At this level of activity, it is unlikely you will need to consume extra carbohydrates by eating more or by using products like sports drinks or other carbohydrate supplements, and these can be counterproductive if you are trying to control your weight as they will contribute extra calories.

Sports drinks also contain sugars, which can damage teeth. Regardless of your level of activity, you should try not to meet your requirements by packing your entire carbohydrate intake into one meal.

Spread out your intake over breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks that fit around planned exercise. For athletes and individuals who are recreationally active to a higher level such as training for a marathon , consuming additional carbohydrate may be beneficial for performance.

Athletes can benefit from having some carbohydrate both before and after exercise to ensure adequate carbohydrate at the start of training and to replenish glycogen stores post exercise. In longer duration, high intensity exercise minutes or more , such as a football match or a marathon, consuming some carbohydrate during exercise can also improve performance, for example in the form of a sports drink.

Estimated carbohydrate needs are outlined below and depend on the intensity and duration of the exercise sessions International Olympics Committee :. For example, from this guidance, someone who weighs 70kg doing light activity would need g carbohydrate per day whereas if they were training at moderate to high intensity for 2 hours a day, they would need g carbohydrate per day.

Protein is important in sports performance as it can boost glycogen storage, reduce muscle soreness and promote muscle repair. For those who are active regularly, there may be benefit from consuming a portion of protein at each mealtime and spreading protein intake out throughout the day.

As some high protein foods can also be high in saturated fat, for example fatty meats or higher fat dairy products, it is important to choose lower fat options, such as lean meats. Most vegans get enough protein from their diets, but it is important to consume a variety of plant proteins to ensure enough essential amino acids are included.

This is known as the complementary action of proteins. More information on vegetarian and vegan diets is available on our page on this topic.

Whilst there may be a benefit in increasing protein intakes for athletes and those recreationally active to a high level, the importance of high protein diets is often overstated for the general population.

It is a common misconception that high protein intakes alone increase muscle mass and focussing too much on eating lots of protein can mean not getting enough carbohydrate, which is a more efficient source of energy for exercise.

It is important to note that high protein intakes can increase your energy calorie intake, which can lead to excess weight gain.

The current protein recommendations for the general population are 0. If you are participating in regular sport and exercise like training for a running or cycling event or lifting weights regularly, then your protein requirements may be slightly higher than the general sedentary population, to promote muscle tissue growth and repair.

For strength and endurance athletes, protein requirements are increased to around 1. The most recent recommendations for athletes from the American College of Sports Medicine ACSM also focus on protein timing, not just total intake, ensuring high quality protein is consumed throughout the day after key exercise sessions and around every 3—5 hours over multiple meals, depending on requirements.

In athletes that are in energy deficit, such as team sport players trying to lose weight gained in the off season, there may be a benefit in consuming protein amounts at the high end, or slightly higher, than the recommendations, to reduce the loss of muscle mass during weight loss.

Timing of protein consumption is important in the recovery period after training for athletes. Between 30 minutes and 2 hours after training, it is recommended to consume g of protein alongside some carbohydrate.

A whey protein shake contains around 20g of protein, which you can get from half a chicken breast or a small can of tuna. For more information on protein supplements, see the supplements section. To date, there is no clear evidence to suggest that vegetarian or vegan diets impact performance differently to a mixed diet, although it is important to recognise that whatever the dietary pattern chosen, it is important to follow a diet that is balanced to meet nutrient requirements.

More research is needed, to determine whether vegetarian or vegan diets can help athletic performance.

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. Keywords : Dietary Interventions, Ergogenic Aids, Dietary Supplements, Sports Performance, Intermittent Sports.

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The findings of this study provide evidence to support the conclusion that variable-speed running in hot environments is limited by the degree of hyperthermia before muscle glycogen availability becomes a significant contributor to the onset of fatigue.

Consuming carbohydrates immediately after exercise increases the repletion rate of muscle glycogen [ 73 ]. In competitive team sports, the relevant question is whether or not this nutritional strategy also returns performance during subsequent exercise.

Addressing this question, Nicholas and colleagues recruited games players who performed five blocks of the LIST 75 min followed by alternate m sprints with jogging recovery to fatigue, and 22 h later they attempted to repeat their performance [ 74 ].

When this study was repeated using energy- and macro-nutrient-matched HGI and LGI carbohydrate meals during the h recovery, there were no differences in performance of the games players [ 47 ]. This is not surprising because the advantage of pre-exercise LGI carbohydrate meals is the lower plasma insulin levels that allow greater rates of fat mobilisation and oxidation, which in turn benefit low- rather than high-intensity exercise.

