Every four years, athletes from around the world showcase their mastery of winter sports as they compete in the Winter Olympic Games. Spectators and fans across the globe cheer their countrymen and women as they demonstrate extraordinary feats of physical performance in shudderingly cold conditions.
On February 6, the Winter Olympics began in Italy. Team US is represented by approximately 235 athletes, with an additional 70 set to compete in the Paralympic Games. The event will conclude on February 22.
While most of us may not possess the elite physical conditioning of Olympic athletes, we can still take excellent care of our bodies through proper nutrition, regular exercise, and other health-promoting lifestyle habits. Supplementation can also play a significant role in improving our overall wellness, physically and mentally.
An article, “How Team USA Skiers and Snowboarders Train for the Winter Olympics,” published on Forbes.com, highlights that mental readiness is just as critical as physical preparation when competing in one of the world’s most venerated sporting events.
In the article, Dr. Jessica Bartley, Senior Director of Psychological Services at the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, states, “We know unequivocally that intentional focus on mental performance in the lead-up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games directly impacts athlete outcomes.” She further explains that mental fitness includes key factors such as stress management and proper sleep hygiene.
Stress and Sleep
This point is further underscored by another article, “How Olympians Think About Success and Failure, and WhatWe Can Learn From Them,” published on koat.com, which emphasizes the critical role of quality sleep in supporting athletic performance and providing e a competitive mental edge. Emily Clark, a clinical psychologist with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, explained that anxiety and sleep are among the primary topics she and her team discuss with Olympians.
“Sleep is an area where athletes tend to struggle for several reasons,” Clark said, listing issues such as travel schedules, late practices, injuries, and life-related stress.
“We approach sleep as a real part of performance,e but it can be something that gets deprioritized when days get busy.”
In the same article, Paralympian Dani Aravich shared that she started tracking her sleep, noting, “Especially being an athlete, sleep is going to be your number-one savior at all times.”
Two supplements – ashwagandha and melatonin – are well-studied for their roles in reducing stress, promoting relaxation, and supporting sleep, respectively. Notable examples include Prolanza™ root-only ashwagandha and Melotime™ (melatonin). Both feature sustained-release delivery and demonstrated efficacy in small, once-daily doses.
Beyond stress and sleep, other significant challenges Olympians face include recovery from sports-related injuries and maintaining strong immune function to help fend off colds and other upper respiratory illnesses.
A newly published study (the International Olympic Committee’s Olympian Health Cohort) examined the prevalence of illnesses and injuries among 315 Olympic athletes. This marks the first longitudinal global study of Olympians’ self-reported health issues over the four years leading up to the Olympic Games. Initial findings revealed that 58.5% of Summer Olympians and 55.6% of Winter Olympians reported experiencing injuries, with knee injuries being the most prevalent (19.6% summer, 27.8% winter Olympians). Nearly half of the athletes reported using painkillers during their injury periods.
Joint and Muscle Support
Significant joint injuries often experienced by competitive athletes are known as a risk factor for the development of osteoarthritis (OA). In one study involving retired Olympic athletes, the prevalence of hip and knee pain was 22.4% and 26.1%, respectively, and of hip and knee osteoarthritis was 11.1% and 14.2%, respectively.
Injury triggers inflammation, making management of the inflammatory response a key priority. Turmeric is one of the world’s most widely relied upon botanical supplements for supporting a healthy inflammatory response. However, conventional turmeric formulations are poorly absorbed and typically require large doses to be effective. TurmXTRA™ represents a breakthrough, delivering proven efficacy at a low once-daily dose of just 250mg. Its benefits in improving joint comfort have been demonstrated across three human clinical trials.
Olympic athletes also commonly experience delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) as a result of strenuous training and practice, making recovery a central focus of their routines. These athletes understand that recovery involves more than rest alone; it is an active process of rebuilding and repairing muscle tissue. In clinical research, TurmXTRA® has been shown to support improved recovery time by reducing DOMS.
Immunity
In the Olympic Health Cohort study, 23.5% (95% CI 13.1% to 31.3%) of winter Olympians reported experiencing illness, with respiratory conditions being the most frequent. This increased susceptibility is often attributed to the physical and psychological stressors of elite sport and competition, as well as high training loads and accumulated fatigue, which tends to depress immunity and consequently increase risk of upper respiratory infections. Intensive training and competition periods have been shown to reduce salivary secretory immunoglobulin A, a marker of immune efficacy.
One review found that stressors associated with team sports depress immune function, and that the combination of stressors in athletes may have a compounding effect, further increasing immunodepression and the risk of infection.
Besides its stress-busting benefits, Prolanza® supports immune efficacy, which can also be enhanced by vitamin C, as demonstrated in numerous studies. C-Fence™ is a powerful, optimized vitamin C formulation that delivers a continuous 24-hour antioxidant shield in just one small daily dose.
Energy
Olympic athletes support the energy demands required for endurance events (such as cross-country skiing) and bursts of power (such as short track speed skating) primarily through dietary carbohydrate loading. Since 2004, caffeine has been permitted for Olympic athletes and is now allowed under the guidelines of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
CaffXtend™ is a strong complement to an energy-boosting diet, as it provides sustained, all-day energy without jitters, crashes, or headaches. A single dose is designed to deliver an enhanced caffeine experience lasting up to 12 hours, supporting all-day alertness and focus, which athletes rely upon during training and competition.
Conclusion
The 25th Winter Olympics brings excitement across the globe and serves as a powerful motivation for us to raise our standards of wellness and health. The 16 days of competition also bring people together to celebrate diverse cultures, shared camaraderie, and an appreciation for extraordinary physical feats.
Reviewed by Sneha Sawant Desai, PhD
