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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. Related information. Due to the multitude of factors affecting food choice 26 , it is largely unclear which prototype may develop into a successful product in the market.

Combine this with the reported key nutritional knowledge gaps reported in these populations 15 , 16 , it is exceptionally difficult for the sports nutrition sector to effectively identify the correct avenue for future new product development ventures in order to develop a scientifically-proven efficacious product that will be adopted by the end-user.

This novel cross-sectional research was conducted with an overarching objective to inform key priorities and design elements for future new product development through assessment of current practices, perceived nutritional priorities and product preferences of athletes and active individuals.

The research tool a comprehensive online survey questionnaire underpinning the data presented in this study was developed using a combination of critical review of current scientific evidence, in conjunction with end-user engagement through the conduction of two scoping focus group sessions with athletes and active individuals of mixed backgrounds and abilities.

The findings of these focus groups enabled the design of the key questions utilised in the online questionnaire allowing the targeted identification of particular disconnects between current product offerings and the needs of end-users, both known and hidden.

Data from these focus group sessions were analysed and did not reach idea saturation while further focus groups sessions were cancelled due to the onset of the covid pandemic.

Through critical review of the available literature investigating nutritional knowledge, practices and food choice within sport and exercise, knowledge gaps were identified which are of high value for informing future product development and the creation of this holistic research tool 27 — Notably, these included the lack of published publicly available data to underpin design elements of new sports nutrition products such as product claim prioritization, the relative importance of nutritional and product characteristics to the end user and consumer preferences for various product forms currently available on the market.

Participants in this study were at least 18 years of age. The targeted population group for this study was athletes and active individuals which was defined as anyone undertaking competitive sport or actively participating in a form of physical activity program on at least two occasions per week.

This was to ensure that participants were at least at a level where diet and nutritional practices would be potentially influential to their exercise or sporting performance and represented the predominant end-user group of sports nutrition products.

Participants were recruited through social media advertisement, internal university email list and word of mouth. Clubs, organizational bodies and sporting facilities were also approached to distribute this survey to their athletes and members.

A convenience sampling method was used to achieve this sample and the sample size is in line with that of similar survey-based research in nutrition, food choice and sports nutrition 14 , 23 , 32 , This questionnaire was granted ethical approval from the Social Research Ethics Committee of University College Cork log All responses were provided anonymously, and no identifying data was collected.

Prior to participation, participants were presented with the purpose of the questionnaire, their role within the research and were given contact details of the researchers should they have any questions regarding the research project.

Following this, participants were required to provide their informed consent to participate. This questionnaire was carried out using the online platform Qualtrics Qualtrics, Utah, USA. The questionnaire utilised a series of thirty-four questions including multiple-choice questions, rating scale questions, rank order questions and matrix scale questions.

Questions were designed to assess the current priorities, practices and preferences of athletes and active individuals regarding their nutrition and food choices. Questions related to preferences for product characteristics and food types were based of common product offerings in the sports nutrition market following review of various a wide array of sports nutrition product offerings available in Ireland and online.

Data was extracted from Qualtrics for further statistical analysis. All data was analysed statistically using IBM SPSS IBM SPSS Statistics version All data was initially analysed as an entire dataset, following this, various questions were analysed by subgroup using Mann Whitney U tests.

Subgroups assessed were gender, competition level and total activity time per week. Four-hundred and five female, male athletes and active individuals successfully completed this questionnaire and were eligible for inclusion in analysis. Participants reported undertaking Figure 1.

The most sought-after sports nutrition product claims of athletes and active individuals. Multivitamins were the most commonly reported supplement used for health and wellbeing while protein supplements were the most commonly used exercise-related supplements Table 2.

Caffeine-containing functional foods were the most commonly used group of functional foods with participants reporting ingesting coffee or other caffeine containing food products to support their exercise performance Table 2.

Table 1. Table 2. Seventy percent of participants reported altering their routine surrounding exercise with the intention to improve their recovery. Figure 2. When asked to rank the importance of various features of a product for exercise performance or recovery, nutritional profile was ranked as the most important with an average rating of 3.

