Eat to Compete: Sports Nutrition for Young Adults - Publication Series [aces. A Guide to Eating for Sports: For Teens [kidshealth. Nutrition Resources - NCAA Sports Science Institute [ncaa. Combat Rations Database ComRaD [hprc-online. Go for Green: DoD Dining Facility Initiative [hprc-online.

Guide to Nutrient Timing: In-depth [hprc-online. Protein for Performance: In-depth [hprc-online. Warfighter Nutrition Guide [hprc-online.

Find sports nutrition resources for the general public on Nutrition. gov's Eating for Exercise and Sports webpage. An official website of the United States government. Here's how you know.

dot gov icon Official websites use. https icon Secure. Home Human Nutrition and Food Safety Fitness and Sports Nutrition Fitness and Sports Nutrition.

Guidelines and Reports Current Guidelines - Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans [health. ACSM Expert Consensus Statement on Weight Loss in Weight-Category Sports [acsm. Energy Drinks: A Contemporary Issues Paper [acsm.

Selected Issues for Nutrition and the Athlete: A Team Physician Consensus Statement [acsm. Position Paper: Nutrition and Athletic Performance [jandonline.

The Female Athlete Triad: Clinical Report [publications. WAVE Sport Nutrition Curriculum [extension. Human Nutrition Textbook, Chapter Performance Nutrition [hawaii.

More plant-based diets can provide a wide variety of nutrients and natural phytochemicals, plenty of fibre and tend to be low in saturated fat, salt and sugar.

Fat is essential for the body in small amounts, but it is also high in calories. The type of fat consumed is also important. Studies have shown that replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat in the diet can reduce blood cholesterol, which can lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Fat-rich foods usually contain a mixture of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids but choosing foods that contain higher amounts of unsaturated fat and less saturated fat, is preferable as most of us eat too much saturated fat. Find more information on fat on our pages on this nutrient.

If I am doing endurance training, should I be following low carbohydrate, high fat diets? Carbohydrate is important as an energy source during exercise. Having very low intakes of carbohydrate when exercising can cause low energy levels, loss of concentration, dizziness or irritability.

Because carbohydrate is important for providing energy during exercise, there is a benefit in ensuring enough is consumed.

This is especially for high-intensity exercise where some studies have shown that performance is reduced when carbohydrate intakes are low. Some studies in specific exercise scenarios such as lower intensity training in endurance runners, have found beneficial effects of low carbohydrate diets on performance.

However, these results have not been consistent and so at the moment we do not have enough evidence to show that low-carbohydrate diets can benefit athletic performance. Water is essential for life and hydration is important for health, especially in athletes and those who are physically active, who will likely have higher requirements.

Drinking enough fluid is essential for maximising exercise performance and ensuring optimum recovery. Exercising raises body temperature and so the body tries to cool down by sweating. This causes the loss of water and salts through the skin. Generally, the more a person sweats, the more they will need to drink.

Average sweat rates are estimated to be between 0. Dehydration can cause tiredness and affect performance by reducing strength and aerobic capacity especially when exercising for longer periods. So, especially when exercising at higher levels or in warmer conditions, it is important to try and stay hydrated before, during and after exercise to prevent dehydration.

In most cases, unless training at a high intensity for over an hour, water is the best choice as it hydrates without providing excess calories or the sugars and acids found in some soft drinks that can damage teeth. For more information on healthy hydration see our pages on this topic.

For those who are recreationally active to a high level, or for athletes, managing hydration around training or competition is more important. The higher intensity and longer duration of activity means that sweat rates tend to be higher.

Again, the advice for this group would be to ensure they drinks fluids before, during and after exercise. Rehydration would usually involve trying to drink around 1. Below are some examples of other drinks, other than water that may be used by athletes, both recreational and elite.

Sports drinks can be expensive compared to other drinks; however it is easy to make them yourself! To make your own isotonic sports drink, mix ml fruit squash containing sugar rather than sweeteners , ml water and a pinch of salt.

Supplements are one of the most discussed aspects of nutrition for those who are physically active. However, whilst many athletes do supplement their diet, supplements are only a small part of a nutrition programme for training. For most people who are active, a balanced diet can provide all the energy and nutrients the body needs without the need for supplements.

Sports supplements can include micronutrients, macronutrients or other substances that may have been associated with a performance benefit, such as creatine, sodium bicarbonate or nitrate.

The main reasons people take supplements are to correct or prevent nutrient deficiencies that may impair health or performance; for convenient energy and nutrient intake around an exercise session; or to achieve a direct performance benefit.

