This is likely a good idea for most people, as the potential benefits of supplementing with a multivitamin outweigh the risks. One vitamin in particular that athletes often supplement is vitamin D, especially during winter in areas with less sun exposure.

Low vitamin D levels have been shown to potentially affect sports performance, so supplementing is often recommended. Research shows that caffeine can improve strength and endurance in a wide range of sporting activities , such as running, jumping, throwing, and weightlifting.

Many athletes choose to drink a strong cup of coffee before training to get a boost, while others turn to supplements that contain synthetic forms of caffeine, such as pre-workouts.

Whichever form you decide to use, be sure to start out with a small amount. You can gradually increase your dose as long as your body tolerates it. Supplementing with omega-3 fats such as fish oil may improve sports performance and recovery from intense exercise. You can certainly get omega-3s from your diet by eating foods such as fatty fish, flax and chia seeds, nuts, and soybeans.

Plant-based omega-3 supplements are also available for those who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet. Creatine is a compound your body produces from amino acids.

It aids in energy production during short, high intensity activities. Supplementing daily with 5 g of creatine monohydrate — the most common form — has been shown to improve power and strength output during resistance training, which can carry over to sports performance.

Most sporting federations do not classify creatine as a banned substance, as its effects are modest compared with those of other compounds. Considering their low cost and wide availability and the extensive research behind them, creatine supplements may be worthwhile for some athletes.

Beta-alanine is another amino acid-based compound found in animal products such as beef and chicken. In your body, beta-alanine serves as a building block for carnosine, a compound responsible for helping to reduce the acidic environment within working muscles during high intensity exercise.

The most notable benefit of supplementing with beta-alanine is improvement in performance in high intensity exercises lasting 1—10 minutes. The commonly recommended research -based dosages range from 3.

Some people prefer to stick to the lower end of the range to avoid a potential side effect called paraesthesia , a tingling sensation in the extremities. Sports nutritionists are responsible for implementing science-based nutrition protocols for athletes and staying on top of the latest research.

At the highest level, sports nutrition programs are traditionally overseen and administered by registered dietitians specializing in this area.

These professionals serve to educate athletes on all aspects of nutrition related to sports performance, including taking in the right amount of food, nutrients, hydration, and supplementation when needed.

Lastly, sports nutritionists often work with athletes to address food allergies , intolerances , nutrition-related medical concerns, and — in collaboration with psychotherapists — any eating disorders or disordered eating that athletes may be experiencing.

One of the roles of sports nutritionists is to help debunk these myths and provide athletes with accurate information. Here are three of the top sports nutrition myths — and what the facts really say.

While protein intake is an important factor in gaining muscle, simply supplementing with protein will not cause any significant muscle gains. To promote notable changes in muscle size, you need to regularly perform resistance training for an extended period of time while making sure your diet is on point.

Even then, depending on a number of factors, including genetics, sex, and body size, you will likely not look bulky. Another common myth in sports nutrition is that eating close to bedtime will cause additional fat gain.

Many metabolic processes take place during sleep. For example, eating two slices of pizza before bed is much more likely to result in fat gain than eating a cup of cottage cheese or Greek yogurt.

Coffee gets a bad rap for being dehydrating. While sports nutrition is quite individualized, some general areas are important for most athletes. 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.

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How Well Do You Sleep? Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Skin Care. Nutrition Evidence Based Everything You Need to Know About Sports Nutrition. Medically reviewed by Jared Meacham, Ph. Basics Macronutrients Timing Hydration Snacks Supplements Sports nutritionists Myths vs.

Basic sports nutrition advice. What to know about macronutrients. Meal and nutrient timing considerations. Hydration needs.

What to know about snacks. Supplements for sports nutrition. What sports nutritionists do. Sports nutrition myths.

The bottom line. How we reviewed this article: Sources. Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references.

For exercising individuals, this may be more of less based on intensity and duration of the workout, size, and sweat rate. If you feel lightheaded, get headaches often, or have dark yellow-colored urine, you may be dehydrated. Drink more until your urine is a pale yellow color.