Table 3. Importance of product features and scientific proof on nutrition product choice using a scale of 1 not important to 4 crucial. Whole food type nutritional products received the most first preference selections and most top 3 selections when presented with a number of popular performance and recovery products on the market Table 4.

Whole foods received and first preferences for recovery and performance products, respectively. Powder-based products received the second most number one preferences in recovery and performance categories with 56 top preference selections in the recovery category and 58 top preference selections in the performance category.

When presented with a list of common food products which often carry performance or recovery claims, a smoothie or juice option received top three rankings, however a hot food option received the most top rankings with participants responding that it was their favourite of the food options presented.

Table 4. While there has been substantial research advancement in efficacy testing of potential product prototypes 37 ; there is often considerable difficulty when it comes to translation of theoretically efficacious product prototypes to successful adoption amongst consumers In order to achieve this, an evidence-based needs analysis of target market must be evaluated to inform the conversion from food prototype to successful product.

The data gathered from this study has identified a clear disconnect between certain aspects of current practice of this population and advised evidence-based best-practice.

While effective sports nutrition solutions to provide support to post exercise recovery are deemed of critical importance to these end-users; we detected that there is a clear disconnect between the current practice of end-users and the recommended scientific best-practice within the topic.

There is also undoubtedly a desire for more food-based solutions to be developed, yet it is clear from current practice that supplementation still represents a considerable majority of the sports nutrition products produced and consumed Future ventures should prioritise the development of fortified and functional food alternatives as evidenced in findings of this research study.

It is critical to gain a quantifiable understanding of what aspects of physiological function this population prioritise as being important to support both their health and athletic performance. To the best of the authors knowledge this is the first study to analyse the specific product claims and attributes which athletes and active individuals prioritise when it comes to selecting sports nutrition products.

This study demonstrates for the first time that post-exercise recovery is the most sought-after sport and exercise nutrition product claim with almost 3 in 4 participants ranking muscular recovery as one of their top three priorities, and one quarter ranking it as their top priority.

Exercise-induced muscle damage EIMD is wide ranging in its prevalence with 7 in 10 participants reporting frequently experiencing muscle stiffness or pain post exercise. EIMD is caused by unaccustomed strenuous exercise particularly when such exercise is at high intensity or contains high eccentric loading 40 , Over half of participants, reported experiencing stiffness or pain caused by EIMD at least once per week, highlighting the magnitude of this issue and the urgent need for an evidence-based food solution.

Using appropriate methods to recover from EIMD allows athletes and active individuals to achieve the greatest possible adaptation to strenuous exercise through allowing for increased training frequency and also reduced the time spent in a state of compromised muscle function To enhance recovery after exercise, evidence suggests that protein supports muscle adaptation, and polyphenol-rich foods like tart cherry juice can be effective nutritional strategies to improve recovery from muscle soreness and damage 42 , Improving both endurance and strength through the use of nutritional products followed closely as important product claims prioritised by this population ranking them second and third respectively in terms of product claim importance The emergence of food forms such as isotonic sports drinks, gels and shots have attempted been developed to provide in-competition carbohydrate fuelling options, further innovation is duly warranted in this area.

While protein ingestion coupled with resistance training improves strength and power adaptation in the long term 44 , 45 ; improving acute strength and power performance through nutritional means is a decidedly more difficult challenge.

Caffeine shows considerable efficacy in this regard 46 , and also in improving acute endurance performance 47 , however issues relating to dosages, habituation and genetic variance in response 48 mean that achieving an optimal ergogenic effect may prove challenging for the athlete. Creatine monohydrate supplementation also provides potential for an ergogenic effect, increasing short term strength and power performance 49 , 50 , however doses, particularly during loading phases appear achievable via supplementation and not by dietary means Despite this research being carried out during the covid pandemic which likely placed greater emphasis on maintaining health and immunity, this product claim was less prioritised in comparison with muscle recovery, enhancing strength and enhancing endurance.

