Thoughts on Supplements for Strength-Building?

[SallyCat]

Does a middle-aged woman need supplements for intense fitness work?

(Feel free to skip to TL;DR below to avoid background info)

I'm giving it everything I have this season on and off the bikes, training for a 50-mile mtb race this fall. I'll be going to firefighter school soon and need to get stronger and fitter overall, plus I really like the focused training of preparing for a big event. I am "getting after it," as the kids say.

Anyway, the guys at work (fire station) like to bring in these gallon containers of various powders for pre-workout, recovery, "bulking up," and whatever else a "Mega Metabolism Ignitor" is supposed to do for you. They're not typically into endurance sports; mostly lifting and Spartan-Race-type stuff.

Me, I don't need to be swole; I'll be a driver-operator (drive the engine, pump the water). But I want to get the most benefits out of my workouts as I can, especially in preparation for the race.

Nutritionally, I eat a healthy diet. Lean protein, veggies, avoid sugar and excessive carbs...all the stuff you're supposed to do.* I hydrate pretty well and supplement with electrolytes when necessary. After a long, strenuous ride, I will make a protein shake with whey powder, but have just started adding a little BCAA powder to the shake because I've read that as we age, we don't quite process protein as effectively, and those aminos help to mitigate that.

TL;DR:
Besides protein, is there anything I should be looking at to make my fitness-building as effective as possible? If the answer is "No," that would be just fine; I'm not looking for gimmicks or more reasons to spend money. At the same time, if there's something I'm missing that might be a legitimate benefit, I would be interested in hearing about it. As I said, I'm working really, really hard, and if there's anything that can help mitigate any of the obstacles to middle-aged strength and endurance building, I definitely want it in my corner.

*I did give up drinking beer for two months and didn't lose a single pound, so I'm going to go back to living my best life in that regard. In moderation, of course.

 

[Amie H]

Sounds like you are doing everything conventional wisdom dictates. Do you take a multi-B vitamin? Inexpensive, easy to find, and supposedly helps your body more effectively use the fuel it's fed. My family and I all take one daily and we notice a definite energy boost from it.
I'm a big fan of daily flaxseed oil (1200 MG) but it's for middle age/menopausal issues+ heart health, not necessarily pre/post workout boost.

Good luck in your training!

 

[WaterGirl]

I agree with a multi B vitamin especially if your not eating as much meat (B12) and drinking beer. (B1 and B3). Fwiw alcohol prevents your body from absorbing vitamin B.

 

[SallyCat]

Thanks! Just found out I can get b-complex supplements with my FSA card, so that's easy.

 

[geargrrl]

I've been working with a metabolic specialist/MS nutritionist. Not sure of your age, but your proteins needs change as you age, esp if you are active. The hormone changes affect the way your insulin works and how the protein is metabolized. She put me on some very specific macros which start with 25 g protein per day, and the carb/fat ratio varies between active and resting days. Most women do not eat enough protein is one thing I've found out. Timing of when you eat protien/carb is very important in relation to workouts.

You might check out the Hit Play not Pause podcast. There are some really good nutrition episodes.

 

[geargrrl]

I've been working with a metabolic specialist/MS nutritionist. Not sure of your age, but your proteins needs change as you age, esp if you are active. The hormone changes affect the way your insulin works and how the protein is metabolized. She put me on some very specific macros which start with 25 g protein per day, and the carb/fat ratio varies between active and resting days. Most women do not eat enough protein is one thing I've found out. Timing of when you eat protien/carb is very important in relation to workouts.

You might check out the Hit Play not Pause podcast. There are some really good nutrition episodes. The episode featuring Rebecca Rusch was very interesting about using a coach to meet specific fitness goals.

 

[SallyCat]

I've been working with a metabolic specialist/MS nutritionist. Not sure of your age, but your proteins needs change as you age, esp if you are active. The hormone changes affect the way your insulin works and how the protein is metabolized. She put me on some very specific macros which start with 25 g protein per day, and the carb/fat ratio varies between active and resting days. Most women do not eat enough protein is one thing I've found out. Timing of when you eat protien/carb is very important in relation to workouts.

You might check out the Hit Play not Pause podcast. There are some really good nutrition episodes.

Thanks so much for the podcast recommendation! I've struggled to find fitness/nutrition podcasts that I can tolerate, so I'm looking forward to checking it out.

