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by Suzanne Girard Eberle, M.S., R.D.

If you exercise regularly, you've probably incorporated a sports supplement into your routine at some point - an energy gel to fuel you through the last stretch of a half-marathon or maybe a few daily spoonfuls of protein powder to help bulk up your biceps. But unless you're truly supplement savvy, just choosing among the growing number of pills and powders that claim to boost performance may cause you to break out in a sweat.

To help clear up the confusion, we consulted Edmund Burke, Ph.D., professor of biology at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, and co-author of several sports and nutrition books, including Training Nutrition (Cooper Publishing Group). A competitive ultra-endurance cyclist, Burke believes athletes of all abilities can benefit from sports supplements. The key, he says, is to educate yourself. Be selective and remember that supplements can enhance - but not replace - proper training. And don't forget: When you make lifestyle changes that affect your health, it's always smart to check in with your health care practitioner.

Delicious!: Why do you recommend sports supplements for physically active people?

Edmund Burke: Using sports supplements is like an insurance policy for proper training and fitness for physically active people. There are four categories of sports supplements — ones that are metabolic fuels, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins and branched-chain amino acids; those that serve as cellular components, such as carnitine, vitamins and minerals; anabolic substances such as HMB (beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate), Creatine and Chromium; and those that enhance recovery, such as Glucosamine Sulfate, Glutamine or Protein, metabolic optimizers and herbals.

D!: So you're saying it's not as easy as popping a few pills?

EB: You can't use pills to make a turkey into an eagle. Once you have the basics, you can use supplementation for a multitude of things — for example, as an insurance policy against a few days of poor diet or when you've consumed a lot of processed foods. Also, your body is under additional stress during exercise; you have additional energy needs and additional stress on the immune system, so supplements can further your ability to perform and recover.

D!: Do these guidelines apply strictly to high-level elite athletes, or can people who work out only occasionally benefit from taking sports supplements?

EB: If you walk three to five days a week for 30 minutes, you can probably get by with a good multivitamin/mineral supplement. But if you work out more, you need further supplementation. Sports supplements are for the person who goes beyond the health aspects of exercise to the performance aspects of exercise, from elite athletes to the weekend warriors — people who fit in weekend exercise and an occasional race around hectic family and career lifestyles. Athletes of all levels can definitely benefit from sports supplements.

D!: To gain the most from sports supplements, how do you decide which ones to take?

EB: First you decide if you're an aerobic animal or a Muscle Head. Then you can fine-tune your supplementation list. If you're a muscle head, you'll need more HMB, Creatine and Testosterone Boosters to build muscle, while the aerobic animal will emphasize sports drinks and bars and metabolic optimizers. It's too expensive to buy all of them, so be selective. Choose your supplements based on your nutritional and recovery needs and the metabolic demands you're under.

D!: Do sports supplements claims measure up?

EB: Basically, yes, as long as they're used as supplemental nutrients to augment a well-rounded diet and an adequate training program. They all have an impact when taken in the right doses at the right times. Again, you can't sit there with the TV clicker and take supplements and expect to look like Arnold [Schwarzenegger].

D!: Why do some people benefit from a particular supplement that doesn't seem to affect others?

EB: Everybody is different, based on our genetics, muscle fiber types, training, age and state of hydration. All these factors play into our day-to-day individual needs.

D!: What's the best way to incorporate a supplement into your program for the first time?

EB: Supplements have different intake requirements. I caution people to follow the guidelines as to dosing, timing and frequency. To really get a hold on which supplements impact your health and performance, you need to take only one or two at a time. Also, it takes several weeks for some supplements to reach physiological levels where you feel the effect. You can't take a supplement and expect results the next day. Some supplements, such as antioxidants, work subtly behind the scenes, but there's enough science to back up their impact to warrant taking them.