This strongly suggests that when it comes to nutrition and dietary interventions this population of athletes and active individuals prioritise seeking products that can have a direct impact on sporting performance rather than products that help maintain health and wellbeing exclusively. Given the considerable risk of absence from training and competition associated with illness and infection surrounding major sporting competition, this poses a considerable under prioritisation within this population 51 , Due to the lack of regulation of the sports nutrition market, along with the recent growth in the industry, a considerable level of scepticism over the use of sports nutrition products has emerged in recent years 53 , Particularly, the prevalence of mislabelling and contamination of sports supplements has led to a notable movement away from advocating for the use of sports supplements and towards a food first approach to sports nutrition Within the wider food industry there has been considerable improvement within regulation of health claims of food products in recent years with the European Food Safety Authority and the European Commission introducing regulations on Nutrition and Health claims in [Regulation EC No.

Establishing a minimum standard of scientific evidence underpinning these claims through regulation is a priority This is now extending into the sports nutrition sector with the development of the Australian Institute of Sport ABCD classification of sports foods and supplements Australian Institute of Sport and the International Olympic Council releasing their consensus statement on dietary supplements and their claims It has been shown previously that scientific evidence backed health claims influence overall perception, food choice and willingness to pay 58 This finding highlights the importance of a rigorous scientific process in new product development practice for sports nutrition food products, and also emphasises the importance of regulating sports nutrition efficacy claims to protect the consumer from spurious or fraudulent efficacy statements.

Even when sports nutrition products have well established science-backed efficacy claims, risk of inadvertent product contamination is another particular issue within the sports nutrition industry.

Paired with regulation of product claims, recommendation of third-party testing of sports nutrition products and their batches to ensure products contain the stated ingredients only and in the stated dosages is essential for the safety of end-users.

Along with this education of end-users around the risks of supplement contamination and the importance of third-party testing is essential for the future of product regulation Supplementation type products represent a majority of the market share for sports nutrition products 1.

These findings closely align with those reported in the meta-analysis of Knapik et al. One notable distinction between the results of this study and those presented in Knapik et al.

This data was collected in Ireland which has an increased prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency This study was conducted during the covid pandemic during which increased focus was placed on vitamin D supplementation to support immune health Given the growing knowledge surrounding the importance of avoiding vitamin D deficiency in athletes this is likely a positive development When participants reported the methods employed to improve recovery post-exercise the most commonly used methods were static stretching and foam rolling.

Research into the effects of static stretching on recovery from EIMD have shown little to no effect on recovery of muscle strength or muscle soreness 65 , while foam rolling has been shown to have little effect, other than recovery of range of motion 66 , Despite the relative importance to the individual, the management of recovery post exercise appears to be largely misunderstood.

Promotion of good sleep hygiene 68 and the incorporation of appropriate changes to daily nutrition practices 42 during periods of intense exercise should be prioritised for the improvement of recovery over practices such as static stretching and foam rolling. Our research indicates that protein supplementation was the most employed supplementation strategy relating to sporting performance or recovery in this population.

While increased protein intake has been shown to positively impact muscle protein turnover and as a result augment the regeneration of muscle tissue post exercise and promote optimal muscle and strength gains particularly during resistance training 69 — 71 , it remains unclear as to whether protein supplementation improves the time course of skeletal muscle recovery.

A systematic review and meta-analysis showed little effect of protein supplements on recovery from symptoms of EIMD including muscle strength and muscle soreness Another meta-analysis showed that whey protein supplementation had a small to medium temporal ergogenic effect on recovery of muscle function post resistance exercise training, however less than half of the included studies reported a beneficial overall effect Although increasing protein intake will undoubtedly enhance adaptation to resistance training for most individuals, given this evidence, it cannot be relied upon as a primary method to curb the issue of post exercise discomfort and reductions in performance capability in the aftermath of intense exercise.

Alternative solutions should be sought to enhance recovery from EIMD such as those discussed in the key review of this topic by Harty et al. A particularly underutilised avenue in the sports nutrition sector appears to be that of bioactive functional foods which provide physiological benefit beyond that of their macro or micronutrient content.

Although there is a strong uptake in the use of caffeine-based functional foods, particularly coffee, the majority of participants in this study reported not using such functional foods at all. Only 24 participants reported using polyphenol-based functional food products such as tart cherry products, green tea and dark chocolate, and 14 participants reported the use of dietary nitrate based functional foods such as beetroot juice.

