Endurance training puts a different kind of demand on your body than lifting does, so it makes sense that your supplement stack should look different too. Which running supplements and endurance supplements are actually worth it, and when should you take them? Here's what earns a place in your kit bag, moment by moment: before, during and after training, plus what you can add every day. New to endurance sport? Start with our complete guide to endurance training.
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Complex carbs so you start with full glycogen stores.
Fast carbs and electrolytes for long or intense sessions.
Protein and carbs to support recovery.
Food first
Supplements add to your diet, they don't replace it. A varied diet with enough carbohydrate, protein, fruit and veg is still the foundation. Which foods work best and how to time your meals is covered in our guide to endurance sports nutrition.
Worth knowing: endurance athletes often need more protein than they think. A common guideline is 1.2 to 2.0g per kilogram of bodyweight per day, depending on training volume. If you can't hit that through food, a protein shake is a practical top-up.
Running supplements before training
Before a long or hard session, you want to start with well-stocked glycogen, ideally from a carb-rich meal two to three hours beforehand. Ultra Fine Oats makes that easy: stir the finely milled oats into a shake, yoghurt or porridge, and the complex carbs release energy steadily through your session. Prefer something hot? Pair pasta with a protein source and veg.
Training first thing with little time? Go for a small, easily digested snack, like a banana or toast with jam, so your stomach isn't too full.
Got a race coming up? In the day or two before a half marathon or marathon, you'll want more carbs than usual. Our carb loading guide explains how much, and our guide on what to eat before a half marathon or marathon covers race morning and recovery too.
Endurance supplements during training
The longer or harder you train, the more mid-session fuelling matters. For efforts longer than about an hour, 30 to 60g of carbohydrate per hour is a common guideline. Even in shorter, very intense sessions, like intervals or a race, extra carbs can help you hold your pace, because your stores run down faster.
Energy Gel delivers 30g of fast-absorbing carbs plus sodium and potassium in a single sachet, ideal when a bottle isn't practical. Not sure how many gels you need? Our energy gel guide does the maths for you.
Prefer to drink your carbs? Isotonic Sports Drink tops up fluid, carbs and electrolytes at once and is easy to sip on the bike. Sweating heavily but don't need the extra carbs, say on an easy run in the heat? Body&Fit Electrolytes is the lighter choice. Browse every option in our electrolytes range.
For a lift in the second half of a long session, plenty of endurance athletes turn to caffeine. FIT ENERGY is a hypotonic, sugar-free energy drink with 100mg of natural caffeine per can, a gentler option than a concentrated pre-workout.
Supplements after training
Once the session's done, it's time for protein for your muscles and carbs for your stores. Protein contributes to a growth in and maintenance of muscle mass, and a shake is one of the simplest ways to get it in. Perfection Whey is a strong all-rounder with high-quality protein. Fancy something refreshing after a warm run? Perfection Whey Lemonade is a clear, light whey isolate that drinks like lemonade and still delivers 25g of protein per serving.
Pair your shake with a carb source, like a banana, toast, rice or a bowl of porridge made with Ultra Fine Oats, to replace what your session used up.
Creatine for endurance athletes
Creatine tends to be linked with lifting, but it can be relevant for endurance athletes too. Creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high intensity exercise. The beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 3g of creatine. Think sprints, hill reps, a finishing kick or the strength sessions you do alongside your endurance training.
Unlike a pre-workout, creatine is taken every day, rest days included. Bear in mind it can draw a little extra water into your muscles, which may nudge the scales up slightly. That's not an issue for most endurance athletes, but it's worth knowing in sports where every kilo counts, like climbing on the bike. Dosing and how to use it are covered in our Creatine 101 guide.
Pre-workout for hard sessions
Got a tough interval session or a race coming up? A pre-workout can help you start focused. Take Perfection Pre-Workout around 30 minutes before you start, on the days that count rather than every day. Browse our pre-workout range or read our pre-workout guide to find the right fit.
Best supplements for runners and endurance athletes, summarised
4 pillars of an endurance stack
FAQ: supplements for endurance athletes
What are the best supplements for runners?
Most runners build their stack around a carb source before training, an energy gel or isotonic drink for long or intense sessions, and a protein shake afterwards. Creatine and electrolytes are common additions.
What are the best endurance supplements?
The core essentials are carbs before training, fast carbs and electrolytes during long or intense sessions, and protein afterwards. Beyond that, it depends on your distance, training load and goals.
Is creatine good for endurance athletes?
Creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high intensity exercise, with a daily intake of 3g. For endurance athletes that's most relevant for intervals, sprints and strength work. It can add a little weight through extra water in the muscles.
Do endurance athletes need protein shakes?
Not necessarily, but they're handy. Endurance athletes often need 1.2 to 2.0g of protein per kilogram per day. If food doesn't get you there, a shake is an easy top-up.
Energy gel or sports drink, which is better?
Both provide fast carbs and electrolytes. A gel is more portable and works well for running and racing, while a sports drink is often easier to sip on long rides. Many endurance athletes use both.
Do endurance athletes need extra magnesium?
You lose some magnesium through sweat. Magnesium contributes to normal muscle function and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. A varied diet with nuts, wholegrains and green veg usually covers it, and our Isotonic Sports Drink contains magnesium too.
Prefer a food-first approach? Read our guide to endurance sports nutrition for the whole-food side of the same picture.
Finally
The best stack is the one that suits your distance, your intensity and your stomach. Start with the basics, always test new products in training first and build from there.
Sources
- Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM (2016). American College of Sports Medicine Joint Position Statement: Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 48(3), 543-568.
- Jäger R et al. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14, 20.
- Kreider RB et al. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14, 18.
- Guest NS et al. (2021). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: caffeine and exercise performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 18, 1.
- British Nutrition Foundation
- European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
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