Whilst adequate amounts of protein and carbohydrate are both essential in maximising performance and promoting recovery, most people should be able to get all the nutrients they need by eating a healthy, varied diet and, therefore, supplements are generally unnecessary.

For athletes, supplementing the diet may be beneficial, possibly on performance, on general health or for reducing injury and illness risk.

However, there is not much research on many of the commonly used supplements, and there are only a small number of supplements where there is good evidence for a direct benefit on performance, including caffeine, creatine in the form of creatine monohydrate , nitrate and sodium bicarbonate.

Even in these cases, the benefits on performance vary greatly depending on the individual and there is only evidence for a benefit in specific scenarios. This means that any athletes considering supplementation will need to weigh the potential benefits with the possible negative impacts, such as negative effects on general health or performance, risk of accidental doping or risks of consuming toxic levels of substances such as caffeine.

The advice to consider supplementation for a performance benefit is for high performance athletes and should be carried out alongside expert advice from qualified sports nutritionists or dietitians.

It is a common myth that consuming lots of excess protein gives people bigger muscles. Quite often, people taking part in exercise focus on eating lots of protein, and consequently may not get enough carbohydrate, which is the most important source of energy for exercise.

The main role of protein in the body is for growth, repair and maintenance of body cells and tissues, such as muscle. Fifteen to 25g of high-quality protein has been shown to be enough for optimum muscle protein synthesis following any exercise or training session, for most people, and any excess protein that is ingested will be used for energy.

The recommendations for daily protein intake are set equally for both endurance training and resistance training athletes, so higher intakes are not recommended even for those exclusively trying to build muscle.

Any more protein than this will not be used for muscle building and just used as energy. Therefore, whilst among recreational gym-goers protein supplementation has become increasingly popular for muscle building, it is generally unnecessary.

However, after competition or an intense training session, high quality protein powders can be a more convenient and transportable recovery method when there is limited access to food or if an individual does not feel hungry around exercise, and may be effective for maintenance, growth and repair of muscle.

If you have a more general query, please contact us. Please note that advice provided on our website about nutrition and health is general in nature.

We do not provide any personal advice on prevention, treatment and management for patients or their family members. If you would like a response, please contact us. We do not provide any individualised advice on prevention, treatment and management for patients or their family members.

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Putting it into practice Keeping active Nutrition for sports and exercise. Enlarge Text A A. Nutrition for sports and exercise. The article looks at: Foods for fuel and exercise How to stay well hydrated Supplements. Eating well for physical activity and sport can have many benefits including: allowing you to perform well in your chosen sport or activity reducing the risk of injury and illness ensuring the best recovery after exercise or a training programme However, the dietary patterns that will best suit an individual will depend on the amount and intensity of activity.

Physical activity when losing weight Doing physical activity will increase your energy expenditure the calories you use , as energy is required during exercise to fuel the contracting muscles, increased breathing and heart rate and metabolism.

Foods for fuel and exercise Carbohydrates Protein Vegetarian and vegan diets for athletes Fat Carbohydrates The main role of carbohydrates in physical activity is to provide energy. The table below shows the carbohydrate content of some common foods: Food source Serving size Carbohydrate content g per serving size Wholewheat pasta boiled g Protein Protein is important in sports performance as it can boost glycogen storage, reduce muscle soreness and promote muscle repair.

The table below shows the protein content of some common foods: Food source Serving size Protein content g per serving size Chicken breast grilled g Fat Fat is essential for the body in small amounts, but it is also high in calories.

How to stay well hydrated Water is essential for life and hydration is important for health, especially in athletes and those who are physically active, who will likely have higher requirements.

The amount an individual sweats varies from person to person and depends on: intensity and duration of exercise — longer and higher intensity exercise can cause greater sweat loss.

environmental temperature — in hot, humid conditions sweat loss can increase. clothing — the more clothing that is worn, the quicker you are likely to heat up which may cause greater sweat loss.

genetics — some people sweat more than others. Sports drinks: sports drinks contain carbohydrates in the form of glucose, as well as electrolytes such as sodium. Sodium will replace any lost from sweating and enhance rehydration, and glucose will replenish carbohydrate stores.

Sports drinks have been shown to help endurance performance and recovery for active individuals performing endurance exercise over a longer duration 60 minutes or more e.

Here are some tips from specialists at the RunSafe Clinic that will help you get the most out of your marathon training while having fun and staying safe. To avoid a trip to the emergency room and ensure you spend more time tackling double-black diamonds, here are a few things to keep in mind before your ski trip.