Most nutritionists would agree that if you eat more calories than you burn, you are likely going to gain weight. In theory, that would mean that slashing tons of calories from your diet can help you drop weight quickly. She suggests that rather than focus on cutting calories, try to incorporate more filling sources of calories into the diet, like vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats.

Believe it or not, your body can not tell the time of day by the clock on the wall. than it does at lunchtime. Many people have different schedules, which causes them to eat at different times of the day.

If you work until 6 p. The most important factor for weight gain and loss is not when you eat but what you eat. Eating nutrient-dense foods , like lean proteins and veggies, will fill you up without weighing you down.

But, if you eat a very rich and calorie-dense meal at 8 p. As an athlete who sweats regularly, you need more sodium than the average person. Rather than making you bloated , salt actually helps to keep you hydrated. However, she cautions, if the body does not have ample glycogen stores, it may start to breakdown its own muscle for fuel.

Therefore, rather than burning fat, you are likely burning muscle when working out fasted. Plus, not eating before a workout can cause low energy and will hinder your athletic abilities. Olympic gold medal cyclist Laura Kenny teamed up with Whole Earth Peanut Butter.

As Valentine's Day approaches, here are all the delicious reasons you should be eating more chocolate. Chef Dom Ruggiero shows you how to leave the junk food on the sidelines.

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Only in ultra-long races, this intake should be contemplated in order to alleviate the muscular catabolism that originates in extreme distances. It will always be much better to take in proteins at the end of the activity along with carbohydrates to promote muscle recovery.

Carbohydrates are the basic source to cover the high energy demands of any endurance sports event. So, they should be eaten frequently in daily meals to adequately face the workouts and be useful in the replacement of muscle glycogen after training.

Obviously, the sources must be adjusted and varied in a personalized way and according to the type and duration of the exercise. Sports supplements are ergonomic boosters that can help improve performance as long as the usual diet is adequate and adapted to individual needs.

Supplementation is not essential for sports practice, but it is useful to meet certain nutritional demands at certain key moments of the runner. Above all, they provide comfort by providing a product of optimal composition for certain moments with specific needs, which if we had to cover with conventional foods, it would be less practical.

HEALTH False myths about sports nutrition. Alessandra Huerta Nutritionist specialist in Sports Nutrition of Teladoc. In general, the foods you choose should be minimally processed to maximize their nutritional value.

You should also minimize added preservatives and avoid excessive sodium. Just make sure the macronutrients are in line with your goals. Macronutrients — protein, carbs, and fat — are the vital components of food that give your body what it needs to thrive.

They help build everything from muscle to skin, bones, and teeth. Protein is particularly important for building muscle mass and helping you recover from training.

This is due to its role in promoting muscle protein synthesis, the process of building new muscle. The general recommendation for protein intake to support lean body mass and sports performance is around 0.

They fuel your daily functions, from exercising to breathing, thinking, and eating. The other half can come from simpler starches such as white rice, white potatoes, pasta, and the occasional sweets and desserts. For example, an ultramarathon runner will need a vastly different amount of carbs than an Olympic weightlifter does.

For example, if you consume 2, calories per day, this would equate to — g daily. From there, you can adjust your carbohydrate intake to meet the energy demands of your sport or a given training session.

In select cases, such as in keto-adapted athletes , they will provide a larger portion of daily energy needs. Fats are unique because they provide 9 calories per gram, whereas protein and carbs provide 4 calories per gram. In addition to providing energy, fats assist in hormone production, serve as structural components of cell membranes, and facilitate metabolic processes, among other functions.

Fats provide a valuable source of calories, help support sport-related hormones, and can help promote recovery from exercise. In particular, omega-3 fatty acids possess anti-inflammatory properties that have been shown to help athletes recover from intense training. After protein and carbohydrates, fats will make up the rest of the calories in your diet.

Another notable factor to consider when optimizing your sports nutrition is timing — when you eat a meal or a specific nutrient in relation to when you train or compete.

Timing your meals around training or competition may support enhanced recovery and tissue repair, enhanced muscle building, and improvements in your mood after high intensity exercise. To best optimize muscle protein synthesis, the International Society of Sports Nutrition ISSN suggests consuming a meal containing 20—40 g of protein every 3—4 hours throughout the day.