While underutilised, the use of polyphenols for sporting performance 74 , recovery of muscle soreness and muscle strength 75 as well as providing health benefits 76 , 77 has been the focus of recent research with much of the research showing performance, recovery and health benefits, although effects may be small and precise dosage required requires further investigation.

Given the myriad of food sources naturally rich in polyphenols 78 , and their demonstratable capacity to address key priorities of athletes and active individuals, there appears significant scope for development of polyphenol rich functional foods for the sports nutrition market.

The efficacy for the use of dietary nitrate functional food products, particularly beetroot juice is also well established with meta-analyses showing clear benefits in endurance capacity 79 , The emergence of functional foods has been a notable trend in the wider food industry in recent years and it is clear there is strong potential for this to extend to the sport and exercise nutrition sector, however challenges translating research to engaging strategies to support consumer uptake must be addressed Nutritional profile was voted as the most important factor affecting a purchasing decision of a sports nutrition product, followed closely by taste.

Although there is a fast-growing interest in sustainability in the wider food systems, the sustainability of a sports nutrition product received the lowest mean rating of features presented in this question.

This suggests that athletes and active individuals are unlikely to be willing to compromise on other factors in favour of having an improved environmental impact, especially with regards nutritional profile and taste. However, product sustainability still has some importance to this population and may be a viable selling point of a product once other key factors are intact Gender appears to be a particularly important demographic influencer in this population with gender having a significant influence on the rank importance of taste, price, nutritional profile, ease of access and sustainability, which have been previously shown to influence the adoption of functional foods in the diet Outside of gender, competition level and time spent undertaking sport or structured physical activity may also be a factor in the food preferences of participants, particularly in the aspects of taste, ease of preparation and price 26 , 29 , Food choice in athletes is heavily influenced by the demands of the sport or exercise they are participating in, as well as the timing surrounding the exercise event As a result of this, separate questions were asked as to the types of sports nutrition product they would prefer for either performance or recovery.

A food first approach has been widely advocated for by sporting bodies as well as in three notable expert consensus statements on sports nutrition 57 , 82 , There is also clearly considerable demand for sports nutrition food products given the results of the product preference section of this study Table 4.

This approach has been shown to be particularly beneficial when it comes to protein intake and muscle protein synthesis and the resulting remodelling of muscle tissue as a result of exercise While protein supplements have shown significant benefits for athletes and healthy ageing populations 69 , 71 , 86 , and research using protein supplements has been integral to the development of protein intake guidelines for these populations, whole protein foods have been suggested to have greater beneficial impact than that of their constituent amino acid content alone Despite consumer demand and the scientific support for food-first approaches to sport and exercise nutrition, market insights note that There is evidently major potential for a significant market swing towards foods for sport and exercise in the coming years.

Although a food-first approach should be the first option for nutritional practice in sport and exercise, there is potential to include supplementation to augment this practice, particularly for nutrients which are difficult to consume in sufficient quantities from dietary sources to gain an ergogenic benefit.

This approach posits that athletes should adopt a food-first approach unless faced with one of six pre-defined scenarios which suggest supplementation may provide additional benefits Future innovations in the sports nutrition market should reflect this and prioritise whole food products where possible, reserving supplementation approaches predominantly for nutrients in which it is impossible or wholly impractical to achieve exclusively from diet.

To date there is no previously published research to the authors knowledge that addresses end-user desires for particular product forms. As previously discussed general food preference factors such as taste are of great importance to this population and as such creating products which meet the desired specifications are crucial for success in the sports nutrition market Table 3 In this online survey participants were asked to rank their most preferable food products, when provided with a list of food product types found commonly on the sports nutrition market.

This aligns considerably with the move towards a food first approach to sports nutrition as discussed above 55 , 85 Given the fruit and vegetable derived nature of underutilised bioactive compounds such as polyphenols and dietary nitrates, smoothies and juices represent a particularly interesting direction for future development with juices such as beetroot juice and tart cherry juice showing particular scientific evidence 87 , The creation of convenient and accessible hot meal solutions such as recipes and meal preparation methods for hot food, which meet the macronutrient nutritional demands of this population also appear to be in particular demand.