Although collateral ligament injuries can be difficult to avoid, here are several steps you can take to improve the strength and flexibility of your knees. Whether you aspire to be a professional athlete or you play sports for fun, follow these tips for safe summer training to prevent injury and heat stroke.

Patient Education. Activity Definitions Endurance Vigorous, continuous activity for an hour or longer. Examples are distance running, cycling and cross-country skiing. High Intensity Short bursts of maximum or near maximum effort. Examples include weight lifting and sprinting.

Moderate Physical exertion difficult enough to increase your heart rate and cause heavy breathing, but easy enough to sustain for more than 30 minutes.

Examples include aerobics, playing basketball and brisk walking. Low Intensity Everyday activities that involve movement of major muscle groups. Examples are walking up stairs, walking to the store and washing the car.

How Activities Affect Calorie and Protein Needs The best diet for all athletes consists of 55 percent to 65 percent of total calories from carbohydrate, 25 percent to 30 percent from fat and 10 percent to 20 percent from protein.

Endurance The energy demands of endurance activities are high. It is important that the body has adequate fuel stores for activities of long duration. For elite athletes, such as marathon runners or triathletes, energy needs are often as high as 3, to 5, calories per day.

These athletes also have increased protein needs. Once the body's carbohydrate stores are depleted, muscle protein is broken down for energy. If you regularly perform endurance activities, your calorie and protein needs are at the upper end of the recommended range. High Intensity High-intensity sports affect nutritional needs in different ways based on the activity and the person's body size.

These athletes have increased calorie needs, though not as high as endurance athletes. Weightlifters do need more dietary protein than the average person.

In fact, protein intake in excess of the recommended levels does not increase muscle mass or strength and can lead to dehydration, osteoporosis and kidney disease.

If you are performing high-intensity activities on a regular basis, your calorie needs are at the middle of the recommended range and your protein needs are at the upper end of the recommended range.

Moderate Intensity Moderate-intensity sports increase your caloric needs depending on the frequency and duration of your activity.

In general, be sure you are consuming adequate calories by eating at least the lower end of the recommended range. Consistently under-eating will eventually lead to fatigue and hinder your athletic performance.

Low Intensity Low-intensity activities do not alter calorie and protein needs. These activities are important to include on a daily basis for general health benefits. Continue reading Energy and Protein Ranges for Active Individuals To calculate your calorie needs: Divide your body weight in pounds by 2.

Multiply your weight in kilograms by 27 to 30 depending on your activity level. Add calories for every 10 minutes of activity you do on an average day.

To calculate your protein needs: Multiply your weight in kilograms by 1. Choose a meal high in complex carbohydrates, moderate in protein and low in fat. Choosing when to eat fats is also important for athletes.

Fatty foods can slow digestion, so it's a good idea to avoid eating them for a few hours before exercising. Sports supplements promise to improve sports performance. But few have proved to help, and some may do harm. Anabolic steroids can seriously mess with a person's hormones , causing unwanted side effects like testicular shrinkage and baldness in guys and facial hair growth in girls.

Steroids can cause mental health problems, including depression and serious mood swings. Some supplements contain hormones related to testosterone, such as DHEA dehydroepiandrosterone.

These can have similar side effects to anabolic steroids. Other sports supplements like creatine have not been tested in people younger than So the risks of taking them are not yet known. Salt tablets are another supplement to watch out for. People take them to avoid dehydration, but salt tablets can actually lead to dehydration and must be taken with plenty of water.

Too much salt can cause nausea, vomiting, cramps, and diarrhea and may damage the stomach lining. In general, you are better off drinking fluids to stay hydrated.

Usually, you can make up for any salt lost in sweat with sports drinks or foods you eat before, during, and after exercise. Speaking of dehydration , water is as important to unlocking your game power as food. When you sweat during exercise, it's easy to become overheated, headachy, and worn out — especially in hot or humid weather.

Even mild dehydration can affect an athlete's physical and mental performance. There's no one set guide for how much water to drink. How much fluid each person needs depends on their age, size, level of physical activity, and environmental temperature.

Athletes should drink before, during, and after exercise. Don't wait until you feel thirsty, because thirst is a sign that your body has needed liquids for a while. Sports drinks are no better for you than water to keep you hydrated during sports.

But if you exercise for more than 60 to 90 minutes or in very hot weather, sports drinks may be a good option. The extra carbs and electrolytes may improve performance in these conditions.

Otherwise your body will do just as well with water. Avoid drinking carbonated drinks or juice because they could give you a stomachache while you're training or competing. Don't use energy drinks and other caffeine -containing drinks, like soda, tea, and coffee, for rehydration.

