Regular practice of an endurance sport such as swimming increases micronutrient losses, leads to the appearance of cramps and aches and causes inflammation and muscle damage. Athletes wishing to limit these harms must follow a suitable supplementation program.
Competitive swimmers need more advanced sports nutrition to exceed their performance. Indeed, high-level practice requires: optimization of muscular and neuronal recovery, improvement of glycogen and energy synthesis, strengthening of joint and tendon protection and better muscle repair and better anabolism.

The fundamental supplements

Multivitamins: Taking a daily multivitamin supplement helps avoid deficiencies and protects immune cells which are destroyed by free radicals generated during exercise.

Taking vitamins also improves muscle recovery following a swimming session and helps reduce nighttime cramps (1-2).

Multiminerals: Taking a multimineral daily helps avoid deficiencies , reduce inflammation and muscle damage , particularly thanks to zinc and selenium (3) and protect the bones thanks to magnesium (4.5).

Omega 3 : Daily intake of omega 3 reduces cardiac stress and fatigue caused by repeated workouts (6). They also help reduce the harm caused by muscle aches and improve recovery by strengthening antioxidant defenses (7,8).

BCAA 4.1.1: Taking BCAA improves recovery after exercise by strengthening muscle protein synthesis. Taking at least 5 g of BCAA before training reduces the level of aches and accelerates their disappearance (9).

Creatine: taking creatine accelerates recovery by minimizing muscle catabolism , protecting cells against the damage of free radicals (thanks to its antioxidant action) and promoting the storage of muscle glycogen .

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supplements for training

Musclewhey

Protein supplementation after training promotes muscle fiber repair by improving muscle protein synthesis and facilitating muscle glycogen resynthesis (10). Musclewhey is a blend of native whey and native whey isolate: this are fast-assimilation proteins suitable for taking right after training to accelerate recovery.

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Organic oats

Adequate supplementation with quality carbohydrates is crucial both in preparation for a swimming session and after it in order to optimize recovery and compensate for the drop in glycogen induced by exercise (11). Oats are a carbohydrate suitable for improving recovery after exercise and helps limit the drop in tone which degrades sports performance the day after a swimming session.

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Type 1 Collagen

Although swimming provides benefits for cardiovascular health, this discipline does not have positive effects on bone strength and density according to the scientific literature (12). Like all other athletes who train regularly, Swimmers are particularly vulnerable to injuries and pain. With this in mind, supplementing with collagen becomes essential to maintain good performance. Collagen promotes the maintenance and protection of the bone structure and promotes the lubrication of the tendons. The latter thus allows better prevention of acute aches and tendon pain.

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Cluster Dextrin

Cluster Dextrin® is an ideal carbohydrate taken pre- and intra-training because it does not weigh on the stomach thanks to a very short passage time in the stomach. This dextrin is also assimilated very quickly by the body, which provides an immediate energy supply (13).

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ZMB

Intense swimming training has negative effects on the nervous system. It is during sleep that the latter is regenerated, but the quality of sleep of athletes is generally impaired because of the nervous tension caused by training. One way to counteract this phenomenon is to supplement with zinc and magnesium. These minerals combined together in the form of pidolates provide relaxing effects promoting better sleep and better muscle and nervous relaxation (14). ZMB is a supplement combining magnesium and zinc pidolates and vitamin B6 specially designed to improve nerve and neuronal recovery.

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(1) Left E. Vitamin andmineral supplementation and neuromuscular recovery after a running race. MedSci Sports Exercise. 2006 Dec;38(12):2110-7.

(2) Chan-P. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the safety and efficacy of vitamin B complex in the treatment of nocturnal leg cramps in elderly patients with hypertension. J Clin Pharmacol. 1998. 38: p. 1151.

(3) Kara, E.; Ozal, M.; Gunay, M.; Kilic, M.; Baltaci, AK; Mogulkoc, R. Effects of exercise and zincsupplementation on cytokine release in young wrestlers. Biol Trace Elem Res2011, 143, 1435-1440, doi:10.1007/s12011-011-9005-1.

(4) Welch AA. DietaryMagnesium May Be Protective for Aging of Bone and Skeletal Muscle in Middle and Younger Older Age Men and Women: Cross-Sectional Findings from the UK BiobankCohort. Nutrients.2017 Oct 30;9(11). pii: E1189.

(5) Hayhoe RPG. Cross-sectional associations of dietary and circulating magnesium with skeletal muscle mass in the EPIC-Norfolk cohort. Clin Nutr. 2018 Jan 30. pii:S0261-5614(18)30015-3.

(6) Buckley JD. DHA-richfish oil lowers heart rate during submaximal exercise in elite Australian Rulesfootballers. J Sci Med Sport. 2009 Jul;12(4):503-7.

(7) Tartibian B. Omega-3 Fatty Acids Supplementation Attenuates Inflammatory Markers After Eccentric Exercise in Untrained Men. Clinical Journal of SportMedicine 2011 21(2) p: 131-137

(8) Poprzecki S. Modification of blood antioxidantstatus and lipid profile in response to high-intensity endurance exercise afterlow doses of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids supplementation in healthyvolunteers. Int JFood Sci Nutr. 2009;60 Suppl 2:67-79.

(9) Takashige K. Effect Of A Branched-chain Amino Acids Supplementation OnMuscle Soreness During Intensive Training Program. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 2005 37(5) Supplement May p S43.

(10) Accelerating Recoveryfrom Exercise-Induced Muscle Injuries in Triathletes: Considerations for Olympic Distance Races Thilo HotfielSports 2019, 7(6), 143.

(11) Nutrition considerations for open-water swimming , March 2014, International Journal of SportNutrition and Exercise Metabolism 24(4). Gregory Shaw, Anu Koivisto, David Gerrard, Louise M Burke.

(12) Site-Specific Effects of Swimming on Bone Density in Female Collegiate Swimmers Margaret E. Miller, International Journal of Exercise Science 13(1): 249-259,2020.

(13) Is it Necessary to IngestCarbohydrates and Fluids During 10 km Open Water Swimming in Top-LevelCompetitions? G Olcina International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism December 2019.

(14) Teste JF.[Psychopharmacological properties of three magnesium salts: pidolate, lactateand aspartate]. Ann Pharm Fr. 1995;53(4):176-83.

Scientific references

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