Football Nutrition: The Different Supplements Premier League Players Use

Football has evolved dramatically in recent years and players now realise that all aspects of physical fitness are important, with nutrition playing a vital role in helping them perform at the very highest level each week.

The Premier League is known to be one of the most physically demanding football leagues in the world and players need to be in tip-top shape in order to cope with the demands of regular training and matches.

The average footballer runs around 10km during a single game so it requires extremely high levels of cardiovascular fitness and players also need to have speed, power, agility and strength.

Therefore, it’s vital that players are well-fuelled to keep their energy levels up during training and throughout the 90 minutes on match day and this can only be achieved with a balanced diet that will ensure they can compete to the best of their ability.

However, many modern-day footballers now add nutritional supplements to their diet to further improve their performance and recovery times, so we’ll take a look at the different types of supplements typically used.

Pre-match

When you eat is just as important as what you eat as your body needs the right fuel before you play football. A high carb meal should be eaten well in advance to give your body time to digest but footballers may also use any of the following before training or a match:

Creatine:  This supplement has become hugely popular with footballers as well as regular gym-goers in recent years as it aids muscle growth and body strength which will improve performance during high intensity work outs. Creatine also increases endurance and reduces fatigue.

Caffeine: Caffeine boosters are widely used by footballers just before training and on match days to help them increase focus, alertness and to reduce fatigue.

Multi-vitamins: Those who eat a well-balanced diet should get all the vitamins they need but for footballers it’s important to protect their immune system, particularly during the winter months, so they may take some vitamin tablets as an insurance policy.

Post-match

After a match or training session it’s vital a player refuels with nutrients to help aid recovery and stimulate muscle growth, and protein and carbohydrates play an important role in this.

Whey protein: Whey protein is essential for all sportsman, not just footballers, as it supports muscle growth and repair following training or a match and is a better absorbed form of protein. Whey protein is also vital for players with low rest time between training and/or matches.

Many footballers use the Optimum Nutrition brand that is available at Supps R Us and whey protein can be purchased in various forms such as ready-made drinks, tubs of power or in snack bars.

As with any sport, it’s important footballers consider their goals and tailor the supplements they take to help achieve them. Don’t overdo it and understand the amount you’ll need to take in order to meet your training demands.

If you want to be a professional footballer, you need to eat like one. You’ll never reach the heights of the Premier League without following a strict balanced diet that also includes supplements as they are now an important part of a sportsman’s nutrition due to their ability to stimulate muscle growth and improve recovery times.

Hopefully this article will help you achieve your goals.