By Chris Rosenbloom, PhD, RD
Associate Professor of Nutrition, Georgia State University

Most gymnasts are young—a gymnast’s career begins as early as age three and typically continues no longer than the early twenties. If you are younger than 18 years of age, use dietary supplements only with caution. Why? Because research studies on supplements rarely include young athletes, so little is known about the effect of supplements on growth and development. However, many coaches and parents encourage young gymnasts to take supplements with promises of increased energy, reduced body fat, and increased power. If you are like most gymnasts, you restrict calories to maintain a low body weight; when coupled with hard training, supplements may appear to be the answer to improved performance, but appearances can be deceiving. For most dietary supplements, there is little or no evidence that they provide any advantage to sports performance. However, a few types of supplements can help.

Two supplements that can enhance a gymnast’s health and performance

Gymnasts can benefit from two dietary supplements—a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement and a calcium supplement. Sports dietitians tell athletes that all nutrients needed for good health can be obtained in ordinary foods, but it nearly impossible to get all of the 14 vitamins and 19 minerals needed for good health in an energy-restricted diet. A single, once daily, type of vitamin-mineral pill will help supplement your diet with needed nutrients. Don’t be fooled by the hype of vitamin marketing—a stress formula, an athlete’s formula, a night-time formula, or a chelated formula is not necessary. And more is not better when it comes to vitamins and minerals. Choose a supplement that provides about 100% of the daily value for vitamins and minerals and take it once daily with a meal. (Some nutrients are better absorbed with food so it is wise to take it with food.)

One nutrient that is critical for bone growth and strength is calcium. Most vitamin-mineral supplements do not provide 100% of the needed calcium, so a calcium supplement is a good choice for gymnasts. Gymnasts’ average calcium intake is as low as 600 milligrams a day—well below the 1300 milligrams needed for strong bones. Calcium can help to prevent stress fractures—a common occurrence in gymnasts. Dairy foods are good sources of calcium, but many gymnasts avoid milk and dairy foods because they believe they are fattening. Skim milk and low-fat yogurt contain just as much calcium as the full-fat varieties, so choose calcium-rich foods and add a supplement that contains calcium carbonate for the largest amount of calcium in the least amount of pills. Try a calcium ‘chew,” a tasty, flavored calcium supplement that can be taken twice a day to provide 100% of the recommendation for calcium.

Consider energy bars

Competitive gymnasts who spend 4-5 hours a day in training might also benefit from occasionally snacking on energy bars to provide needed fuel and additional vitamins and minerals. Choose a bar that contains more carbohydrate than protein or fat and taste-test bars until you find one that tastes good. Don’t rely on energy bars as a meal replacement, but instead use them for pre-practice energy or post-workout recovery.