Every athlete wants to be at the top of their game. For most of you, this will mean that you push yourself in training and are always looking for that competitive edge over the competition.Is My Diet On Point

Too often, athletes will run to supplementation for the magic fix, when all they need is a solid diet plan consisting of nutritious (and most importantly) raw food.  Supplements and vitamins do not take the place of raw foods.  It's important to add these as a "supplement" but not a replacement.

Eat for Performance; Eat for Health
Many athletes try to do too much all at once, consuming large quantities of supplements without really understanding how their body may be affected, or how the supplement is designed to work.

Supplements Every Athlete Should Consider.

Water: Although not a supplement, it should be number one on every athlete’s list. Drinking plenty of water is the most important thing you can do for your diet. It will help you avoid dehydration, a condition many supplements increase, especially protein and creatine. Remember: if you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated. 

• Mutli-Vitamins: Vitamins are organic compounds that help regulate fat, carbohydrate and protein metabolism in the body. While vitamins do not provide the body with energy directly, they are key in releasing the energy stored in food. We depend on vitamins to regulate and control our enzyme, nervous, hormonal and immune systems. Most vitamins and all minerals cannot be made by the body, so they need to come from your diet. Whether you prefer the Flintstone variety or the gender-specific specialization packs, always take your vitamins. 
• Creatine: Creatine showed greater gains in muscle endurance, an increase in fat-free mass and a decrease in the percentage of body fat than those not taking the supplement. Creatine occurs naturally in fish and meat, with a typical diet providing approximately 2 grams. Studies have shown that an increase in creatine intake of between 10 and 20 grams a day can yield impressive results. Small doses of creatine have been shown to enhance athletic performance significantly. More creatine phosphate saturation of the muscles can allow stronger and more frequent contractions.
• Protein vs. Weight-Gainers: For an athlete who trains regularly, whether on the field or in the gym, protein supplementation is perhaps the greatest concern. In order to keep your body in an anabolic state (building up organs and tissues) rather than catabolic (breaking down organs and tissues, i.e. muscles, for energy) it is important that you consume at least one gram of protein per pound of body weight. For instance, a 140 lb. athlete will need at least 140 grams of protein per day to maintain his or her current muscle mass. That’s roughly four and a half large chicken breasts, or thirty eggs, or seventeen glasses of milk. Needless to say, that’s a little intimidating. While both have high quantities of protein, weight-gainer is also usually packed with calories to help the athlete who is constantly in caloric deficit after a day of heavy training and usually because of an already speedy metabolism. The extra calories in a weight-gainer will help to balance out the ratio of calories consumed to calories burned each day, in order to maintain muscle mass or grow, an athlete’s calories consumed must exceed his or her calories burned.

Supplements Every Athlete Should Avoid.

• Fat Burners: Avoid Fat Burners at all costs. Not only are they incredibly pricey, but they do a poor job. The secret of getting lean is a good diet, a workout plan that balances weights and cardio, and consuming less calories than you take in while being sure to consume the proper amount of protein (grams equal to your weight in pounds). Most fat burners are packed with caffeine and other stimulants causing jitters, nervousness, anxiety and heart palpitations. They also tend to act as diuretics, increasing the risk of dehydration. If you do need a boost before a workout, one cup of coffee or green tea, taken one to two hours before a workout, has been shown to enhance performance and speed up metabolism. Stick to Starbucks and avoid popping pills. 

Some supplements are helpful when paired with a good diet plan, but healthy eating is the first and most important step in optimizing athletic performance. When looking for that edge up on the competition you will find some good supplements in a nutrition store, but your best bet for nutritional ideas will come when that light bulb goes on in the fridge.

***It's important to read the label because some ingredients are banned by the NCAA. (Read NCAA Banned Substances)