For my first official post, I thought I'd discuss what sports supplements the world's elite sports team use.
Take away points.
- Many of the world’s best teams and athletes won’t use the supplement brands they are sponsored by.
- Sporting teams will have their own custom blended supplements for their athletes that you can’t buy in stores.
- Why? Because each athlete and team want to have the edge on their competition, even if it’s 1%.
- Supplement companies won’t make these products because of the high cost and low margins.
Most elite sporting teams around the world will consult with a company to formulate their own custom blended supplements for the season even if they are sponsored by another supplement brand.
Why? Because the big teams and high profile athletes want to win and they will understandably leave no stone unturned to do so chasing every small 1% gain they can.
The High-Performance Manger, Sports Scientist and Sports Dietitian will have their own preferences on what the athletes will need to perform. These supplements won’t come from something you can buy in most stores especially when it comes to the individual needs of different athletes (lactose intolerant, vegan, overweight, underweight etc).
For example, many protein powders contain cheap, low-quality proteins as fillers with low dosages of certain amino acids that are crucial for any athlete’s recovery. Hydration and pre-workout supplements are also mostly under dosed and can possibly contain or be contaminated with banned substances.
The High-Performance staff on the team will have total control of what supplements the athletes are using to ensure they perform at their best and are using a safe product without any banned substances. This also has the added bonus of giving the athletes confidence that everything is being done for them to perform at their peak and have the edge on their competition.
So why can’t you buy these products in the stores? The main barrier is margin. Supplement companies understandably want to make the biggest margin they can and if they use the best ingredients and the correct dosages this won’t be possible to be competitive with other businesses nor will stores stock their product because of the small margins available from wholesale to retail.
How do I know this? A good example is my protein I make called ReCharge. It is most likely the most expensive protein recovery formula on the market at $85 for a 908g tub. I use the best ingredients and dosages and no fillers while also making far less margin than other brands so I’m able to get the product into athletes hands. Compare this to the average protein product on the shelves with fillers and cheap, poorly dosed ingredients at around $45 or less for a 1kg tub with a much larger markup for both company and store.
I decided to formulate my own supplements for my athletes and the team I was working for because as a Sports Scientist I want nothing but the best for my athletes. This is why professional sports teams and athletes now buy directly from me so they can ensure they are getting the absolute best supplements to gain the edge on their competition.
If you would like to know more feel free to contact me anytime.
Mr Sports Science BAppSc (Ex&SpS) MSc High Performance Science
Director