Recovery strategies must aim at the primary causes of fatigue. Studies on proteins, amino acids, immediate principles, and metabolic regulators (vitamins and minerals) have demonstrated their importance and effectiveness in muscle recovery.

Initiating recovery through nutritional intervention can be key, both in the general population and in athletes. A faster and more efficient recovery will enable athletes to train harder and react to training more positively, for which an adequate nutritional intake is crucial.

Drobnic et al. explained the role of Coenzyme Q10 in the recovery of athletes by offering a good profile in the control of an oxidative pattern with a certain anti-inflammatory activity at the cellular level in response to exercise. 

Drobnic et al., in their study analyzing the effect of krill oil on HS-Omega-3 index levels and plasma choline on the performance and recovery after intense exercise, found no clear improvement in athlete performance after the combined administration of n-3 PUFAs, choline, and astaxanthin in the form of krill oil. However, they showed that optimizing the HS-Omega-3 index before training and choline and oxidative stress after training may be vital in improving athlete performance and recovery.

A study that supplemented citrulline in a group of healthy people over 60 years of age and advised a physical activity protocol suitable for their age range found a modest potency of the intervention; however, it proved crucial from a recovery point of view. 

Paratthakonkun et al. found that an 18-day supplementation of 1 g/day of crocodile blood (CB) helps to maintain peak muscle force or DOMS compared to a placebo after eccentric exercise. Additionally, they documented the safety of 1 g/day of CB supplementation for human consumption.

Glutamine supplementation has also been shown to decrease circulating muscle damage markers, along with an adequate balance between the response of the catabolic and anabolic hormones and the stability of the leucocyte cell numbers. Thus, controlling these specific parameters could help to prevent the inflammation and stress provoked by highly strenuous exercise.

Numerous studies have also documented that administering a single high dose of vitamin D can significantly blunt the rise of proinflammatory cytokine levels after an ultramarathon. Hence, improving the vitamin D status before an endurance competition might serve as a good alternative to using anti-inflammatory drugs that are often relied on in sports.

Caballero-García A, Córdova-Martínez A. Muscle Recovery and Nutrition. Nutrients. 2022 Jun 10;14(12):2416. doi: 10.3390/nu14122416. PMID: 35745146; PMCID: PMC9230724.