Participants were also asked to rank their most likely place of purchase for a sports nutrition product with supermarkets being ranked the most likely place of purchase for such products Table 5.

Developing food products which combine appealing sensory factors with favourable nutritional profile could revolutionise the sports nutrition sector from a supplement focussed one, to that of a food industry. Table 5. Descriptive data outlining preferences for place of purchase of a sports nutrition product.

It is worth noting that this study was undertaken in Ireland so the results may not be fully generalisable to that of the wider athletic population. The sporting activities of this sample, contains a considerable proportion of participants reporting engagement in random intermittent dynamic type sports such as soccer, rugby, Gaelic games and basketball which may not be representative of the sporting populations in certain areas of the world.

As a result of the convenience sampling nature of this sample it may not be fully representative of views on a population level and it is impossible to assess whether there would be a notable difference between responders and non-responders to the survey.

Due to the nature of the format of the rank order questions, it was not possible to statistically compare answers against different population groups such as across gender and competition level, further research should be considered to elucidate trends of these topics across population sectors and among specific sporting sectors.

There has been both significant growth in the sports nutrition sector as well as significant progression in the scientific knowledge surrounding nutritional practices to support sport and exercise in recent years.

However, at this pivotal juncture for the sector it appears that by listening to the end user, greater efficiency and efficacy can be gained in the new product development process. In fields such as skeletal muscle recovery there are clear disparities between the current practice of athletes and active individuals and the scientific evidence of best practice.

A transition towards a food first approach in sports nutrition is vital for athletes and active individuals to achieve their goals, with the development of functional foods, particularly with the focus of muscle recovery, endurance, and strength enhancement at the forefront.

This population has also shown considerable support for the scientific process in developing such products and testing their respective efficacy. There appears to be particular enthusiasm towards beverages such as smoothies, juices and shakes as well as food products in bar or hot food format.

This research merits consideration and priority in future new product developments in the sport and exercise nutrition sector. The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.

The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by Social Research Ethics Committee, University College Cork. All authors contributed to the study conception, design, implementation and data-analysis.

The manuscript was written by CCC and all authors contributed to and commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version. This research was funded by the Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, under the Food Institutional Research Measure FIRM Agreement no.

A related myth is that sport drinks are bad because they contain so much sugar. However, these drinks are made for athletes who are expending large amounts of energy. And aside from carbohydrates, hydration for athletes is very important.

However, these drinks are not for everyone, and should be looked at more as a supplement for athletes, not a food replacement. No, I would not.

But nutrition recommendations change for an athlete. Brown says. However, if an athlete does not have celiac disease or a gluten intolerance, foods containing wheat or gluten can be an excellent source of carbohydrates.

An athlete who is avoiding gluten must pay close attention to how that may be affecting the consumption of other nutrients. There are no good foods or bad foods. While that may have short-term gains, it can cause harm in the long-term.

Nutrition to boost athletic performance and recovery has only recently come into the limelight, as the focus traditionally rested with strength and conditioning. However, recent science gives athletes tools to help them optimize energy, enhance recovery, improve endurance, and strengthen their bodies.

Here at the University of Idaho, our athletic training program recognizes that diet is an important part of wellness. Brown to help our students navigate the emerging science of performance nutrition, so they can support the overall well-being of their future patients.

First day of classes and Summer semester dates: MSAT: June 3- August 2nd DAT: July 1st through July 26th Moscow Athletic Training Program. Mailing Address: College of Education, Health and Human Sciences University of Idaho Perimeter Drive MS Moscow, Idaho Phone: Fax: Email: ui-at uidaho.

Laboratory Integrated Sports Medicine Movement Analysis Laboratory ISMMAL. Clinic Integrated Sports Medicine and Rehabilitative Therapies ISMaRT Clinic. Phone: Fax: Email: atclinic uidaho.

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Nutrition Fitness Sports Oral Health Emotional Wellness Sleep Growing Healthy. Performance-Enhancing Supplements: Information for Parents. Page Content. Performance-enhancing supplements Parents and athletes need to be aware that dietary supplements are not regulated by the U.

Protein and creatine Young athletes sometimes take protein supplements or nucleic acid supplements creatine to help their sports performance. Energy drinks and stimulants Caffeine is found in a variety of foods and drinks.