Consider consuming 30—60 g of a simple carbohydrate source within 30 minutes of exercising. For certain endurance athletes who complete training sessions or competitions lasting longer than 60 minutes, the ISSN recommends consuming 30—60 g of carbs per hour during the exercise session to maximize energy levels.

But if your intense training lasts less than 1 hour, you can probably wait until the session is over to replenish your carbs. When engaging in sustained high intensity exercise, you need to replenish fluids and electrolytes to prevent mild to potentially severe dehydration.

Athletes training or competing in hot conditions need to pay particularly close attention to their hydration status, as fluids and electrolytes can quickly become depleted in high temperatures.

During an intense training session, athletes should consume 6—8 oz of fluid every 15 minutes to maintain a good fluid balance.

A common method to determine how much fluid to drink is to weigh yourself before and after training. Every pound 0. You can restore electrolytes by drinking sports drinks and eating foods high in sodium and potassium.

Because many sports drinks lack adequate electrolytes, some people choose to make their own. In addition, many companies make electrolyte tablets that can be combined with water to provide the necessary electrolytes to keep you hydrated.

There are endless snack choices that can top off your energy stores without leaving you feeling too full or sluggish. The ideal snack is balanced, providing a good ratio of macronutrients, but easy to prepare.

When snacking before a workout, focus on lower fat options , as they tend to digest more quickly and are likely to leave you feeling less full. After exercise, a snack that provides a good dose of protein and carbs is especially important for replenishing glycogen stores and supporting muscle protein synthesis.

They help provide an appropriate balance of energy, nutrients, and other bioactive compounds in food that are not often found in supplement form. That said, considering that athletes often have greater nutritional needs than the general population, supplementation can be used to fill in any gaps in the diet.

Protein powders are isolated forms of various proteins, such as whey, egg white, pea, brown rice, and soy. Protein powders typically contain 10—25 g of protein per scoop, making it easy and convenient to consume a solid dose of protein. Research suggests that consuming a protein supplement around training can help promote recovery and aid in increases in lean body mass.

For example, some people choose to add protein powder to their oats to boost their protein content a bit. Carb supplements may help sustain your energy levels, particularly if you engage in endurance sports lasting longer than 1 hour.

These concentrated forms of carbs usually provide about 25 g of simple carbs per serving, and some include add-ins such as caffeine or vitamins. They come in gel or powder form. Many long-distance endurance athletes will aim to consume 1 carb energy gel containing 25 g of carbs every 30—45 minutes during an exercise session longer than 1 hour.

Sports drinks also often contain enough carbs to maintain energy levels, but some athletes prefer gels to prevent excessive fluid intake during training or events, as this may result in digestive distress.

of coffee that contains milligrams of caffeine, you might lose about ml. water through excess urine loss. But you'd still have 50 ml. fluid to hydrate your body—and likely more if you drink coffee regularly.

Athletes who regularly consume caffeine habituate and experience less of a diuretic effect. In general, most caffeinated beverages contribute to a positive fluid balance; avoiding them on the basis of their caffeine content is not justified.

Creatine is sometimes used by athletes who want to bulk up. It allows muscles to recover faster from, let's say, lifting weights, so the athlete can do more reps and gain strength. A review of 21 studies that assessed kidney function with creatine doses ranging from two to 30 grams a day for up to five and a half years indicates creatine is safe for young healthy athletes as well as for elderly people.

Even the most recent studies using sophisticated methods to assess renal function support creatine supplements as being well tolerated and not related to kidney dysfunction.

Without a doubt, vegan athletes can —and do—excel in sport. Just Google vegan athletes ; you'll find an impressive list that includes Olympians and professional athletes from many sports including football, basketball, tennis, rowing, snow boarding, running, soccer, plus more.

The key to consuming an effective vegan sports diet is to include adequate leucine, the essential amino acid that triggers muscles to grow.

The richest sources of leucine are found in animal foods, such as eggs, dairy, fish, and meats. If you swap animal proteins for plant proteins, you reduce your leucine intake by about 50 percent. For athletes, consuming 2. This means vegan athletes need to eat adequate nuts, soy foods, lentils, beans and other plant proteins regularly at every meal and snack.

