Today’s sports nutrition formulations provide sophisticated ingredients, alone and in combination, for not only athletes and weekend warriors -- but also those engaged in the grueling competition of simply getting through the stressful marathon that is modern living. Some of these ingredients stand out for their ergogenic potential in the moment, whereas others require consistent use to build up to the requirements of performance and its improvement.

Sports nutrition ingredients cut across several categories, from proteins, amino acids and carbohydrates to vitamins and minerals, stimulants and other bioactive ingredients that take a more indirect route to help boost a body beyond its routine.