Clearly providing carbohydrates during recovery from exercise accelerates glycogen re-synthesis as does the degree of exercise-induced depletion [ 75 ]. It also appears that the environmental conditions may influence the rate of glycogen re-synthesis.

When nine male individuals cycled for an hour to lower muscle glycogen and then consumed carbohydrate 1. Recovery in a cool environment 7 °C does not slow the rate of muscle glycogen re-synthesis [ 77 ]. In contrast, local cooling of skeletal muscle, a common recovery strategy in team sport, has been reported to have either no impact on or delay glycogen re-synthesis [ 78 ].

Clearly, further research is required. It has been suggested that adding protein to carbohydrate during recovery increases the rate of glycogen re-synthesis and so improves subsequent exercise capacity. The rationale behind this suggestion was that a protein-induced increase in plasma insulin level will increase the insulinogenic response to consuming carbohydrate leading to a greater re-synthesis of muscle glycogen [ 79 ].

Although a greater rate of post-exercise glycogen re-synthesis and storage has been reported following the ingestion of a carbohydrate-protein mixture compared with a carbohydrate-matched solution, there were no differences in plasma insulin responses [ 80 ].

Nevertheless, more recent studies suggest that ingesting sufficient carbohydrate ~1. The possibility of enhancing glycogen storage after competitive soccer matches by consuming meals high in whey protein and carbohydrate has recently been explored by Gunnarsson and colleagues [ 82 ].

After the h dietary intervention, there were no differences in muscle glycogen storage between the carbohydrate-whey protein and control groups [ 82 ]. While post-exercise carbohydrate-protein mixtures may not enhance glycogen storage or enhance subsequent exercise capacity, they promote skeletal muscle protein synthesis [ 83 ].

Prolonged periods of multiple sprints drain muscle glycogen stores, leading to a decrease in power output and a reduction in the general work rate during training and competition.

Adopting nutritional strategies to ensure that muscle glycogen stores are well stocked prior to training and competition helps delay fatigue. There is now clear evidence for the following recommendations. Jeukendrup A. A step towards personalized sports nutrition: carbohydrate intake during exercise.

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Performance nutritional guidelines for international rugby sevens tournaments. In J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. Article CAS Google Scholar. Phillips SM, Sproule J, Turner AP. Carbohydrate ingestion during team games exercise: current knowledge and areas for future investigation.

Burke L, Hawley J, Wong S, et al. Carbohydrates for training and competition. Stellingwerff T, Maughan RJ, Burke LM.

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High intensity exercise and muscle glycogen availability in humans. Acta Physiol Scand. Parolin M, Chesley A, Matsos M, et al. Regulation of skeletal muscle glycogen phosphorylase and PDH during maximal intermittent exercise.

Am J Physiol. Yeo WK, McGee SL, Carey AL, et al. Acute signalling responses to intense endurance training commenced with low or normal muscle glycogen. Exp Physiol.

Spriet LL. New insights into the interaction of carbohydrate and fat metabolism during exercise. Hawley J, Burke L, Phillips S, et al. Nutritional modulation of training-induced skeletal muscle adaptation. Bartlett JD, Hawley JA, Morton JP.

Carbohydrate availability and exercise training adaptation: too much of a good thing? Eur J Sport Sci. Google Scholar. Nielsen J, Holmberg HC, Schroder HD, et al.

Human skeletal muscle glycogen utilization in exhaustive exercise: role of subcellular localization and fibre type.

J Physiol. Article PubMed Central CAS PubMed Google Scholar. Gejl KD, Hvid LG, Frandsen U, et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc.

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Carbohydrate ingestion during prolonged high-intensity intermittent exercise: impact on affect and perceived exertion.

Scand J Med Sci Sports. Leger L, Lambert J. A maximal multistage m shuttle run test to predict V O 2 max. Eur J Appl Physiol. Ramsbottom R, Brewer B, Williams C. A progressive shuttle run test to estimate maximal oxygen uptake.

Br J Sports Med. Nicholas C, Nuttall F, Williams C. The Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test: a field test that simulates the activity pattern of soccer. Welsh R, Davis M, Burke J, et al. Winnick J, Davis J, Welsh R, et al.

Carbohydrate feedings during team sport exercise preserve physical and CNS function. Afman G, Garside R, Dinan N, et al. Effect of carbohydrate or sodium bicarbonate ingestion on performance during a validated basketball simulation test.

