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The countdown is on for marathon runners signed up to complete London\u2019s gruelling 26.2-mile stretch this Sunday, when 56,000 people will tackle the course. Later this summer, a slew of other major races will follow \u2014 from the Big Half, with a route through several London boroughs, to autumn events like the Ealing Half Marathon on 28 September and the Royal Parks Half Marathon on 12 October. <\/p>\n
If you\u2019re among the racers, you\u2019ve likely been training<\/a> for hours each week, broken in your chosen trainers, and followed a balanced diet to fuel your training. You may have even meticulously planned your pre-run meal. But there are other ways to pack in nutrients, which could help to mitigate some of the side-effects<\/a> of such an intense period of training and movement: via taking a smart mix of supplements.<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t already use supplements, but are running the London Marathon, it might be a little late to kick-start a full regimen. As nutritionist Stephanie Moore notes: \u201cIt\u2019s a stressful time for most people, and adding something new might upset your digestion even more than the nerves. Just as you wouldn\u2019t wear brand new trainers on the day of the event, don\u2019t try any new supplements, gels or energy drinks.\u201d<\/p>\n Pexels<\/p>\n Moore warns it could even negatively affect your performance on the day: \u201cSome supplements can cause diarrhoea and or bloating \u2014both of which would disrupt your running.\u201d Instead, she advises: \u201cUse anything you\u2019re planning on for your long training runs well in advance.\u201d<\/p>\n Moore also implores people to steer clear of high-strength Vitamin C on the morning of a race, despite it being renowned for contributing to the energy production process. \u201c It might make your bowels loose too!\u201d she says. The same applies to magnesium.<\/p>\n So what exactly happens to your body during a marathon? \u201cInflammation, immune suppression, muscle damage and dehydration are the main side effects,\u201d says ex-athlete and nutritionist Rhian Stephenson, founder of Artah.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople may also experience what’s referred to as the \u2018post-marathon blues\u2019, which can result from a combination of physical impact, fatigue, possible disappointment (if the results aren\u2019t as expected), and a loss of structure or purpose if training was a big part of their routine.\u201d<\/p>\n Pexels\/Shvetsa<\/p>\n To mitigate the effects immediately after the marathon, Stephenson recommends the simple routine of \u201crest, sleep and hydration\u201d \u2014 but supplements can also help aid recovery when taken right after the run.<\/p>\n \u201cHave it in a hot in a flask at the end point \u2014 it can help muscle recovery,\u201d says Moore. It\u2019s potential health benefits include boosting collagen for skin and joint health and aiding in immune system function. It also contains nutrients like calcium and magnesium, which are beneficial for bone and muscle health. Freja Bone Broth offers both chicken and beef options (\u00a335.99, amazon.co.uk<\/a>). <\/p>\n Omegas are renowned for reducing inflammation and pain. \u201cTake a high dose of omega-3 fatty acids, such as 3000mg of high-quality fish oils,\u201d says Moore. Bare Biology\u2019s are high strength and can be used as part of a Keto or paleo diet. Omega-3 Fish Oil Daily Capsules, (\u00a331.95, barebiology.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n Due to the potential laxative properties, do not take any magnesium until after your race, though Moore says it\u2019s \u201cessential\u201d for recovery. She recommends taking it when you finish and the night after the run. It\u2019s a muscle and nerve relaxant, and Magnesium Glycinate (which improves sleep and can be taken half an hour before bed) and Magnesium Taurate (which also helps with tiredness and fatigue) are best for muscle recovery. Be sure to choose a variety with no bulkers or additives, such as Nutri Advanced (\u00a318.40, nutriadvanced.co.uk<\/a>).<\/p>\n Artah Cellular Hydration, \u00a332<\/p>\n Artah<\/p>\n \u201cImmediately post-marathon, hydration and the replenishment of electrolytes are important,\u201d says Stephenson. She recommends Artah\u2019s Cellular Hydration as they have a low risk of unwanted side effects. As well as hydrating, it also contains ingredients such as Peruvian Maca Root to give you an energy boost, and inulin to keep blood sugars in check (vital, for stable energy throughout the day, even on a non-race day).<\/p>\n In the following days and weeks…<\/p>\n Stephenson says to bear in mind that \u201crecovery can take anywhere from a few days to weeks, depending on the runner’s fitness level. Immunity can be suppressed for 72 hours, so if the first few days of recovery aren’t purposeful, this can drag on. Muscle inflammation and repair can take one to three weeks, depending on your fitness. So, continuing magnesium and omega-3 supplementation daily will benefit both this recovery phase and future training.<\/p>\n And what should you be adding to your routine once you start a new training schedule?<\/p>\n Stephenson explains: \u201cHaving a strong supplement<\/a> routine leading into the marathon can help ensure that your immune response, inflammation, nutrient status and hydration are in a good place, which could facilitate a quicker recovery.\u201d <\/p>\n While Moore says to bear in mind: \u201cMost non-pro runners do not have perfect form and as such, the constant pounding on a very unforgiving surface, where all the impact is sent back up through the joints, which causes a lot of wear, tear and inflammation. <\/p>\n Running is \u2018booming\u2019 worldwide, Strava said (Alamy\/PA)<\/p>\n \u201cEndurance exercise also creates high levels of oxidative stress \u2014 too many free radicals, not enough antioxidants,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s unavoidable: exertion increases breathing and heart rate, producing reactive oxygen species (ROS), which essentially \u2018rust\u2019 your cells. The longer you train, the worse the damage.\u201d <\/p>\n Supplements can help support cell function and reduce inflammation, which may mitigate these side-effects. These are the ones the nutritionists recommend.<\/p>\n \u201cMost people know about protein and creatine<\/a>, not many people appreciate quercetin,\u201d says Moore. So what is it? \u201cA potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory which supports muscles. It can really help with airborne and seasonal allergies too, so for hay fever sufferers, it\u2019s a great thing to take with vitamin C before and after running.\u201d<\/p>\n While you shouldn\u2019t be taking it on race day, high-strength Vitamin C is a great to start taking as a habit in the lead up, before and after running. Moore heralds its \u201cantioxidants and anti-inflammatory\u201d properties. <\/p>\n The nutritionist explains that 1000mg is considered a high-strength dose and can be taken up to four times a day. \u201cVitamin C doesn\u2019t last long in the body. Only about two hours, and is burnt up especially quickly with a lot of oxidative stress like endurance exercise, so it needs to take multiple times a day,\u201d she adds. If you get an upset stomach then reduce the dose.<\/p>\n \u201cMake sure your vitamin D<\/a> levels are optimal well ahead of the event.,\u201d says Moore. \u201cIt takes a while to build up, as most people are very low in Vitamin D, which helps with muscle and bone strength and recovery. Try a high-quality spray version such as Better You\u2019s Daily Dose for an easy way to get your quota (\u00a312.49, amazon.co.uk<\/a>).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The countdown is on for marathon runners signed up to complete London\u2019s gruelling 26.2-mile stretch this Sunday, when…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":48981,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4318],"tags":[105,26547,4434,26546,9699,16,15,4448],"class_list":{"0":"post-48980","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-marathons","10":"tag-nutrition","11":"tag-supplement","12":"tag-training","13":"tag-uk","14":"tag-united-kingdom","15":"tag-vitamin-d"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114397827830136186","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48980","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48980"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48980\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/48981"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48980"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48980"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48980"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Woman](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/pexels-nappy-936075.jpg\")
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