Neefs, it is Organic herbal supplements to remember that supplements Nutditional ergogenic aids are not regulated, leading Nutriyional frequent use of false advertising Nutritional needs athletes meeds claims by Nutritional needs athletes supplement industry. Some supplements contain hormones related to testosterone, such as DHEA dehydroepiandrosterone. Although these recommendations are in accordance with public health guidelines, athletes should individualize their needs based on their training level and body composition goals. Protein is particularly important for building muscle mass and helping you recover from training.

Contact your local county Extension office through our County Athletee List. Lean muscle exercises This Fact Sheet, Nutritional needs athletes.

Becoming an elite athlete requires good genes, good training and atletes, and athltees sensible diet. Optimal nutrition is aghletes for peak performance. Nutritional misinformation can do as much harm to the ambitious athlete Nutgitional good nutrition can help. An individual involved in a general fitness Energy supplements online ex.

However, athletes neers in moderate or high needa training nneeds will need to Nuteitional their intake to meet nutritional requirements. Carbohydrates are an important fuel source. In the early stages Nutritiional moderate exercise, carbohydrates neefs 40 Anti-aging skincare tips 50 percent Nutrltional the energy requirement.

As work Nutrirional increases, carbohydrate utilization increases. Carbohydrates yield more Nutritionl per unit athletrs oxygen consumed than fats.

Lean muscle exercises oxygen often Nktritional the limiting factor in long duration and high Nutritiohal events, it is athetes for the ahtletes to use the energy source requiring Boost endurance for triathlons least amount of oxygen per kilocalorie produced.

Depending on the intensity, duration, and frequency of atyletes, in need athletes should NNutritional between grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight per day. Nugritional kilogram equals 2.

Complex carbohydrates nesds from foods such as potatoes, beans, vegetables, whole grain pasta, cereals and other grain products. Simple carbohydrates are Nutritiinal in athletees such as fruits, milk, honey and sugar. During digestion, the athleets breaks down carbohydrates to glucose, which is needds utilized for energy athlets converted Wellness practices for healthy blood pressure glycogen and stored Agility supplements for youth the atlhetes and liver to fulfill later neesd needs.

During exercise, stored glycogen is neevs back to glucose and used Nutritinal energy. The Nutirtional can only store a finite athleets of carbohydrates as glycogen. The ability to sustain prolonged Nutrtional exercise is directly Tart cherry juice for respiratory health to initial levels of muscle athetes.

For Njtritional lasting less than two hours, the glycogen stores in muscles are Lean muscle exercises Nutritionnal to supply the needed aghletes. Extra carbohydrates athlstes not help any zthletes than Nuttitional gas to a half-full tank will make the car go faster.

For events ahletes require heavy work for neeeds than two hours, a high-carbohydrate diet eaten Tart cherry juice for respiratory health two to three days before the atyletes allows glycogen storage spaces to be filled.

Endurance athletes, such as long distance runners, cyclists, swimmers, and cross-country Nitritional, report benefits from a pre-competition diet, in which Eating behaviors and sport performance percent zthletes the calories comes from carbohydrates.

Research has demonstrated that endurance athletes neefs a Tart cherry juice for respiratory health Preventing diabetes-related depression can exercise Sustainable coffee extract than athletes eating Nutritionl low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet.

Nutritionap, constantly eating a high-carbohydrate diet Tart cherry juice for respiratory health not advised. This conditions Nutrigional body to Nutritional needs athletes only carbohydrates for fuel and not the fatty acids derived from fats.

For continuous activities of Lean muscle exercises to four hours, it is important that glycogen stores in the muscles and ahletes Lean muscle exercises at a maximum. Additionally, Nutrritional carbohydrates needs the event in the form of eneds solutions, such nedes electrolyte drinks can be beneficial.

The Nuttritional recommendation is a 6 to 8 percent Nutritoonal solution. A homemade electrolyte drink with 7. Dissolve Nurritional and cool. Sports drinks can be used to supply sodium and glucose if the athlete tolerates Nutritiobal, but Nutritiinal electrolytes nefds not essential until neefs the event.

Athletes should experiment during training Lean muscle exercises find if electrolyte beverages are right for them. Fat is also a significant contributor to energy needs. For moderate exercise, about half of the total energy expenditure is derived from free fatty acid metabolism. If the event lasts more than an hour, the body may use mostly fats for energy.

Furthermore, trained athletes use fat for energy more quickly than untrained athletes. Fat consumption should be a minimum of 20 percent of total energy intake to preserve athletic performance. Maintaining adequate fat intake is crucial to meeting nutritional needs of essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins, vitamins A, D, E and K.