Roberts S, Stokes K, Weston L, et al. The Bath University Rugby Shuttle Test BURST ; a pilot study. Ali A, Foskett A, Gant N. Measuring intermittent exercise performance using shuttle running.

Rollo I, Homewood G, Williams, C, Carter J, Goosey-Tolfrey V. The influence of carbohydrate mouth-rinse on self-selected intermittent running performance. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metabol.

Russell M, Rees G, Benton D, et al. An exercise protocol that replicates soccer match-play. Int J Sports Med. Currell K, Conway S, Jeukendrup A. Carbohydrate ingestion improves performance of a new reliable test of soccer performance.

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Effects of carbohydrate and caffeine ingestion on performance during a rugby union simulation protocol. Nicholas C, Williams C, Boobis L, et al.

Effect of ingesting a carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage on muscle glycogen utilisation during high intensity, intermittent shuttle running.

Med Sci Sport Exerc. Saltin B. Metabolic fundamentals of exercise. Bangsbo J, Mohr M, Krustrup P. Physical and metabolic demands of training and match play in the elite player.

Sherman W, Costill D, Fink W, et al. Effect of exercise-diet manipulation on muscle glycogen and its subsequent utilization during performance. Balsom P, Wood K, Olsson P, et al.

Carbohydrate intake and multiple sprint sports: with special reference to football soccer. Gregson W, Drust B, Atkinson G, et al.

Match-to-match variability of high-speed activities in premier league soccer. Wee S, Williams C, Tsintzas K, et al. Ingestion of a high-glycemic index meal increases muscle glycogen storage at rest but augments its utilization during subsequent exercise.

Chryssanthopoulos C, Williams C, Nowitz A, et al. Skeletal muscle glycogen concentration and metabolic responses following a high glycaemic carbohydrate breakfast. Wu C-L, Williams C.

A low glycemic index meal before exercise improves running capacity in man. CAS Google Scholar. Hulton AT, Gregson W, Maclaren D, et al. Effects of GI meals on intermittent exercise. Bennett CB, Chilibeck PD, Barss T, et al.

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The effect of high carbohydrate meals with different glycemic indices on recovery of performance during prolonged intermittent high-intensity shuttle running.

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However, it is important to remember the type and timing of food eaten should be tailored to personal preferences and to maximise the performance of the particular sport in which the person is involved. A high-carbohydrate meal 3 to 4 hours before exercise is thought to have a positive effect on performance.

A small snack one to 2 hours before exercise may also benefit performance. It is important to ensure good hydration prior to an event. Consuming approximately ml of fluid in the 2 to 4 hours prior to an event may be a good general strategy to take. Some people may experience a negative response to eating close to exercise.

A meal high in fat, protein or fibre is likely to increase the risk of digestive discomfort. It is recommended that meals just before exercise should be high in carbohydrates as they do not cause gastrointestinal upset.

Liquid meal supplements may also be appropriate, particularly for athletes who suffer from pre-event nerves. For athletes involved in events lasting less than 60 minutes in duration, a mouth rinse with a carbohydrate beverage may be sufficient to help improve performance.

Benefits of this strategy appear to relate to effects on the brain and central nervous system. During exercise lasting more than 60 minutes, an intake of carbohydrate is required to top up blood glucose levels and delay fatigue.

Current recommendations suggest 30 to 60 g of carbohydrate is sufficient, and can be in the form of lollies, sports gels, sports drinks, low-fat muesli and sports bars or sandwiches with white bread. It is important to start your intake early in exercise and to consume regular amounts throughout the exercise period.

It is also important to consume regular fluid during prolonged exercise to avoid dehydration. Sports drinks, diluted fruit juice and water are suitable choices.

For people exercising for more than 4 hours, up to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour is recommended. Carbohydrate foods and fluids should be consumed after exercise, particularly in the first one to 2 hours after exercise. While consuming sufficient total carbohydrate post-exercise is important, the type of carbohydrate source might also be important, particularly if a second training session or event will occur less than 8 hours later.

In these situations, athletes should choose carbohydrate sources with a high GI for example white bread, white rice, white potatoes in the first half hour or so after exercise. This should be continued until the normal meal pattern resumes. Since most athletes develop a fluid deficit during exercise, replenishment of fluids post-exercise is also a very important consideration for optimal recovery.

