Position of the American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance
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Position Statement
It is the position of the American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine that physical activity, athletic performance, and recovery from exercise are enhanced by optimal nutrition. These organizations recommend appropriate selection of food and fluids, timing of intake, and supplement choices for optimal health and exercise performance.
Key Points
The following key points summarize the current energy, nutrient, and fluid recommendations for active adults and competitive athletes noted in this position paper. Sport nutrition experts can further adjust these general recommendations to accommodate the unique concerns of individual athletes regarding health, sports, nutrient needs, food preferences, and body weight and body composition goals.
■ During times of high-intensity training, adequate energy needs to be consumed to maintain body
Energy Requirements
Meeting energy needs is the first nutrition priority for athletes. Achieving energy balance is essential for the maintenance of lean tissue mass, immune and reproductive function, and optimum athletic performance. Energy balance is defined as a state when energy intake (the sum of energy from food, fluids, and supplement products) equals energy expenditure (the sum of energy expended as basal metabolism, the thermic effect of food, and any voluntary physical activity) (1). Inadequate energy
Body Composition
Body composition and weight are 2 of the many factors that contribute to optimal exercise performance. Taken together, these 2 factors may affect an athlete's potential for success within a given sport. Body weight can influence an athlete's speed, endurance, and power, whereas body composition can affect an athlete's strength, agility, and appearance. Most athletes require a high strength-to-weight ratio to achieve optimal athletic performance, and because body fat adds to weight without
Macronutrient Requirements for Exercise
The fuel burned during exercise depends on the intensity and duration of the exercise performed, the sex of the athlete, and prior nutritional status. All other conditions being equal, an increase in the intensity of an exercise will increase the contribution of carbohydrate to the energy pool (43), 44.. As the length of the exercise continues, the source of this carbohydrate may shift from the muscle glycogen pool to circulating blood glucose, but in all circumstances, if blood glucose cannot
Vitamins and Minerals
Micronutrients play an important role in energy production, hemoglobin synthesis, maintenance of bone health, adequate immune function, and the protection of body tissues from oxidative damage. They are also required to help build and repair muscle tissue following exercise. Theoretically, exercise may increase or alter the need for vitamins and minerals in a number of ways. Exercise stresses many of the metabolic pathways in which these micronutrients are required, thus exercise training may
Hydration
Exercise performance is optimal when athletes maintain fluid balance during exercise; conversely, exercise performance is impaired with progressive; dehydration (87), (88), (89), (90), (91). Moreover, dehydration increases the risk of potentially life-threatening heat injury such as heat stroke (92). Accordingly, athletes should attempt to remain well-hydrated before and during exercise.
The American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand on Exercise and Fluid Replacement (93) and the
The Training Diet
Recommendations for athletes’ intakes of energy, macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals are described elsewhere in this document. These recommendations are often presented in terms of milligram or gram amounts of nutrients (eg, 6 to 10 g carbohydrate/kg body weight) and must be translated into food choices consistent with food preferences and training schedules of athletes (109). The foundations (proportion of energy from protein, fat, and carbohydrate) for the training diets of athletes,
Supplements and Ergogenic Aids
The marketing of ergogenic aids (items claiming to increase work output or performance) is an international, multimillion dollar business that preys on the desires of athletes to be the best, and when one item does not work or is discredited by research, another comes along to take its place. Nutrition-related ergogenic aids are particularly problematic. In the United States, the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (141) allows supplement manufacturers to make claims regarding
The Vegetarian Athlete
Some athletes choose to follow vegetarian diets. Nutrition recommendations for these athletes should be formulated with consideration of the effects of both vegetarianism and exercise. The position of the American Dietetic Association on vegetarian diets (147) provides appropriate dietary guidance that should be considered in conjunction with the information provided herein.
Vegetarianism does not necessarily affect energy needs, though energy availability could be reduced slightly if a
Roles and Responsibilities of Health Care Professionals
Every competitive and recreational athlete needs adequate fuel, fluids, and nutrients to perform at their best. It is the role of the sports nutrition expert to advise athletes regarding appropriate nutrition needs before, during, and after exercise, and for the maintenance of good health and optimal body weight and composition. Qualified health and nutrition professionals can help athletes and active people in the following ways:
■ Educate athletes about energy requirements for their sport and
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