Many workout supplements are targeted toward athletes who want to get stronger and bulk up. So, as a runner whose goal is to stay lean and quick, you may wonder what supplements you should take. Those that contain a ton of protein and creatine are probably not best-suited to your needs. However, you may benefit from taking a supplement that contains the following ingredients.

Iron

Your body needs iron to form healthy red blood cells that are effective at carrying oxygen to your body's cells. This is vital for a runner. Also, runners tend to have more problems with anemia, or low iron levels than other people. As such, taking a supplement that contains iron is a wise way to ward off anemia and keep your energy levels up. Look for a post-workout supplement that contains iron. This is not something you want to take before a run as it could cause stomach upset.

CoQ10

CoQ10, also known as ubiquinone, is an enzyme that your body uses as a part of the metabolic process. Your body can make CoQ10, but as a runner, you may not make quite enough of it. Supplementing with CQ10 can help keep your energy levels up, and it may even help raise your aerobic threshold while you train. You can look for this one in either a pre-workout or post-workout supplement.

Adaptogens

Adaptogens are not specific nutrients, but instead a class of plants that are said to help your body adapt to and cope with stress. Training heavily as a runner is certainly stressful on the body — at least physically. So, taking a supplement that contains one or more adaptogens can be helpful. Luckily, most of them are familiar herbs and plants such as ginger and turmeric.

B Vitamins

The B vitamins, as a group, are all involved in cellular metabolism. When you're under a lot of stress or training really hard, you need more than the average person. As such, your dietary need for B vitamins may not be met by foods alone. Many pre and post-workout supplements contain a range of B vitamins, so this is something to look for.

If you're a runner, keep your eyes out for the nutrients and ingredients above when shopping for supplements. Taking each of these substances can not only help boost your performance but can also help you feel more alive and energetic as you train.

To find out more, you can look to a company such as Fortifeye Performance Nutrition.