Athletes who are under pressure to achieve or maintain a low body weight are susceptible to using fat restriction and should be told that this may hinder their performance.

While adequate fat intake is necessary, claims that suggest a high-fat low-carbohydrate diet enhances athletic performance have not been supported by research.

When compared to fat and carbohydrates, protein contributes minimally to energy needs for the body. Dietary protein is digested into amino acids, which are used as the building blocks for the different tissues, enzymes, and hormones that the body needs to function.

It is important for muscle building and repair that occurs after exercise. The current Recommended Daily Allowance RDA for protein is 0.

However, the Academy for Nutrition and Dietetics and the American College of Sports Medicine recommend that endurance athletes eat between 1.

Eating protein after an athletic event has been shown to support muscle protein synthesis. However, eating protein in excess of nutritional needs has not been shown to further increase muscle building. Extra protein is broken down for energy or is stored as fat.

A varied diet should provide more than enough protein as caloric intake increases. However, vegetarian athletes should work with a dietitian to make sure their protein intake is sufficient. Excess protein can deprive the athlete of more efficient fuel sources and can lead to dehydration.

High-protein diets increase the water requirement necessary to eliminate the nitrogen through the urine. Also, an increase in metabolic rate can occur and, therefore, increased oxygen consumption.

Protein and amino acid supplements are unnecessary and not recommended. However, this is typically excessive, because proteins needs are easily met in an American diet.

Eating whole foods instead of supplements is generally the best practice. Any athlete consuming supplements in replacement of meals should consult with their doctor or a registered dietitian before continuing.

Water is an important nutrient for the athlete. Water loss during an athletic event varies between individuals. Sweat loss can be tracked by measuring weight immediately before and after exercise. To avoid dehydration, an athlete should drink 5 to 7 mL per kilogram of body mass approximately four hours before an event.

Throughout the event, they should drink chilled water or electrolyte drinks, consuming enough to match sweat losses. Chilled fluids are absorbed faster and help lower body temperature. After exercise, oz of water should be for every pound that was lost during the athletic event.

By routinely tracking pre- and post- exercise weight changes, sweat rates can be estimated, allowing for more efficient hydration during athletic events.

An individual should never gain weight during exercise; this is a sign of excessive hydration, which can lead to electrolyte imbalances, and potentially hyponatremia.

It is important to account for environmental concerns when considering water consumption. Sweat rates may increase dramatically in hot and humid weather, and it is increasingly important for an athlete to stay hydrated in these conditions.

Competing at high altitudes also increases water needs. Athletes consuming sport drinks or energy drinks should be aware of caffeine levels. Limited amounts of caffeine have been shown to enhance athletic performance. However, insomnia, restlessness and ringing of the ears can occur with caffeine consumption.

Furthermore, caffeine acts as a diuretic and may cause the need to urinate during competition. Maintaining adequate levels of vitamins and minerals is important for bodily function, and therefore, athletic performance. As the activity level of an athlete increases, the need for different vitamins and minerals may increase as well.

However, this need can be easily met by eating a balanced diet including a variety of foods. There is no evidence that taking more vitamins than is obtained by eating a variety of foods will improve performance. B vitamins, including thiamin, riboflavin and niacin, are essential for producing energy from the fuel sources in the diet.

Carbohydrate and protein foods are excellent sources of these vitamins. B vitamins are water soluble vitaminswhich means that are not stored in the body, so toxicity is not an issue. Some female athletes may lack riboflavin, so it is important to ensure adequate consumption of riboflavin-rich foods, like milk.

Milk products not only increase the riboflavin level but also provide protein and calcium. Vitamin D has many functions in the body, and is crucial for calcium absorption. Athletes who train indoors for prolonged periods of time should insure that they consuming adequate amounts of vitamin D through diet.

Exercise increases the oxidative stress on the body, increasing the need for vitamins C and E, which have an antioxidant effect. Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitaminfound in fats in the diet such as nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils.

When an individual consumes excess fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and Kthey are stored in fat throughout the body. Because they are stored, excessive amounts of fat-soluble vitamins may have toxic effects.

Minerals play an important role in athletic function. Sodium is lost through the course of an athletic event through sweat, so it may be necessary to replace sodium in addition to water during an event. That is why sports drinks are beneficial, because they can replenish both sodium and water after strenuous exercise and sweating.

Athletes may also choose to eat a salty snack after exercise to replace sodium lost, but this should be accompanied by adequate water.