Indeed, I am 52, and am just now reckoning with how much I need to stay on top of my changing diet and supplement needs. Thank you also for the detail about protein. It's always been part of my recovery routine, but I definitely need to be more informed and intentional about it.

 

[SallyCat]

@geargrrl just jumping back in here to thank you again for the "Hit Play Not Pause" podcast recommendation. I've been binge-listening to it this weekend and it is fabulous and very, very helpful. Thanks!

 

[racetiger]

Not necessarily a supplement you eat, but another beneficial one you can add that hasnt been mentioned yet is Weight Lifting. If you don't do any even the most basic lifts will be very helpful. And you can totally lift without getting big. Many women dont want to bulky and muscular. If youre on instagram two ladies I like to follow even though Im not as old as them are Susan Neibergall and Kim Schlag. Both have podcasts too. Strong and lean at any age, and Fitness Simplified

 

[SallyCat]

Thanks! Yeah, I'm just getting more serious about weight training. I need to maintain upper-body strength for work, and we have free 24/7 access to a gym upstairs from the station and workout time is built into each shift. It's also really helpful and motivating to work in an environment where everybody is super-conscious about strength.

 

[VickiK]

Rest and quality sleep, restorative workouts or lighter workouts sprinkled in with the 'getting after it' workouts. It seems to work for Mikaela.

 

[scandium]

The short answer is no, you don't need the same supplements as men because your hormones and physiology will be different.

The longish answer is that the research into women's specific nutrition has a long way to go and traditionally we've been treated like small men, completely ignoring menstruation, menopause, and hormone fluctuations that occur.

I really recommend checking out Dr Stacy Sims who has made female athlete nutrition into her life's work. She is I think a physiologist rather than a nutritionist by background, although her interest is in nutrition science, which means her approach is very much based on pure physiology. She has talked extensively about nutrition and training in menopause and I believe has been on a few podcasts. I don't agree with everything she says (for example, her pre-menstrual recommendations for avoiding cramps ignore the potential side effect for women with heavier flows for whom aspirin combined with fish oil could lead to heavier bleeding as both are anti-platelet) but her science is generally sound.

 

[SallyCat]

I just ordered Sims’ book “Roar” and am looking forward to reading it

 

[newboots]

Her website describes how she came to her theories about women's physiology and nutrition. Amazing stuff!

 

[geargrrl]

ROAR is gear towards women who are still menstuating. The "Hit Play Not Pause" is that author moving into the needs of peri to post menopause. It changes significantly as your cycle stops.

 

[WaterGirl]

Sim's classes seem pricey. She was interviewed recently in Outside - its a basic summary of her post menopausal regime.

https://www.outsideonline.com/2419079/menopause-exercise-tips

 

[geargrrl]

Sim's classes seem pricey. She was interviewed recently in Outside - its a basic summary of her post menopausal regime.

https://www.outsideonline.com/2419079/menopause-exercise-tips

...which you can get for free listening to the podcasts....

 

[scandium]

I haven't ever bought any of Sim's classes or even her books as she has enough available free from podcasts, social media and articles to inform the basics of eating enough of the correct fuel, and principles of recovery. I don't feel the need to go as in depth as she does and I'm not even that bothered by timing things with menstruation, but understanding the principles of what to eat after exercise and why some days may be more suited to some activities than others will hopefully mean I can keep doing what I like for longer.

 

[IceHeeler]

A bit late, but I wanted to chime in about the supplements. A B-complex or multivitamin is helpful. Be careful with the protein powder. It can be a good recovery tool, but I found it more effective to eat a balanced meal. I used to use a lot of it because my trainer was a hard-core believer. I kept having kidney issues. I had no idea they were related until I started working with a dietitian. In the summers I add a collagen supplement to my diet to keep my skin from looking like the Cryptkeeper, but that's only for my vanity.

 

[newboots]

I kept having kidney issues. I had no idea they were related until I started working with a dietitian.

Oh no! Excess protein certainly can damage the kidneys. I'm so glad you have recovered.

I was just reading up on this because my doctor tells me to eat more protein (while simultaneously trying to lose weight), and I learned that we need significantly more when we get older. My appetite goes down in the summer, and adding more protein has been difficult, but necessary.