You could end up drinking large amounts of caffeine, which can increase heart rate and blood pressure. Too much caffeine can leave an athlete feeling anxious or jittery. Caffeine also can cause headaches and make it hard to sleep at night.

These all can drag down your sports performance. Your performance on game day will depend on the foods you've eaten over the past several days and weeks. Learn More. This comprehensive toolkit provides sports nutritionists with introductory materials covering fundamental sports nutrition topics, including athlete consultations and dietary analysis, nutrition monitoring, nutrition interventions and individualized meal planning.

Practitioners will find checklists, decision trees, assessment worksheets and questionnaires, templates, nutritional breakdowns and a wealth of supporting research to help modify and adapt each tool to meet the unique needs of their athletes.

The content was authored by GSSI Scientists Liam Brown, M. and Ian Rollo, Ph. Download the Free Toolkit. Historical nutrition strategies were based on beliefs and sport-specific traditions that had little to do with any consideration of human biology and physiology.

Dan Benardot, FACSM, presents the President's Lecture at the ACSM Annual Meeting. In This Section:.

Dietary fat also plays a key role in helping individuals meet their energy needs as well as supporting healthy hormone levels. Healthy sources of fat include nuts, nut butters, avocados, olive and coconut oils. Limit use of vegetable oils such as corn, cottonseed or soybean oil. Dietary protein plays a key role in muscle repair and growth.

Preferred sources of protein include lean meats, eggs, dairy yogurt, milk, cottage cheese and legumes. Make a plan to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables daily.

The goal is to eat at least five servings per day, and include varieties of fruit and vegetable color. One serving is approximately the size of a baseball. Fruits and vegetables are filled with the energy and nutrients necessary for training and recovery.

Plus, these antioxidant-rich foods will help you combat illness like a cold or the flu. Choose whole grain carbohydrates sources such as whole-wheat bread or pasta, and fiber-rich cereals as power-packed energy sources.

Limit the refined grains and sugars such as sugary cereals, white breads and bagels. You'll benefit more from whole-grain products. Choose healthy sources of protein such as chicken, turkey, fish, peanut butter, eggs, nuts and legumes. Stay hydrated with beverages, as a two percent drop in hydration levels can negatively impact performance.

Options include milk, water, percent fruit juice and sport drinks. However, realize that sport drinks and percent fruit juice tend to be higher in overall sugar content and, in the case of fruit juice, lack many of the health benefits present in its whole food counterpart.

Also, be sure not to confuse sports drinks such as Gatorade with "energy" drinks such as Red Bull and similar beverages. Stick with whole food options as much as possible as opposed to highly processed foods.

Without adequate calories from the healthiest food sources, you will struggle to achieve your performance goals. Plan a nutritious meal by choosing at least one food from each category. Healthy fat.

Adequate hydration is a key element in sports performance. Most athletes benefit from developing a personal hydration plan.

A general rule for training is to consume a minimum:. Four to six ounces of fluid every 15 minutes of exercise. To properly assess, weigh yourself immediately prior to and after a workout. For every pound of weight lost, replace with 16 ounces of fluid.

Best hydration choices include water, low-fat milk or percent juice. Sports beverages are best reserved for competition, where quick hydration and electrolyte replacement are necessary. There are a few golden rules when it comes to eating on game day:.

It happens the days, weeks, and months leading up to the competition. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Find nutrition tips to help teen athletes fuel before, during, and after workouts to optimize performance. Aim to get nutrition from real foods first!

Check out this infographic for foods to boost athletic performance. Read about how athletes achieve peak performance by training and eating a balanced diet including a variety of foods in this printable fact sheet.

The WAVE Sport Nutrition Curriculum uses youth's interest in sports to teach them about healthy eating and hydration to fuel a healthy, active body for life.

Learn how nutrition before, during, and after sport competitions can improve athletic performance. An official website of the United States government. Here's how you know. dot gov icon Official websites use. https icon Secure. Find information on nutrition and athletic performance. Bodybuilding and Performance Enhancement Supplements: What You Need To Know.

HHS , National Institutes of Health , National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Learn about the safety and effectiveness of bodybuilding and athletic supplements. Nutrition and Athletic Performance.

HHS , National Institutes of Health , National Library of Medicine , MedlinePlus. Read about how nutrition plays an important role in athletic performance. Sports Fitness. Find information and research about fitness and health.

Creatine Supplements: The Basics. Department of Defense , Uniformed Services University , Consortium for Health and Military Performance.