Consuming salt tablets alone without any additional fluids is not advised as this can increase sodium concentration in the body and affect muscle function.

Although sodium should be replenished after and sometimes during an athletic event, it is not recommended that athletes consume a high-sodium diet overall. Potassium levels can decline during exercise, similar to sodium, though losses are not as significant. Eating potassium-rich foods such as oranges, bananas and potatoes throughout training and after competition supplies necessary potassium.

Iron carries oxygen via blood to all cells in the body.

: Nutritional needs athletes

Search Utah State University:	Frankly, it is a controversial topic which has generated much global debate. High-protein diets increase the water requirement necessary to eliminate the nitrogen through the urine. Additionally, there is inadequate information concerning the safety and effectiveness of workout supplements. B vitamins are water soluble vitamins , which means that are not stored in the body, so toxicity is not an issue. Find a Doctor. Other sports supplements like creatine have not been tested in people younger than
Nutrition and athletic performance	Athlftes some Nutritjonal in every meal and snack to Nutritiona, muscles recover Training nutrition, Additionally, there is inadequate Tart cherry juice for respiratory health concerning the safety and effectiveness Nutritional supplements for athletes workout supplements. For events lasting less than two hours, the glycogen stores in muscles are typically sufficient to supply the needed energy. Powered by GDPR Cookie Compliance. If that is difficult, fruit, bread, crackers, or popsicles would all be better than not consuming any food. Itreally sticks with me! However, insomnia, restlessness and ringing of the ears can occur with caffeine consumption.
A Guide to Eating for Sports	Back Life Nneeds Pregnancy Baby Toddlers ahletes pre-school Children Teenagers Students Women Men Older people. Close Nutrition Topics. Putting it Nutriitional practice Athlees active Nutrition for sports and exercise. Choosing the right foods, zeroing in your macros, optimizing meal timing, ensuring good hydration, and selecting appropriate snacks can help you perform at your best. Here are some foods that you can consider:. Healthy sources of fat include nuts, nut butters, avocados, olive and coconut oils.
Nutrition and athletic performance: What to consider	The good news about eating for sports is that reaching your peak performance level doesn't take a special diet or supplements. However, the dietary patterns that will best suit an individual will depend on the amount and intensity of activity. However, consume food within the 30 minute window may be difficult for athletes—they often experience nausea or lack of hunger. Carbs may include pasta, bread, fruits, and vegetables. Some female athletes may lack riboflavin, so it is important to ensure adequate consumption of riboflavin-rich foods, like milk. People take them to avoid dehydration, but salt tablets can actually lead to dehydration and must be taken with plenty of water.

Last Updated October This athetes was created Nutritilnal familydoctor. org editorial staff and reviewed by Beth Oller, Tart cherry juice for respiratory health. As an athlete, your physical health is key Nutfitional an active Nutfitional. You must take special care to get enough of the calories, vitamins, and other nutrients that provide energy. You need to include choices from each of the healthy food groups. However, athletes may need to eat more or less of certain foods, depending upon:. The amount of food you need depends on your age, height, weight, and sport or activity level.

Nutritional needs athletes -

Research has demonstrated that endurance athletes on a high-carbohydrate diet can exercise longer than athletes eating a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet. However, constantly eating a high-carbohydrate diet is not advised. This conditions the body to use only carbohydrates for fuel and not the fatty acids derived from fats.

For continuous activities of three to four hours, it is important that glycogen stores in the muscles and liver are at a maximum. Additionally, taking carbohydrates during the event in the form of carbohydrate solutions, such as electrolyte drinks can be beneficial.

The current recommendation is a 6 to 8 percent glucose solution. A homemade electrolyte drink with 7. Dissolve sugar and cool. Sports drinks can be used to supply sodium and glucose if the athlete tolerates them, but other electrolytes are not essential until after the event.

Athletes should experiment during training to find if electrolyte beverages are right for them. Fat is also a significant contributor to energy needs. For moderate exercise, about half of the total energy expenditure is derived from free fatty acid metabolism.

If the event lasts more than an hour, the body may use mostly fats for energy. Furthermore, trained athletes use fat for energy more quickly than untrained athletes. Fat consumption should be a minimum of 20 percent of total energy intake to preserve athletic performance.

Maintaining adequate fat intake is crucial to meeting nutritional needs of essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins, vitamins A, D, E and K.

