Supplement Routine for Training Days: Before, During, After

On a training day, it's not just the choice of the right supplements that matters, but also the timing of when you take them – both determine how well preparation, exertion, and recovery fit together for you. A rough time framework for before, during, and after helps you keep track.

Your Day at a Glance

A training day can roughly be divided into three phases, each with different priorities.

Before training: This phase is mainly about establishing a good starting point. Sufficient fluid intake is the foundation – if you start out already dehydrated, you'll have a harder time during the workout. A light, easily digestible meal a few hours beforehand gives you energy without weighing you down during training. If you eat very shortly before training, it's better to reach for easily digestible carbohydrates than for a heavy, fat-rich meal, which tends to feel uncomfortable during exertion.

During training: With longer or more intense exertion, especially heavy sweating, you lose not only water through sweat but also electrolytes such as magnesium, potassium, calcium, and sodium. For shorter, moderate sessions this usually isn't an issue; for intense or long training – such as endurance sports or training in the heat – targeted replenishment can make sense. As a rule of thumb: the more visibly you sweat and the longer the session lasts, the more worthwhile it is to pay attention to your electrolyte intake.

After training: Right after exertion, your body is receptive to nutrients it uses for recovery. Protein, or rather the amino acids it contains, plays a central role here, since they supply building blocks for the muscles. Replenishing the fluid and electrolytes you lost during training also belongs in this window. A large glass of water right after showering is often the simplest first step, even before any product comes into play.

In the evening after an intense training day: Many people report that magnesium fits pleasantly into their evening routine, also because it's often taken in the evening anyway, independent of training. There's no biological requirement for this – the evening is simply a practical, easy-to-remember time.

As always, this breakdown is a general framework. At what training volume additional electrolytes or amino acids actually make sense for you depends on intensity, duration, temperature, and your individual sweat rate. A relaxed 20-minute jog places different demands here than a sweat-drenched hour in the weight room at summer temperatures.

A simple practical check can help you better estimate your own needs: if you weigh yourself before and after an intense training session, the difference roughly shows how much fluid you lost through sweat. Anyone who regularly finds a difference of more than one kilogram trains comparatively sweat-intensively and benefits more from targeted electrolyte intake than someone whose weight barely changes.

Our Product Recommendations for This Routine

These three products can be distributed well across the three phases of a training day. How much you actually need them depends on your personal training volume – someone who trains intensely three to four times a week has different needs than someone who occasionally fits in a relaxed session:

All Essential Amino Acids and 4 Co-Factors in One Complex

Essential amino acids are building blocks that your body can't produce on its own and therefore has to obtain through food or a supplement. This complex provides all essential amino acids together with four co-factors. You can build it into your training routine in two ways: shortly before training, to make amino acids available to your body early on, or directly after exertion, once the muscles have been worked. Both times are common in practice, and there's no universally "best" time – what matters more is regular intake across the training week than the exact time on a single day. If you frequently get sore after training, or feel like you're not getting enough protein from your normal diet, this is an uncomplicated supplement for you. Since all essential amino acids are already combined in one complex, you don't have to put together several individual products, and your training routine stays easy to manage. View product

Electrolyte Complex With Magnesium, Potassium, Calcium, Sodium & Chloride – 360 Tablets

This product bundles five electrolytes that you can lose through sweat: magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium, and chloride. EU health claims are approved for several of these minerals: magnesium contributes to normal muscle function, potassium contributes to normal muscle function and to the normal function of the nervous system, calcium also contributes to normal muscle function, and chloride contributes to normal digestion by producing hydrochloric acid in the stomach. It makes the most sense to take it during or directly after intense, sweat-heavy training sessions, especially with endurance sports, training in the heat, or when a session lasts significantly longer than an hour. For short, moderate training sessions, normal drinking water from a balanced diet is usually completely sufficient. With 360 tablets per pack, you're equipped for an entire training season without constantly having to reorder. View product

Complex of 4 Bioactive Magnesium Sources – 400mg Elemental Magnesium per Day

Magnesium deserves special attention again on a training day, beyond pure electrolyte replenishment. This complex provides 400 mg of elemental magnesium from four bioactive sources. Approved EU claims confirm: magnesium contributes to normal muscle function and contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Many people take their magnesium product in the evening after training, partly because it fits well into a calmer evening routine once the training day is done. The evening isn't strictly necessary, though – what matters most is regular daily intake. If you frequently suffer from muscle tension or cramps after intense training days, you can observe over a longer period whether this makes a noticeable difference for you in everyday life. Because the complex combines four different bioactive magnesium sources, it's also suitable for anyone who values good tolerability at a higher dose. View product

Stay Flexible

This breakdown into before, during, and after is an orientation framework, not a fixed protocol. A relaxed 30-minute strength session places different demands than a two-hour run in summer heat – your actual need for electrolytes or additional amino acids varies accordingly.

If you're new to supplements around sports, you don't have to introduce all three products at once. There's nothing wrong with starting with one product and gradually expanding your routine once it proves itself in your training life.

Your training plan itself also changes over time – more volume during an intense training phase, less during a recovery week. It therefore makes sense to reconsider the routine regularly, rather than setting it once and never adjusting it again. Listen to your body while doing so: frequent soreness, noticeable exhaustion after training, or muscle cramps are signals that make a closer look at your fluid and electrolyte intake worthwhile.

The weather and training environment also play a role that's easily overlooked: training in a poorly ventilated hall in midsummer drives up sweat loss significantly more than the same session outdoors on a cool autumn day. Anyone who trains a lot outdoors in the heat should adjust their fluid and electrolyte intake accordingly, rather than sticking rigidly to a fixed amount that may have been calculated for an air-conditioned gym.

It's also important to keep an eye on your overall diet: someone who already eats a balanced diet and drinks enough usually needs less additional support on an average training day than someone who eats irregularly or generally drinks too little. The products presented here work best as one building block in an overall coherent daily life, not as compensation for a fundamentally unbalanced diet. If you're unsure how high your actual needs really are, you can also proceed step by step: first stabilize the basics like water and sleep, then add individual products in a targeted way and observe how that feels in your training routine.

If you have an existing medical condition – such as kidney or cardiovascular disease –, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or take medication, you should discuss taking electrolyte or mineral products with a doctor or pharmacy beforehand, since your individual needs can differ significantly. The recommended intake on the respective packaging also always takes precedence over the general information in this article.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to replenish electrolytes after every training session?

No. For short, moderate sessions, normal drinking water is usually enough. Electrolytes become relevant mainly with long, intense exertion or heavy sweating, such as endurance sports or training in the heat, when loss through sweat increases significantly.

Before or after training – when do amino acids make more sense?

Both times are common in practice. More decisive than the exact time on a single training day is regular intake across the training week, adapted to your personal training rhythm.

Should I take magnesium before or after training?

Both are possible. Many people take it in the evening after training because it fits well into an evening routine – but this timing isn't strictly necessary; what matters is daily consistency over a longer period.

Can I combine all three products on one training day?

In principle, yes – many people who train use all three at different times of the day. If you have an existing medical condition, take medication, or are pregnant or breastfeeding, you should clarify this with a doctor or pharmacy beforehand, before starting the routine.

Do these products replace a balanced diet around training?

No. A balanced diet with sufficient fluids remains the foundation. The products presented here are a targeted supplement for phases of increased exertion, not a substitute for your daily diet or for a well-thought-out training program.