It is recommended that athletes consume 1. Protein is an important part of a training diet and plays a key role in post-exercise recovery and repair. Protein needs are generally met and often exceeded by most athletes who consume sufficient energy in their diet.

The amount of protein recommended for sporting people is only slightly higher than that recommended for the general public. For athletes interested in increasing lean mass or muscle protein synthesis, consumption of a high-quality protein source such as whey protein or milk containing around 20 to 25 g protein in close proximity to exercise for example, within the period immediately to 2 hours after exercise may be beneficial.

As a general approach to achieving optimal protein intakes, it is suggested to space out protein intake fairly evenly over the course of a day, for instance around 25 to 30 g protein every 3 to 5 hours, including as part of regular meals. There is currently a lack of evidence to show that protein supplements directly improve athletic performance.

Therefore, for most athletes, additional protein supplements are unlikely to improve sport performance. A well-planned diet will meet your vitamin and mineral needs.

Supplements will only be of any benefit if your diet is inadequate or you have a diagnosed deficiency, such as an iron or calcium deficiency. There is no evidence that extra doses of vitamins improve sporting performance. Nutritional supplements can be found in pill, tablet, capsule, powder or liquid form, and cover a broad range of products including:.

Before using supplements, you should consider what else you can do to improve your sporting performance — diet, training and lifestyle changes are all more proven and cost effective ways to improve your performance.

Relatively few supplements that claim performance benefits are supported by sound scientific evidence. Therefore, within about minutes, focus on protein and carbohydrate foods or drinks. Consume a ratio of or of protein to carbohydrate.

Consuming a combination of carbohydrate and protein is ideal for aiding in muscle recovery and repair, improving recovery time, providing energy and potentially decreasing soreness. A sweat loss of more than 2 percent of your pre-activity, normally hydrated body weight has been shown to negatively affect your athletic performance, and more so in a hot and humid environment.

Use the following strategies to avoid significant dehydration:. Posted In Basketball , Healthy Living , Nutrition , Sports Medicine. Written by SHN Staff. November 14, Pre-activity nutrition Pre-activity nutrition is divided into two main time frames, based on when practices and games are scheduled.

Pre-activity meal hours before grams of carbohydrates High in lean protein Low in fiber and fat fl. milk, juice or sports drink Example: Grilled chicken, brown rice, corn, green beans, salad and vanilla pudding With less time, try something smaller, lower in fat and fiber, like instant oatmeal with fruit and milk, or an apple with nuts or peanut butter.

Pre-activity snack grams of easily digestible carbohydrate Moderate in protein Low in fiber and fat fl. water or sports drink Example: Banana and peanut butter, yogurt and small amounts of granola, cereal and milk, granola bar, etc.

Nutrition during training or competition Effective nutrition and hydration strategies during workouts and games depend on how long each session lasts, the environmental conditions, and whether you are training or competing just once or multiple times on the same day.

Nutrition during activity Drink oz. Recovery Nutrition post-workout or game is also very important, because it promotes recovery by replenishing glycogen stores and helping repair muscle damage.

Post-activity meal High in whole grain carbohydrates High in lean protein Good amount of fiber and fats fl. chocolate milk, smoothie, sports drink, water Example: in. Hydration A sweat loss of more than 2 percent of your pre-activity, normally hydrated body weight has been shown to negatively affect your athletic performance, and more so in a hot and humid environment.

Use the following strategies to avoid significant dehydration: If you are thirsty, you are probably already somewhat dehydrated. Minimize pre-activity body water deficits by drinking regularly throughout the day.

Check the color of your urine.

Water intoxication Hyponatraemia low blood sodium. Excessive intake of fluids can lead to hyponatraemia ranging from mild often asymptomatic to severe can be fatal. Players with low sweat losses e. low activity or game time who overzealously consume fluid before and during a match.

Team sport players in positions that cover significant distances within a game and who are required to be fast and agile are generally aided by a lighter and lean physique. Typically, the body fat levels of team sport players do not reach the low levels typical of endurance athletes such as runners, cyclists and triathletes.

However, recent observations among professional team sports have noted a reduction in body fat levels across players in general Duthie et al. The requirement to wear lycra bodysuit uniforms in some team competitions has also contributed to an increased interest in loss of body fat among team players, although in this case it may be driven by aesthetic interests as much as by performance goals.

Table 2 summarizes the risk factors and strategies to manage unwanted gain of body fat among players in team sports. Recent research using tracer techniques has focused on the best feeding strategies following a bout of resistance exercise. Various investigations have found that the maximal protein synthetic response is produced when resistance exercise is followed by the immediate intake of rapidly digested, highquality protein Tang et al.