Most athletes can consume adequate leucine, but some don't because they skip meals and fail to plan a balanced vegan menu. Vegan athletes who are restricting food intake to lose undesired body fat need to be particularly vigilant to consume an effective sports diet.

Plan ahead!

However, there are some cases where supplements are beneficial. Nutritional supplements are necessary when someone is unable to get enough nutrition through food, or when the body is unable to adequately absorb nutrients from food. Other supplements include performance-enhancing supplements.

Out of the hundreds of available performance-enhancing supplements, there is only evidence supporting a handful of them. Some of the supplements out there may actually do more harm than good. If you have questions about supplements you are taking, feel free to contact me at [email protected].

American College of Sports Medicine, American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada. Nutrition and athletic performance. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 41, Fluids and electrolytes. Handbook of sports medicine and science: Sports nutrition pp. Fuels used in exercise: Carbohydrate and fat.

Micronutrients: Vitamins and minerals. Phillips, S. Dietary protein for athletes: from requirements to optimum adaptation, Journal of Sports Sciences, 29 Suppl 1, S Protein and amino acid requirements of athletes.

Protein Quality Evaluation. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Shirreffs, S. Flusid and electrolyte needs for training, competition, and recovery Journal of Sports Sciences, 29 Suppl 1, S Slater, G.

et al. Impact of Two Different Body Mass Management Strategies on Repeat Rowing Performance. SDA, n. Intro Offer.

Contact us. Free initial consultation. Spend £40 more for FREE shipping. FREE shipping will be applied at checkout. Whatever your sport, good nutrition is the foundation of performance. Without a good base of nutrition, you can find yourself under-energised, under-fuelled and under-recovered — and risk more serious problems.

Read on to find out the truth about sports nutrition, and take your performance to the next level. They are easily broken down and provide energy to the working bodies quickly. While it is recommended that we mainly include complex carbohydrates in our diets, there are some situations where simple sugar is ideal.

One such place is during exercise, where simple carbohydrates can easily be absorbed and transported to your muscles for a quick release of energy.

Simple carbs also have a key role to play in recovery:. Unlike carbs, protein is more popular than ever. Ideally, this should be in a ratio, carbohydrate to protein or, in sports nutrition we talk about This combination helps restoration of glycogen stores and repair the microtears associated with training.

Aim to consume a ratio of carbohydrate and protein like a recovery shake shortly after exercise to quickly replenish your body. There are many athletes who believe caffeine should be avoided entirely. Consumed to excess, caffeine can cause jitters and other issues, but a reasonable amount is absolutely fine, and can even give performance benefits.

Check out our Doppio caffeine energy gel and Amaro caffeine energy chews for a natural boost:. Sports dietitians tend to receive the same questions over and over again from different clients when it comes to losing fat , gaining muscle , and achieving their athletic goals.

Most people know that taking in protein after a workout will help to build muscles and burn fat, but the same is true for carbs. During a workout, your muscles rely on glycogen stored carbohydrates to fuel and power your movements , and that glycogen needs to be replenished after a workout.

Research suggests that people cannot absorb more than g of protein in one sitting. Any more than that will be broken down and used for energy or stored as fat. She also recommends her nutrition clients eat real food whenever possible to try to obtain those nutrition goals since whole foods often contain other essential nutrients to help replenish muscles.

This recommendation, although very well-known, is not entirely accurate. Instead, the dietary reference intake suggests an average daily intake of 3.

For exercising individuals, this may be more of less based on intensity and duration of the workout, size, and sweat rate. If you feel lightheaded, get headaches often, or have dark yellow-colored urine, you may be dehydrated. Drink more until your urine is a pale yellow color.

Most nutritionists would agree that if you eat more calories than you burn, you are likely going to gain weight. In theory, that would mean that slashing tons of calories from your diet can help you drop weight quickly. She suggests that rather than focus on cutting calories, try to incorporate more filling sources of calories into the diet, like vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats.

Believe it or not, your body can not tell the time of day by the clock on the wall. than it does at lunchtime.

Many people have different schedules, which causes them to eat at different times of the day. If you work until 6 p.