, like electrolyte tablets offered by Kinetica Sports, may also be included in a supplementation strategy to offer proper hydration, particularly when the exercise involves significant fluid loss through sweat.

After Training

While energy supplements are often used before or during training sessions, certain formulations may also be used after a highly intense or prolonged training session. In most cases, the post-exercise strategy is more about recovery, which could help replenish the energy stores.

Post-training nutrition may include carbohydrates to help restore the lost glycogen levels. This is a vital choice for athletes who train multiple times a day or perform highly intense training sessions. Based on research published in Nutrients, carbohydrate intake after a training session may help with glycogen resynthesis, which may further help with post-training recovery.

Types of Energy Supplements Used in Training

Depending on the athlete and the phases of training, energy supplements are available in various formats. Below are some of the most commonly incorporated supplements that may help with energy level regeneration and production:

Energy Gels (with & without Caffeine)

Energy gels are compact carbohydrate-based energy supplements designed with convenience in mind. They may be used among endurance athletes, like runners, swimmers and cyclists, as the gels offer a good source of carbohydrates in a compact form.

While they can be taken before a workout session, they can also be consumed during an intense training session, especially if the session is extending beyond 60 minutes. Given the compact design and ease of consumption, the gels may be consumed quickly without interrupting activity.

At Kinetica Sports, energy gels can also be found in caffeine-based form in two different flavours.

Energy Powder

Energy powder is another one of the most common energy supplements consumed by athletes. The powder may be mixed with water to create a carbohydrate-rich drink that can be consumed before or during training. The energy powder usually contains carbohydrates, electrolytes and sometimes caffeine.

Energy powder, by Kinetica Sports, offers 41g of carbohydrates in a smart 3:1 glucose to fructose ratio. This may help in rapid absorption and improved energy levels.

Pre-Workout Powder

Pre-workout powders are supplements designed to be taken shortly before training. Kinetica Sports’ Pre-Fuel offers 92mg of caffeine in just one scoop. This may help support muscle endurance and delay fatigue.

Besides having caffeine, most pre-workouts may also contain amino acids. As per the reviews published in Nutrients11, there are several studies being conducted that study the role of amino acids in training adaptation, muscle mass development and muscle functioning.

Electrolyte Tablets

Electrolyte tablets are primarily used to support hydration. Mostly dissolved in water, these tablets may offer minerals like sodium, potassium and magnesium that play a role in maintaining fluid balance, muscle functioning and nerve signalling.

During intense or prolonged training sessions, electrolytes in the body can be lost through sweat. The American College of Sports Medicine notes that electrolytes during a training session may help in maintaining the body’s hydration levels and psychological function throughout prolonged activity12.

Recovery Powder

Recovery powders are consumed post-training, in most cases, to support recovery following intense training sessions. The formulations may contain carbohydrates, protein, amino acids and electrolytes.

After a highly demanding training session, the body’s glycogen stores may deplete. Energy supplements like recovery powders may help maintain the body’s carbohydrate levels and contribute to glycogen resynthesis13.

Kinetica Sports: The “How” to Your “Why”

Energy supplements are widely used in sports nutrition to help athletes manage the demanding energy requirements of each training session. From prolonged training sessions to highly demanding ones, energy supplements may offer the right levels of energy, help restore glucose levels and also provide the needed hydration after a session.

In this context, different types of energy supplements may perform different roles. Portable packaging like energy gels can offer convenience, along with a solid dose of concentrated carbohydrates. Energy powders and pre-workouts, on the other hand, may usually be consumed before a session to support carbohydrate availability or alertness. Lastly, electrolytes may assist with hydration strategies to help the body cope with excessive fluid loss after a highly demanding training session.

Whether you are a weekend footballer, a pro athlete or a trained professional training hard to accomplish great things at your next competition, everyone has their "why" – the reason behind why they do what they do. We, at Kinetica Sports, are here to help with the "how". With sports nutrition supplements, like energy supplements and more, our goal is to help you reach safety to your "why".