When aiming to improve exercise performance, there are a few evidence-based supplements which have the potential to improve your endurance, strength, power, time to exhaustion, recovering heart rate, and lower perception of effort by ~1-3%. However, supplementation should only be considered if the other ~97% of your lifestyle habits are in-check, including a nutritious diet, adequate energy intake for your goals, high-quality sleep, consistent and progressive-overload training, as well as stress and recovery management.
If these above lifestyle factors are consistently achieved, then supplementation with the above A-Listed ergogenic aids may result in improved sporting performance. To read more on which supplements have strong scientific evidence to support their efficacy, we highly recommend reading the “A, B, and C-listed supplements” published by the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS).
Glycerol has only recently been removed from the WADA banned substance list in January 2018. Therefore, more research investigating its efficacy will be conducted. Glycerol acts as a hyperhydration agent, improving heat tolerance, delaying dehydration, and reducing perception of effort. The culmination of these effects can lead to significant improvements in time to exhaustion and power output during exercise.
If you missed part 1 of this series, make sure to read our previous blog post!