Despite the belief that large amounts of protein are needed for gains from resistance exercise, a dose—response study has found that the maximal synthetic response to a training bout was achieved with the intake of 20 to 25 g of high-quality protein following exercise Moore et al.

Over a hour recovery window, regular feeding i. every 3 hours of a moderate quantity [20 g] of rapidly digested whey protein will continue to promote high rates of muscle protein synthesis following resistance training Areta et al.

As a general rule, including ˜0. Furthermore, a well-scheduled intake of high-quality protein foods is likely to restrict the loss of muscle mass and strength during recovery from injury Wall et al.

Table 2: Risk factors and strategies to manage unwanted gain of body fat among players in team sports adapted from Burke, Strategies to address risk factor.

Substantial reduction in activity levels during the off-season or injury. Poor nutrition knowledge and practical skills leading to poor food choices, convenient low-quality ready-prepared meals and reliance on takeaway foods. supermarket tours, cooking classes to teach domestic skills and knowledge of sound choices in restaurants and takeaway outlets.

Chaotic meal patterns and displaced meals leading to poor awareness of actual food intake in a day. Residential situation e. college, foster family exposing athlete to inappropriate food choices and food volume. Constant travel, leading to disturbance of home routine; game schedule of frequent matches where emphasis is on fuelling and recovery.

Regular excessive intake of alcohol, often in conjunction with inappropriate eating. There are few studies of the fuel demands of team sport players during training or competition, with the available evidence being focused on the match play of soccer players.

Significant muscle glycogen depletion has been shown to occur over the course of a football match Ekblom, ; Saltin, ; Krustrup et al. The current guidelines for carbohydrate intakes amended to suit a range of needs for team players are summarized in Table 3.

As such, team sport athletes should be appropriately educated to manipulate their daily fuel intake to match the demands of training and competition. Higher intakes may be required for younger team players to accommodate for growth and development, for leaner players with high daily energy requirements and for athletes striving to gain lean muscle mass to maintain a positive energy balance.

The lower-range carbohydrate intake recommendations are likely suitable for team players with high body fat levels given recommendations are expressed relative to body mass , for athletes returning from injury or on a break where training loads are reduced, or for players striving to reduce body fat levels during a general conditioning phase of training.

The high-carbohydrate diet did not increase the ability of players to shoot or dribble. Several explanations are possible: muscle glycogen depletion may not impair the ability of the player to execute game skills; alternative fatigue mechanisms such as dehydration or increased lactate production may be causative factors in the reduction in skill performance; or the treadmill protocol employed failed to induce a degree of glycogen depletion or fatigue large enough to cause a significant fall in skill performance Abt et al.

Distance skated, number of shifts skated, amount of time skated within shifts, and skating speed were all increased in the carbohydrate-loaded players compared with the mixed diet group, with the differences being most marked in the third period Akermark et al.

There are few studies of actual glycogen restoration following real or simulated competition in team sport; these are limited to soccer and show divergent results with both success Zehnder et al. Potential reasons for failure to refuel effectively after competition include interference with glycogen storage due to the presence of muscle damage arising from eccentric activities Zehnder et al.

Current sports nutrition guidelines for everyday eating recommend that athletes consume adequate carbohydrate to meet the fuel requirements of their training programme, thus allowing training sessions to be undertaken with high-carbohydrate availability for review, see Burke, There are a number of potential ways to reduce carbohydrate availability for training, including doing two training sessions in close succession without opportunity for refuelling Hansen et al.

As reviewed by Burke , it should be pointed out that these strategies do not involve a low carbohydrate intake per se, or follow the currently topical low-carbohydrate high-fat diet.

Furthermore, they do not advocate low carbohydrate availability for all training sessions; indeed, studies report a reduction in selfchosen training intensity with " train low " sessions, which may account for a failure to achieve an overall improvement in performance Yeo et al.

Morton and colleagues Morton et al. Further work, including a more sophisticated approach to periodizing carbohydrate availability around different training sessions, is needed. These include inadequate fuel and fluid status; factors that can be addressed by the intake of appropriate drinks and sports products during a match.

Given the intermittent nature of team sports, they often offer frequent opportunities to ingest fluid and energy during breaks between periods, time-outs, substitutions or breaks in play see Burke, Drinking opportunities for selected team sports are summarized in Table 4.

