Decoding Athletic Supplements: Benefits and Context

There’s a lot of nutrition misinformation out there for runners, and many of us would be better off being less strict about our fuel.

Kylee Van Horn and Zoë Rom are co-hosts of the podcast Your Diet Sucks.

Kylee is the founder and owner of the sports nutrition business Flynutrition, which helps runners, triathletes, cyclists, and skiers to learn not only the “why” but the “how” behind fueling for performance.

Zoë is an ultrarunner with top finishes at the Rio Del Lago, Run Rabbit, and Leadville 100’s. As a journalist and writer, she specializes in environmental science, policy, endurance sports, and public land. Zoë’s work has appeared in the New York Times, Outside, Discover, High Country News and on NPR.

We talk about:

• The challenges of nutrition science communication
• How to examine media in the prevalence of pseudoscience
• Cultural narratives that influence dietary choices
• The role of social media and influencers around nutrition
• Balancing scientific evidence with personal experience
• Common nutrition mistakes and misconceptions

Send this episode to your friend whose diet kinda sucks.

Links & Resources from the Show:

• Kylee on Instagram
• Your Diet Sucks on Instagram
• Kylee’s book on preorder: Practical Fueling for Endurance Athletes
• Running gift ideas that will make you faster
• Listen to a two-part bonus podcast for more nutrition Q+A.

A big thanks to DrinkLMNT for their support of this episode! They make electrolyte drinks for athletes and low-carb folks with no sugar, artificial ingredients, or colors. They are offering a free gift with your purchase at DrinkLMNT. And this does NOT have to be your first purchase. You’ll get a sample pack with every flavor so you can try them all before deciding what you like best. 

DrinkLMNT's products have some of the highest sodium concentrations that you can find. Anybody who runs a lot knows that sodium, as well as other electrolytes like magnesium and potassium, are essential to our performance and how we feel throughout the day.

If you’re not familiar, LMNT is my favorite way to hydrate. They make electrolytes for athletes and low-carb folks with no Sugar, artificial ingredients, or colors. I’m now in the habit of giving away boxes of LMNT at group runs around Denver and Boulder and everyone loves this stuff.

Boost your performance and your recovery with LMNT. They’re the exclusive hydration partner to Team USA Weightlifting and quite a few professional baseball, hockey, and basketball teams are on regular subscriptions. So check out DrinkLMNT to get a free sampler pack and get your hydration optimized for the upcoming season.

After resisting most supplements for the better part of my life, I’m cautiously changing my tune. I’m now a Masters runner and in my personal life, I’m optimizing for longevity. I want to be my healthiest self for as long as possible and I’m excited to partner with Previnex to make that happen.

Previnex uses the most bioavailable, clinically tested ingredients, the optimal form and dose of each ingredient, pharmaceutical grade manufacturing, testing of raw ingredients and finished products. For every purchase you make, they also donate vitamins to kids in need.

Their new Muscle Health Plus is something I'm now taking. Turning 40 - and having a thin frame - has made me realize that I need to prioritize lean muscle mass to stay healthy and age well. Muscle Health Plus has creatine, essential and branched chain amino acids, and it's designed in a way to maximize protein synthesis and the absorption of amino acids.

Muscle Health Plus will help you prevent muscle damage, which is particularly important for aging runners who want to protect themselves from muscle loss and recover faster after hard workouts. As is true for all of their products, Previnex adheres to the highest of standards: their ingredients are clinically proven to do what they say they’re going to do.

Previnex offers a 30-day money back guarantee. If you don't feel the benefits of their product, you get your money back no questions asked. With their focus on quality and customer satisfaction, I hope you’ll try it! Use code jason15 for 15% off your first order at Previnex!