The martial art of taekwondo has been practiced for hundreds of years and has remained to this day one of the most popular martial art. Kick and punch speed are both core features of this sport – whose basic principles are built by physical expenditure and diligent practice but can be further enhanced by the use of supplements.

The ability to land first on your opponent, while carrying enough speed to induce an aura of unpredictability is crucial to success in any combat sport. It is known that the use of a caffeine supplement can increase reaction time. In a statistical test ten taekwondo athletes ingested either 5 mg per kg of body mass of caffeine or a placebo and performed two combats (spaced apart by 20 min). The reaction-time test (five kicks “Bandal Tchagui”) was performed immediately prior to the first combat and immediately after the first and second combats. On average it was observed that the caffeine supplement improved reaction time (from 0.42 ± 0.05 to 0.37 ± 0.07 s). The inclusion of further studies has lead to the theory that caffeine can act as an ergogenic aid diuretic.

Power is defined as energy transferred per unit time. Combative athletes spend hours in practice to improve their technique in which they deliver this transfer of energy to their opponents. However, the use of supplements can further facilitate the level of power produced by an athlete. Protein is a key dietary supplement that can improve muscular strength if consumed during periods of resistant training. One recent study found that judo players who consumed supplemental protein developed better power output than those who did not. Furthermore, the use of creatine monohydrate is said to increase upper and lower body power production alongside an increased high intensity exercise capacity.

During the high intensity exercise that these arts demand the body is subjected to a process known as proteolysis which breaks down muscle tissue in the body. The supplement Hydroxy-MethylButrate has demonstrated anti catabolic potential, meaning it can help to inhibit the loss of muscle mass – thus ensuring energy and power levels are maintained and not degraded.

Adverse health effects of this level of training are common and can have drastic effects on an athlete’s competition performance – for example the lowering of the pH of the blood. A buffering agent in the form of sodium bicarbonate can prevent this change from occurring and subsequently increase endurance levels for sustained power levels and hand speed.

Taekwondo’s three rounds of two minutes rely on competitors being able to deliver power packed offence and defence in short sharp combat periods – there is little margin for error and supplements may just give competitors the edge.