Fluids must be consumed at sidelines; players must not leave field. Third-time breaks, time-outs, substitutions, pauses in play. Half-time break, substitutions, pauses in play.

Trainers may run onto field with fluid bottles during pauses in play. Half-time break, pauses in play drink must be taken at sideline. First to 3 sets, limited substitutions, time-outs.

Sweat rates for team sport players are underpinned by the intermittent high-intensity work patterns, which are variable and unpredictable between and within team sports. Even from match to match, the same player can experience different workloads and sweat losses due to different game demands and overall playing time.

Fluid losses are also affected by variable climate and environmental conditions in which team sports are played e. outdoor vs. indoor; on sunny beach vs. on ice and in some sports the requirement to wear protective clothing, including body pads and helmets.

Garth and Burke recently reviewed fluid intake practices of athletes participating in various sporting events. They noted that most of the available literature involves observations from football soccer games, and there is little information on practices on other team sports, such as rugby league, rugby union, cricket, basketball and beach volleyball for review, see Garth and Burke, Studies that have included a test of pre-game hydration status in conjunction with fluid balance testing found that a subset of players reported on match day with urine samples consistent with dehydration.

Overall, mean BM changes over a match ranged from ˜1 to 1. One study reported that the total volume of fluid consumed by players was not different when they were provided with sports drink and water compared with water alone.

In addition, mean heart rate, perceived exertion, serum aldosterone, osmolality, sodium and cortisol responses during the test were higher when no fluid was ingested.

Nevertheless, Edwards and Noakes suggest that dehydration is only an outcome of complex physiological control operating a pacing plan and no single metabolic factor is causal of fatigue in elite soccer. The subjects were able to continue running longer when fed the carbohydrate-electrolyte solution.

Ali et al. The carbohydrate-electrolyte solution enabled subjects with compromised glycogen stores to better maintain skill and sprint performance than when ingesting fluid alone.

Linseman et al. Skating speed and puck handling performance during the game, as well as post-game skating speed were improved with ingestion of the carbohydrate-electroltye solution.

Their results showed that perceived activation was lower without carbohydrate ingestion during the last 30 min of exercise, and this was accompanied by lowered plasma glucose concentrations.

In the carbohydrate trial, RPE was maintained in the last 30 minutes of exercise but carried on increasing in the PLA trial. These authors concluded that carbohydrate ingestion during prolonged high-intensity exercise elicits an enhanced perceived activation profile that may impact upon task persistence and performance.

On a third trial, the same volume of carbohydrate-electrolyte was consumed in smaller volumes at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, and 75 minutes. This manipulation of the timing and volume of ingestion elicited similar metabolic responses without affecting exercise performance. However, consuming fluid in small volumes reduced the sensation of gut fullness Clarke et al.

Indeed, gastric emptying of liquids is slowed during brief intermittent high-intensity exercise compared with rest or steady-state moderate exercise Leiper et al. These products are summarized in Table 5. Among the proposed nutritional ergogenic supplements, creatine Cr is the one that has been investigated the most in relation with team sports, given that its purported ergogenic action i.

enhanced recovery of the phosphocreatine power system matches the activity profilent of team sports. Various investigations indicate that both acute and chronic Cr supplementation may contribute to improved training and competition performance in team sports e.

Ahmun et al. Table 5: Sports foods and dietary supplements that are of likely benefit to team sport players adapted from Burke, However, conflicting results are not lacking in the literature Paton et al. Beta-alanine supplementation, to increase muscle stores of the intracellular buffer carnosine, may also provide benefits and requires further study using protocols suited to team sports Derave et al.

Colostrum supplementation has conflicting reports with respect to its effects on recovery and illness Shing et al. Beetroot juice, a source of nitrate, may enhance sports performance by mechanisms including an increase in exercise economy Wylie et al.

Holway and Spriet summarized the dietary intake studies of team sport athletes published over the past 30 years. It is difficult to make broad generalizations as data are skewed to certain team sports football, basketball and volleyball with little or no contemporary information reported on others e.

cricket, rugby union, water polo, hockey. However, weighted averages for energy intake were Relative to body mass, male team sport athletes reported eating an average of 5.

This is less that reported for athletes engaged in individual team sports Burke, Not surprisingly, larger athletes were reported to consume more energy and pre-season intakes were greater than in-season intakes, perhaps to accommodate the additional conditioning work incorporated into the preparatory training phase.

Some evidence suggests the dietary quality of team sport athletes is less than what is reported for athletes involved in individual sports Clark et al. For instance, alcohol intakes of team sport athletes appear higher than other athlete groups Van Erp-Baart et al.

