\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/GettyImages-2208439339-1.jpg\")
You can be confident in the effectiveness of creatine supplementation for performance. Getty Images<\/p>\nLate last year, Dragons\u2019 Den\u2019s Steven Bartlett was given a rap on his entrepreneurial knuckles after a BBC investigation found that The Diary of a CEO host had allowed guests to relay potentially harmful health misinformation challenge-free.<\/p>\n
Claims from guests included that cancer can be treated by following a keto diet rather than proven treatments.<\/p>\n
Why is this relevant to cyclists? Well, have you ever bought a product based on a claim of riding \u2018X\u2019 amount faster with one scoop of powder?<\/p>\n
Most of us have, the promise of easy speed being too tempting to ignore. Unfortunately, you soon realise that the only thing your supplement is transforming is your intestines.<\/p>\n
Our sport is ripe for proclamations of riding higher, faster and longer. But how can you ensure what you\u2019re buying is based on scientific rigour and not haphazard hyperbole?<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t believe the hype<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first thing we should all be aware of is that you should trust your inner sceptic,\u201d says respected endurance-sport coach Joe Beer.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.\u201d<\/p>\n
So, if a brand is suggesting its product will make you 10% faster, look the other way.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor even the most proven supplement, you\u2019re looking at no more than a 2% improvement,\u201d says Beer.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s still a boon, but much more than that, and there could be little substance behind the claims.\u201d<\/p>\n
That substance needs verifying, and via impartial means, such as independent studies. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat takes some research, but search engines like ResearchGate are really useful,\u201d says Beer. \u201cOf course, we\u2019re time-pushed, meaning few will go to these lengths. And if you do, you\u2019re right to ask how bulletproof that study is. Well, that\u2019s where meta-analysis comes in\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Meta-analysis is when researchers pool data from many studies on the same subject matter and undertake a statistical review to determine whether the claims are significant or not.<\/p>\n
This results in a thorough overview of the literature and a more rounded conclusion. It\u2019s the scientific ideal, albeit imperfect, because the methodologies of the pooled studies might be poor.<\/p>\n
Check your statements
\nYou can be confident in the effectiveness of creatine supplementation for performance. Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s why you should seek out \u2018position statements\u2019 from respected bodies, like the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) or Australian Institute of Sport (AIS),\u201d says Beer.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ll have dug deep into the research before making any conclusions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Take the AIS\u2019s 2022 position statement on supplement use, in which one of the world\u2019s most respected sporting bodies breaks down recommendations into four categories: A, B, C and D.<\/p>\n
A is for ergogenic aids that are backed up by \u201cstrong scientific evidence\u201d for use in \u201cspecific situations in sport using evidence-based protocols\u201d.<\/p>\n
These include sports foods such as energy gels<\/a> and protein drinks<\/a>, plus supplements \u201cthat support or enhance sports performance\u201d \u2013 namely, caffeine, beta-alanine, bicarbonate, beetroot juice\/nitrate, creatine and glycerol.<\/p>\n B is based on emerging scientific support, deserving of further research. This category includes pickle juice, collagen supplements, fish oils, carnitine and ketones.<\/p>\n C is for products where scientific evidence is \u201cnot supportive of benefits amongst athletes\u201d or there has been \u201cno research undertaken to guide an informed opinion\u201d.<\/p>\n Here lie branched chain amino acids, tyrosine and vitamin E. As for D, these are generally substances that are either banned or at high risk of contamination and could lead to a positive doping test.<\/p>\n \u201cThose statements really help guide consumers,\u201d says Beer. \u201cBeyond that, if you become more interested in the exercise physiology, look out for respected names who pop up a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n From our side, we\u2019d recommend following the social media channels and\/or work of experts such as Asker Jeukendrup, Luc van Loon, Andrew Jones, Inigo Mujika, Kirsty Sale and Louise Burke. They offer evidence-based advice, much of it from their own extensive research.<\/p>\n Be realistic So, are you good to go in your quest to maximise those marginal gains? Not quite. \u201cJust remember two further pointers,\u201d says Beer. \u201cOne is that you may not even benefit from proven supplements. The second is that what works for elite athletes may not work for you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen it comes to proven supplements, I\u2019ll use nitrates as an example,\u201d adds Beer. \u201cThis has been shown to help endurance by boosting blood flow and is commonly taken in beetroot-shot form because of its high concentration of nitrates.”<\/p>\n But it might not work for everyone. If you\u2019re someone who doesn\u2019t consume many nitrate-rich foods, such as beetroot and kale, you might feel like you\u2019ve taken rocket fuel; if your diet\u2019s already filled with nitrates, the difference in performance might be imperceptible.<\/p>\n \u201cAs for the elites, if they say a supplement like ketones works for them, it\u2019s because they\u2019ve already ticked off all the major gains, like consistent training and a healthy, energising diet (or because they\u2019ve been paid to say as much!). <\/p>\n “As boring as it sounds, most of us will be faster, fitter and leaner by doing the essentials.<\/p>\n “Anything else won\u2019t have anywhere near the same impact.\u201d<\/p>\n Continuing Beer\u2019s elite theme, there is good news for amateur athletes, in that what works for us might not work for the world\u2019s best.<\/p>\n Sticking with beetroot, the consensus is that recreational athletes benefit more than elite athletes.<\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/GettyImages-598217872-1.jpg\")
Nitrates in beetroot juice are a known performance enhancer. Getty Images<\/p>\n