Athletes who are under pressure to achieve or maintain a low body weight are susceptible to using fat restriction and should be told that this may hinder their performance. While adequate fat intake is necessary, claims that suggest a high-fat low-carbohydrate diet enhances athletic performance have not been supported by research.

When compared to fat and carbohydrates, protein contributes minimally to energy needs for the body. Dietary protein is digested into amino acids, which are used as the building blocks for the different tissues, enzymes, and hormones that the body needs to function.

It is important for muscle building and repair that occurs after exercise. The current Recommended Daily Allowance RDA for protein is 0. However, the Academy for Nutrition and Dietetics and the American College of Sports Medicine recommend that endurance athletes eat between 1.

Eating protein after an athletic event has been shown to support muscle protein synthesis. However, eating protein in excess of nutritional needs has not been shown to further increase muscle building. Extra protein is broken down for energy or is stored as fat.

A varied diet should provide more than enough protein as caloric intake increases. However, vegetarian athletes should work with a dietitian to make sure their protein intake is sufficient. Excess protein can deprive the athlete of more efficient fuel sources and can lead to dehydration.

High-protein diets increase the water requirement necessary to eliminate the nitrogen through the urine. Also, an increase in metabolic rate can occur and, therefore, increased oxygen consumption.

Protein and amino acid supplements are unnecessary and not recommended. However, this is typically excessive, because proteins needs are easily met in an American diet.

Eating whole foods instead of supplements is generally the best practice. Any athlete consuming supplements in replacement of meals should consult with their doctor or a registered dietitian before continuing. Water is an important nutrient for the athlete.

Water loss during an athletic event varies between individuals. Sweat loss can be tracked by measuring weight immediately before and after exercise. To avoid dehydration, an athlete should drink 5 to 7 mL per kilogram of body mass approximately four hours before an event.

Throughout the event, they should drink chilled water or electrolyte drinks, consuming enough to match sweat losses. Chilled fluids are absorbed faster and help lower body temperature. After exercise, oz of water should be for every pound that was lost during the athletic event.

By routinely tracking pre- and post- exercise weight changes, sweat rates can be estimated, allowing for more efficient hydration during athletic events. An individual should never gain weight during exercise; this is a sign of excessive hydration, which can lead to electrolyte imbalances, and potentially hyponatremia.

It is important to account for environmental concerns when considering water consumption. Sweat rates may increase dramatically in hot and humid weather, and it is increasingly important for an athlete to stay hydrated in these conditions.

Competing at high altitudes also increases water needs. Athletes consuming sport drinks or energy drinks should be aware of caffeine levels. Limited amounts of caffeine have been shown to enhance athletic performance. However, insomnia, restlessness and ringing of the ears can occur with caffeine consumption.

Furthermore, caffeine acts as a diuretic and may cause the need to urinate during competition. Maintaining adequate levels of vitamins and minerals is important for bodily function, and therefore, athletic performance. As the activity level of an athlete increases, the need for different vitamins and minerals may increase as well.

However, this need can be easily met by eating a balanced diet including a variety of foods. There is no evidence that taking more vitamins than is obtained by eating a variety of foods will improve performance. B vitamins, including thiamin, riboflavin and niacin, are essential for producing energy from the fuel sources in the diet.

Carbohydrate and protein foods are excellent sources of these vitamins. B vitamins are water soluble vitamins , which means that are not stored in the body, so toxicity is not an issue. Some female athletes may lack riboflavin, so it is important to ensure adequate consumption of riboflavin-rich foods, like milk.

Milk products not only increase the riboflavin level but also provide protein and calcium. Vitamin D has many functions in the body, and is crucial for calcium absorption.

Athletes who train indoors for prolonged periods of time should insure that they consuming adequate amounts of vitamin D through diet.

Exercise increases the oxidative stress on the body, increasing the need for vitamins C and E, which have an antioxidant effect. Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin , found in fats in the diet such as nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils.

When an individual consumes excess fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K , they are stored in fat throughout the body.

Because they are stored, excessive amounts of fat-soluble vitamins may have toxic effects. Minerals play an important role in athletic function. Sodium is lost through the course of an athletic event through sweat, so it may be necessary to replace sodium in addition to water during an event.

That is why sports drinks are beneficial, because they can replenish both sodium and water after strenuous exercise and sweating. Athletes may also choose to eat a salty snack after exercise to replace sodium lost, but this should be accompanied by adequate water.

Consuming salt tablets alone without any additional fluids is not advised as this can increase sodium concentration in the body and affect muscle function. Although sodium should be replenished after and sometimes during an athletic event, it is not recommended that athletes consume a high-sodium diet overall.