Vitamins and minerals Athletes do not need vitamins and mineral supplements if they are eating healthy, well-balanced meals. Anabolic steroids Anabolic steroids are drugs that are illegal without a doctor's prescription. Nutrition basics for sports performance Athletes can help boost their athletic performance with these healthy nutrition basics: Start with breakfast.

Breakfast is especially important before events. More information Safe Weight Loss and Weight Gain for Young Athletes Vitamin Supplements and Children Sports Nutrition for Busy Families and Busy Lifestyles Use of Performance-Enhancing Substances AAP Clinical Report Sports Drinks and Energy Drinks for Children and Adolescents: Are They Appropriate?

AAP Policy Statement. The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.

Follow Us. Back to Top. Oral Health. Emotional Wellness. Growing Healthy. How much can I bench press, squat or deadlift? While these are all good questions to ask and good goals to have, it leaves out one very important question: Where am I going to get the energy to achieve all these desired training outcomes?

The idea of proper sports nutrition can often seem like a very complicated equation, especially when we are talking about elite level professional athletes.

In reality; at its root, fueling your body properly can be very simple. Your body receives energy, in the form of calories, from 3 sources known as macronutrients. These three energy sources are carbohydrates, protein, and fat.

Carbohydrates There are 4 calories in every gram of carbohydrates and is the primary source of fuel for our muscles. There are many different forms of carbohydrates, but the two most heard terms are glucose and glycogen.

Glucose is a simple form of carbohydrate that is easily broken down in the body and used for energy. Glycogen is simply glucose that is stored in the body, mostly in the liver and muscles. Glycogen is turned into glucose when energy is needed in the muscles. The higher the level of intensity of the exercise the more your body relies on carbohydrates for energy.

Some good sources of carbohydrates include:. Protein Many athletes have the misconception that protein is the most important nutrient for fueling athletic performance and that more is better. This is not necessarily the case. Protein consumption is no more or less important than carbohydrate or fat consumption.

Like carbohydrates, there are 4 calories in every gram of protein. Unlike carbohydrates, the main function of protein in the body is not as a main energy source.

Proteins are the building block of muscle and are a vital component to the growing and repairing of muscle. Some good sources of protein are:. Fat Yes, athletes need to consume fat! Fat is a very highly-concentrated source of energy and provides more than double the calories per gram than either protein or carbohydrates.

Some sources of good healthy fats include:. 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. 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.

This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:. Content on this website is provided for information purposes only. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not in any way endorse or support such therapy, service, product or treatment and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional.

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.

The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website.

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Official websites use. gov A. gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. gov website. 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. 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.

Snacks are an important way for athletes to meet their calorie and nutrition needs and stay well fueled throughout the day. Options include:. Athletes need to plan their diet to optimize their health and performance.

They should consider their calorie and macronutrient needs and ensure they eat a varied diet that provides essential vitamins and minerals. Hydration and meal timing are also vital for performing well throughout the day.

Some athletes may choose to take dietary supplements. However, they should be mindful of safety and efficacy issues and ensure that their sporting association allows them. Both amateur and professional athletes may benefit from consulting with a sports nutritionist to help them plan the optimal diet for their individual needs and goals.

Many athletes look for safe and efficient ways to boost their performance. In this article, we look at six vitamins and supplements that may help. Diets particularly suitable for athletes are those that provide sufficient calories and all the essential nutrients.

Learn about the best meal…. What are micronutrients? Read on to learn more about these essential vitamins and minerals, the role they play in supporting health, as well as…. Adding saffron supplements to standard-of-care treatment for ulcerative colitis may help reduce inflammation and positively benefit patients, a new….

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Medically reviewed by Alissa Palladino, MS, RDN, LD, CPT , Nutrition , Personal Training — By Louisa Richards on April 20, Importance Macronutrients Other nutrients Calories Meal timing Tailoring nutrition Example meals Summary Athletes will have different nutritional needs compared with the general public.

Why is nutrition important? Micronutrients, supplements, and hydration. Sufficient calories. Meal timing. Tailoring nutrition for sport type. Meal examples. How we reviewed this article: Sources. Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations.

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