The team culture of celebrating a win and commiserating a loss often leads to excessive consumption of alcohol during the post-game period. Implications of such behaviour include a decrease in muscle protein synthesis Parr et al.

These issues need to be considered by sports nutrition professionals consulting with team sport athletes and highlight the need for a thorough dietary review of individual player habits and the team culture.

Implementation of appropriate systems including a performance kitchen can capture the imagination of players around key nutrition principles, while enhancing team culture.

Akermark C, Jacobs I, Rasmusson M, Karlsson J. Ali A, Williams C, Nicholas CW, Foskett A. Areta JL, Burke LM, Ross ML, Camera DM, West DW, Broad EM, Jeacocke NA, Moore DR, Stellingwerff T, Phillips SM, Hawley JA, Coffey VG. Backhouse SH, Ali A, Biddle SJ, Williams C. Balsom PD, Wood K, Olsson P, Ekblom B.

Bangsbo J, Norregaard L, Thorsoe F. Bangsbo J. Barr, McGee. Bishop D, Claudius B. Burke L. In Can J Appl Physiol. Human Kinetics Publishers: Champaign. pp Burke L, Cox G. The complete guide to Food for sports performance. Sydney: Allen and Unwin. Burke L, Hawley JA. Guidelines for optimal practices.

Burke L, Gollan RA, Read RS. Clark M, Reed DB, Crouse SF, Armstrong RB. Clarke ND, Drust B, MacLaren DP, Reilly T. Clarke ND, Drust B, Maclaren DP, Reilly T. Cornish SM, Chilibeck PD, Burke DG. Cox G, Mujika I, Tumilty D, Burke L. Cox GR, Clark SA, Cox AJ, Halson SL, Hargreaves M, Hawley JA, Jeacocke N, Snow RJ, Yeo WK, Burke LM.

Derave W, Everaert I, Beeckman S, Baguet A. Duthie G, Pyne DB, Hooper S. Edge J, Bishop D, Goodman C. Edwards AM, Noakes TD.

Ekblom B. Farajian, P, Kavouras, SA, Yannakoulia, M, Sidossis, LS. Foskett A, Ali A, Gant N. Garrido G, Webster AL, Chamorro M. Garth AK, Burke LM. Hansen AK, Fischer CP, Plomgaard P, Andersen JL, Saltin B, Pedersen BK. training once daily. Hawley J, Burke L. Peak Performance: Training and Nutritional Strategies for Sport.

Hofman Z, Smeets R, Verlaan G, Lugt R, Verstappen PA. Holway FE, Spriet LL. Hulston CJ, Venables MC, Mann CH, Martin C, Philp A, Baar K, Jeukendrup AE.

Iglesias-Gutiérrez E, García-Rovés PM, Rodríguez C, Braga S, García-Zapico P, Patterson AM. A necessary and accurate approach. Jacobs I, Westlin N, Karlsson J, Rasmusson M, Houghton B. Krustrup P, Mohr M, Steensberg A, Bencke J, Kjaer M, Bangsbo J.

Leiper JB, Broad NP, Maughan RJ. Leiper JB, Prentice AS, Wrightson C, Maughan RJ. Linseman ME, Palmer MS, Sprenger HM, Spriet LL. Matthew D, Delextrat A. Maughan RJ, Merson SJ, Broad NP, Shirreffs SM.

Maughan RJ, Watson P, Evans GH, Broad N, Shirreffs SM. McGregor SJ, Nicholas CW, Lakomy HKA, Williams C.

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Morton JP, Croft L, Bartlett JD, Maclaren DP, Reilly T, Evans L, McArdle A, Drust B. Mujika I, Padilla S, Ibañez J, Izquierdo M, Gorostiaga E. Nicholas CW, Williams C, Lakomy HK, Phillips G, Nowitz A. Ostojic SM. Parr EB, Camera DM, Areta JL, Burke LM, Phillips SM, Hawley JA, Coffey VG.

In PLoS One. Paton CD, Hopkins WG, Vollebregt L. Rampinini E, Bishop D, Marcora SM, Ferrari Bravo D, Sassi R, Impellizzeri FM.

Reilly T, Borrie A. Reilly T. A well-planned diet will meet your vitamin and mineral needs. Supplements will only be of any benefit if your diet is inadequate or you have a diagnosed deficiency, such as an iron or calcium deficiency.

