Winning in sports is based mainly on superior athletic ability and sports nutrition is the groundwork of athletic success. It is a well-designed plan in nutrition that allows athletes and adults to perform at their best. It delivers the accurate food type, energy, nutrients, and fluids to keep the body well hydrated and functioning at peak stages.
Sports nutrition is unique to each individual and is planned according to individual goals. Nutritional needs differ from person to person; there is no single diet that suits all. Athletes are recommended to follow a personalized nutrition and hydration plan since each sport and each individual has its own nutritional demands.
In order to have the best athletic performance, adequate energy and nutrients should be consumed, appropriate body composition must be maintained, optimal recovery from training should be met, good hydration status must be maintained, and optimum nerve-muscle reflexes must be established.
Energy is the fuel for training. Energy from the diet is stored as body fat or glycogen (carbohydrate in muscles and liver) and is metabolized to provide energy. Athletes and individuals who exercise vigorously basically require more calories than normal. Calories are the amount of energy released when the body breaks down food and these should be adequate to maintain desirable body weight.
Carbohydrates are metabolized three times faster than energy from fat which allows for faster muscle contractions. Eating a diet high in carbohydrate guarantees that muscle and liver glycogen stores are sustained. It is important to take note that complex carbohydrates provide energy at a slow and gradual pace while simple carbohydrates cause a rapid drop in blood sugar.
Increased carbohydrate intake or carbohydrate loading allows an increase in glycogen stores in the body. Glycogen is the chief source of energy during short spurts of activity and at the start of exercise. There is only a small stock of glycogen in the body, and as exercise continues the store goes down and the body starts to use some fat to provide energy. Large portion of carbohydrates are recommended to be consumed within 2 hours after the end of training since glycogen synthesis is greater.
Contrary to popular belief, athletes are not required to consume large amounts of high protein foods or supplements. Eating additional protein than the body needs do not increase the amount of muscle in the body. However, in special cases, additional protein is needed but is recommended upon the advice of health professionals. Excessive protein intake in the diet should be avoided because animal fat is likely to be high in saturated fat, is expensive and has an adverse effect on body hydration. A good protein-carbohydrate ratio is 1:3.
A meal high in fat is also not needed as it takes time to be digested, converted and utilized into a usable form of energy. After the body metabolizes fat, it needs time to be carried to the working muscles before it can be used as energy. For these reasons, athletes need to be particular in timing and amount of fat they eat. In general, eating foods high in fat immediately before or during intense exercise is not recommended. Aside from the fact that the workout will be done before the fat is available as usable energy, doing so can cause gastrointestinal symptoms, like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
If no specific deficiency exists, vitamin and mineral supplements are ineffective. However, athletes have higher losses in iron. Iron is important among young athletes because anemia is associated with reduced oxygenation.
Water is the most crucial nutrient. Athletes have higher risk for dehydration due to fluid losses from sweat, heat, and humidity. Don’t rely on thirst. Athletes should always stay hydrated by drinking water. For moderate exercise without extreme temperatures or duration, cold water is the choice for replacing the fluids. Cold water cools the body and is emptied quicker from the stomach.
Sports drinks are weak solutions containing small amounts of carbohydrate and minerals. It is primarily designed to be used to replace water and electrolytes and to provide carbohydrate for energy. Sports drinks improve performance in several forms of exercise, with the clearest benefits being seen for continued exercise with no rest. If sports drinks are needless for the type of exercise done, too much intake leads to unnecessary calories that could affect one’s weight. Studies also show that too much intake dissolves teeth since sports drinks are loaded with sugar and sodium that latch onto the teeth and eats away at the protective enamel.
Sports nutrition is essential. Taking extra care of nutritional needs when engaging in sports can help prevent “hitting the wall” or “the bonk”, which is a condition of rapid fatigue and loss of energy brought about by the exhaustion of glycogen stores in the liver and muscles. However, professional help should be sought before taking in supplements or drinks.
Optimum athletic performance is enhanced by compliance to nutritional needs and considerations of every athlete. It is best to consult your doctor or registered nutritionist-dietitian to ensure holistic approach on sports nutrition. (CMU BSND OJT Charlaine Ayessa Morada Rubillos)
