Impact of Energy Supplements on Sports Performance: Contemporary Evidence and Future Perspectives | Chapter 04 | Food Science and Agriculture: Research Highlights Vol. 5

 

In sports nutrition, energy supplements refer to dietary products such as gels, drinks, bars, or powders developed to deliver rapid or sustained energy, maintain electrolyte balance, and promote recovery, thereby enhancing athletic output and overall performance efficiency. Ongoing research in sports nutrition continues to expand the understanding of exercise physiology and provides the evidence base for current best practice recommendations. This review discusses the current role of energy supplements in sports performance and highlights future directions for their effective and safe use. A literature search was carried out using secondary sources, with keywords like energy supplements, electrolytes, athletic performance, and others. Energy supplements fall under the ergogenic and macronutrient-based category of sports nutrition. They primarily supply carbohydrates, proteins, and fats as energy sources, along with micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) and bioactive compounds such as caffeine, taurine, carnitine, and ginseng that enhance energy metabolism, endurance, and recovery. They provide rapid energy, maintain hydration, delay fatigue, and support metabolic, neuromuscular, and cognitive functions. Findings indicate that carbohydrate gels enhance endurance by providing energy, preserving glycogen, and stimulating the central nervous system, while energy bars offer a balanced source of natural sugars and proteins to support athletic performance. Effective use depends on timing, individual tolerance, sport type, intensity, and environmental conditions, helping to sustain performance, reduce fatigue, and accelerate recovery. When used appropriately, alongside a balanced diet and individualised nutrition strategies, they can improve endurance, reduce fatigue, and optimise training adaptations. Despite their benefits, challenges such as inconsistent nutrient content, variable individual responses, and safety concerns highlight the need for quality control and evidence-based use. Supplement combinations such as carbohydrate–protein or carbohydrate–electrolyte mixtures have shown notable benefits in improving power and recovery, particularly in team sports. However, significant research gaps remain, especially regarding female athletes and sport-specific responses. Additionally, some studies report safety concerns and adverse effects, emphasising the need for careful evaluation and evidence-based use of supplements. Future strategies should focus on personalised supplementation, innovative delivery systems, micronutrient monitoring, and athlete education to optimise performance, reduce fatigue, and ensure long-term health.

 

Author(s)details:-

 

Supriya D. Kamble
Department of Food Science and Technology, Shivaji University, Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India.

 

Akshaya K. Sahoo
ICT, Indian Oil Odisha Campus Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751013, India.

 

Harshvardhan A. Kamble
Department of Food Science and Technology, Shivaji University, Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India.

 

Ajay K. Sharma
National Research Centre for Grape, Pune, India.

 

Abhijeet A. Gatade
Department of Food Science and Technology, Shivaji University, Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India.

 

Pravinkumar D. Patil
Department of Food Science and Technology, Shivaji University, Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India.

 

Please see the book here:- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/fsarh/v5/6682

The Power of Transdisciplinary Research for Business Innovation: The Case of Rooibos as a Potential Ergogenic Sport Drink| Chapter 2 | Current Aspects in Business, Economics and Finance Vol. 8

 Background: The Centre for Sport Business and Technology Research (CSBTR) and the Applied Microbial and Health Biotechnology Institute (AMHBI) at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) are administered to conduct excellent research accompanying a strong multi- and transdisciplinary focus. Based of the joint expertise of these two research individuals a transdisciplinary approach was adopted to best facilitate the study.Research objective: To examine whether Rooibos accompanying its singular bioactive compounds modulates oxidative stress and potentially aids improved material performance, accompanying an application as an ergogenic sport drink. Due to the character of this singular scientific-business cooperation, various advantageous social-business-related outcomes were expected.Methodology: Two experimental studies were transported, the first included thirty-two male members and the second 30 male participants, two together studies were randomized in a blinded, cross-over reserved trial in which participants swallowed standardized Rooibos or a fake pill drink. The first study involved an superior body maximum fatiguing elbow flexion/enlargement exercise test entailing 5 sets of 15 duplications of maximum voluntary shortenings separated by 10-second rest pauses on a Biodex System 3 at a speed of 60º per second. The second study involved a lower body changed sub-maximum test and then periodic sprints on a Wattbike cycle-ergometer. Ethical authorization was granted for two together studies.Results: During exercise tests on both the superior and lower body preliminary results demonstrated that after ingesting Rooibos differing improvements in physical depiction were observed, especially the generation of larger peak torque in the above body test and upgraded endurance all along the lower body test, in addition to modulation of oxidative stress.Implications: There is an hope to develop a scientifically confirmed sport drink, which commit beneficiate the Rooibos industry and the sport/appropriateness community accompanying a high worth product. Furthermore the television and marketing moment to promote Rooibos in the public prominence sport drink industry could support increased income generation. These happenings can ensure better business-related and social sustainability of the area and also support fuller responsibilities in agreements of the fair and equitable giving of the benefits arising out of the utilisation of native biological money.

Author(s) Details:

Simeon E. H. Davies,
Department of Sport Management, Faculty of Business and Management Science, The Centre for Sport Business and Technology Research (CSBTR), Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa.

Jeanine L. Marnewick,
Applied Microbial and Health Biotechnology Institute (AMHBI), Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa.

Oiva Kamati,
Applied Microbial and Health Biotechnology Institute (AMHBI), Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa.

Dirk J. Bester,
Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa.

Please see the link here: https://stm.bookpi.org/CABEF-V8/article/view/9188