There is no evidence that extra doses of vitamins improve sporting performance. Nutritional supplements can be found in pill, tablet, capsule, powder or liquid form, and cover a broad range of products including:. Before using supplements, you should consider what else you can do to improve your sporting performance — diet, training and lifestyle changes are all more proven and cost effective ways to improve your performance.

Relatively few supplements that claim performance benefits are supported by sound scientific evidence. Use of vitamin and mineral supplements is also potentially dangerous.

Supplements should not be taken without the advice of a qualified health professional. The ethical use of sports supplements is a personal choice by athletes, and it remains controversial.

If taking supplements, you are also at risk of committing an anti-doping rule violation no matter what level of sport you play. Dehydration can impair athletic performance and, in extreme cases, may lead to collapse and even death. Drinking plenty of fluids before, during and after exercise is very important.

Fluid intake is particularly important for events lasting more than 60 minutes, of high intensity or in warm conditions. Water is a suitable drink, but sports drinks may be required, especially in endurance events or warm climates. Sports drinks contain some sodium, which helps absorption.

While insufficient hydration is a problem for many athletes, excess hydration may also be potentially dangerous. In rare cases, athletes might consume excessive amounts of fluids that dilute the blood too much, causing a low blood concentration of sodium.

This condition is called hyponatraemia, which can potentially lead to seizures, collapse, coma or even death if not treated appropriately.

Consuming fluids at a level of to ml per hour of exercise might be a suitable starting point to avoid dehydration and hyponatraemia, although intake should ideally be customised to individual athletes, considering variable factors such as climate, sweat rates and tolerance.

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The information and materials contained on this website are not intended to constitute a comprehensive guide concerning all aspects of the therapy, product or treatment described on the website. All users are urged to always seek advice from a registered health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their medical questions and to ascertain whether the particular therapy, service, product or treatment described on the website is suitable in their circumstances.

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Skip to main content. Healthy eating. Home Healthy eating. Sporting performance and food. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. Nutrition and exercise The link between good health and good nutrition is well established.

Daily training diet requirements The basic training diet should be sufficient to: provide enough energy and nutrients to meet the demands of training and exercise enhance adaptation and recovery between training sessions include a wide variety of foods like wholegrain breads and cereals , vegetables particularly leafy green varieties , fruit , lean meat and low-fat dairy products to enhance long term nutrition habits and behaviours enable the athlete to achieve optimal body weight and body fat levels for performance provide adequate fluids to ensure maximum hydration before, during and after exercise promote the short and long-term health of athletes.

Carbohydrates are essential for fuel and recovery Current recommendations for carbohydrate requirements vary depending on the duration, frequency and intensity of exercise.

Eating during exercise During exercise lasting more than 60 minutes, an intake of carbohydrate is required to top up blood glucose levels and delay fatigue.

Eating after exercise Rapid replacement of glycogen is important following exercise. Protein and sporting performance Protein is an important part of a training diet and plays a key role in post-exercise recovery and repair. For example: General public and active people — the daily recommended amount of protein is 0.

Sports people involved in non-endurance events — people who exercise daily for 45 to 60 minutes should consume between 1. Sports people involved in endurance events and strength events — people who exercise for longer periods more than one hour or who are involved in strength exercise, such as weight lifting, should consume between 1.

Athletes trying to lose weight on a reduced energy diet — increased protein intakes up to 2. While more research is required, other concerns associated with very high-protein diets include: increased cost potential negative impacts on bones and kidney function increased body weight if protein choices are also high in fat increased cancer risk particularly with high red or processed meat intakes displacement of other nutritious foods in the diet, such as bread, cereal, fruit and vegetables.

Using nutritional supplements to improve sporting performance A well-planned diet will meet your vitamin and mineral needs. Nutritional supplements can be found in pill, tablet, capsule, powder or liquid form, and cover a broad range of products including: vitamins minerals herbs meal supplements sports nutrition products natural food supplements.

Water and sporting performance Dehydration can impair athletic performance and, in extreme cases, may lead to collapse and even death. Where to get help Your GP doctor Dietitians Australia External Link Tel.

Burke L, Deakin V, Mineham M , Clinical sports nutrition External Link , McGraw-Hill, Sydney. Jäger R, Kerksick CM, Campbell BI, et al. Nutrition External Link , Australian Institute of Sport, Australian Government.

Nutrition and healthy eating resources External Link , Nutrition Australia. Give feedback about this page. Was this page helpful? Yes No. View all healthy eating.