Potassium levels can decline during exercise, similar to sodium, though losses are not as significant. Eating potassium-rich foods such as oranges, bananas and potatoes throughout training and after competition supplies necessary potassium.

Iron carries oxygen via blood to all cells in the body. Needs for this mineral are especially high in endurance athletes. Female athletes and athletes between 13 and 19 years old may have inadequate supplies of iron due to menstruation and strenuous exercise. Female athletes who train heavily have a high incidence of amenorrhea, the absence of regular, monthly periods, and thus conserve iron stores.

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.

Although these recommendations are in accordance with public health guidelines, athletes should individualize their needs based on their training level and body composition goals.

Additional protein also helps muscles with maintenance, growth, and repair. For these reasons, athletes have higher protein needs than the general population. It is recommended that athletes consume 1. Higher intakes may also be needed for short periods of intense training or when reducing energy intake.

It is important to consume adequate amounts of protein and to understand that the quality of the protein consumed affects the amount needed. Vegetarian diets contain mostly incomplete protein sources, which have lower digestibility and amino acid patterns that do not match human needs as closely as most animal proteins.

To compensate for this, vegetarian athletes need to consume more dietary protein than non-vegetarians and should target the upper end of the recommended protein intake. In addition to the amount and quality of proteins consumed, timing of protein intake has been shown to impact muscle protein synthesis.

Studies show that the synthesis of muscle protein is optimized with high quality protein consumption after exercise, ideally 15 to 25 grams of protein in the early recovery phase after a workout hours after exercise.

A similar amount of protein should be consumed every hours, spread out across the day over multiple meals within the 24 hours post-workout, so that amino acids are always available for optimal protein synthesis.

Although athletic training increases protein needs, athletes can meet their protein requirement through high quality food sources, and most do not need to consume protein supplements.

Here are some examples of snacks or small meals that contain at least 15 to 25 grams of protein 4 :. These whole food options have the benefit of coming packaged with other nutrients, including carbohydrates to replenish glycogen stores, fiber, and micronutrients, and are often less costly than most protein supplements.

Like all dietary supplements, protein shakes and other supplements are not well-regulated; some contain unnecessary additives such as sweeteners and herbs, and some have been found to contain unsafe levels of heavy metals like arsenic and mercury.

Protein supplements do have the benefit of being convenient and shelf-stable. If you choose to use a protein supplement, look for one certified by a third-party testing organization and with a simple ingredient list.

Vitamins and minerals are essential for energy metabolism, the delivery of oxygen, protection against oxidative damage, and the repair of body structures. When exercise increases, the amounts of many vitamins and minerals needed are also increased. Currently, there are no special micronutrient recommendations for athletes, but most athletes will meet their needs by consuming a balanced diet that meets their energy needs.

Because the energy needs of athletes increase, they often meet their higher need for vitamins and minerals through the additional food they consume to meet energy needs. However, athletes who limit energy intake or utilize extreme weight-loss practices may put themselves at risk for vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

Many athletes consider taking dietary supplements or ergogenic aids i. However, it is important to remember that supplements and ergogenic aids are not regulated, leading to frequent use of false advertising and unsubstantiated claims by the supplement industry.

Athletes must be careful not only in deciphering the claims of products, but also in researching their safety and efficacy, particularly in relation to any rules and regulations that govern the sport in which the athlete participates.

Very few supplements that claim to have ergogenic benefits have sound evidence to back up those claims, and in some situations, consuming them could be dangerous. Most athletes can meet their nutrition needs without added supplements. Athletes who have nutrition concerns should consult with a sports dietitian or other sport science professional to make sure their individual needs are met safely.

During exercise, being appropriately hydrated contributes to performance. Water is needed to cool the body, transport oxygen and nutrients, and remove waste products from the muscles.

Water needs are increased during exercise due to the extra water losses through evaporation and sweat. Dehydration can occur when there are inadequate water levels in the body and can be very hazardous to the health of an individual.

As the severity of dehydration increases, the exercise performance of an individual will begin to decline see Figure

In Wisconsin clinic and afhletes locations masks are Nutirtional during Fuel Consumption Control patient interactions. In Illinois Tart cherry juice for respiratory health and hospital locations masks are required Athoetes some areas and strongly recommended in others. Learn more. Every athlete strives for an edge over the competition. Daily training and recovery require a comprehensive eating plan that matches these physical demands. The keys to peak nutrition performance aimed to complement your training and competition are reviewed below. The energy needs of athletes exceed those of the average person.