Fuel your game: an expert's guide to football supplements

“The government advises to supplement with at least ten micrograms (mcg) vitamin D in the UK between the months of October to March because we don't get enough sunlight.¹

"So, whether or not you're playing football between these months, a vitamin D supplement would be beneficial."

If you choose to take vitamin D supplements, 10mcg a day will be enough for most people, as more than 100 micrograms (4,000 IU) could be harmful.²  Remember to follow the product label to take the correct dosage per day and speak to your doctor if you think you have a deficiency.

Emily also has some important guidance for creatine newbies: “When taking creatine supplements, it's common to start with a loading phase followed by a maintenance phase – but the high dosage during the loading phase can sometimes cause gastrointestinal distress,” she says.¹ 

This can include diarrhoea and bloating, which she says typically subsides once the dosage is reduced during the maintenance phase. “To minimise discomfort during the loading phase, a helpful tip is to split the intake into smaller doses, with no more than 10g per serving,”³ she explains.

“Symptoms of iron deficiency⁴ can include fatigue and loss of concentration – so you can just imagine how that will impact performance as well. Some really good sources of iron-rich foods would be poultry, fish and lean red meat,” she shares. 

If you’re vegan or vegetarian you might have less iron in your diet too – but there are plenty of veggie sources you can add to your plate. 

“Plant sources would be things like beans, lentils, spinach and dried apricots,” says Emily.

If you’re looking for ideas for protein sources for your post-match meal, check out nine sources for vegetarians. 

You may not have heard of beta alanine, but Emily says, “it’s also great for muscle recovery”. 

But there is an unexpected side effect: “It’s important to note that beta alanine often comes with skin tingling. If you've had it before and you've noticed skin tingling, it's normally that – it’s something that people do get used to but don't be alarmed!”⁶

“It's got a lot of research^8-11 to back it, and you can have it in multiple forms. It can be in coffee, energy drinks, gels, tablets and even chewing gum,” she says. “One thing to know about caffeine is it normally takes about 20 to 60 minutes for the effects to kick in,⁸ so it's not really something that we want to be having at half time and is better an hour before kick-off. 

“Because caffeine does stay in your body, you can still feel the effects up to ten hours later.¹⁰ If you're playing an evening match and you're having caffeine, it might actually affect your ability to sleep later in the evening as well.” So go easy and time it right, as sleep will give you the focus and energy you need to feel ready for your next match. The recommended maximum caffeine intake is 400mg a day.¹¹