Nutrition and Hydration

Food and water are the fuels that power athletes. Choosing the right combinations and amounts of food and water help the athlete to perform at an optimal level. Despite what advertisers and sports drink makers tell people, proper nutrition and hydration for athletes is not difficult. Essentially it comes down to:

• Drinking water frequently
• Eating a well balanced diet

These two simple principles answer 90 percent of the fueling question.

Supplements and Vitamins

There is no shortage of marketers trying to sell athletes the latest and greatest supplement or vitamin. Contrary to popular thought the modern notion of “taking a pill solves everything” does not apply here. There are no short cuts to training; hard work and smart training produce results -- not pills, powders, and potions.

A good rule of thumb about supplements and vitamins is to avoid them. At best, most athletes are literally urinating away their money. Few well documented scientific studies support the claims of marketers. At worst, possible side affects include stomach upset, non-absorption of other key nutrients, and worse. Moreover, some supplements sold in health food stores contain banned performance enhancing substances.

There are two possible exceptions to the avoidance rule. If the athlete knows that he or she is not eating properly, then a simple multi-vitamin supplement may be useful. For some athletes, particularly women, low iron can be a problem. Thus an iron supplement can be helpful.

Sports drinks are somewhat useful for replacing fluid and essential nutrients. Water is absorbed better when taken with a bit of carbohydrates. Unfortunately most people tend to overuse sports drinks. The high amounts of sugars contained in sports drinks can cause stomach upset if taken during competitions or workouts. To minimize this, diluting sports drinks with water can help. In most cases, however, water is the best fluid replacement.

Important Tips

• Eat a well balanced diet. To ensure adequate nutrition, your diet should consist of 65 percent carbohydrates, 25 percent fats and 10 percent proteins. While athletes do require more protein than non-athletes, the average American diet contains more than enough protein for the vast majority of athletes.
• Avoid alcohol—alcohol is a diuretic. Alcohol inhibits oxygen uptake. Most alcoholic drinks are high in empty calories. While the occasional beer or glass of wine will not drastically affect an athlete, alcohol consumption does little or nothing to help the athlete’s performance.
• Avoid caffeine—caffeine is a diuretic. High amounts of caffeine inhibit iron absorption. Like alcohol, caffeine does little to enhance performance.
• Emphasize carbohydrates—athletes burn more calories than non-athletes. Athletes require more calories than the general population. To ensure optimal nutrition, most of these calories should be carbohydrates the primary source of fuel. Complex carbohydrates provide the most nutrient rich fuel source.
• Drink water frequently, even when you’re not thirsty. An adequate water supply promotes the occurrence of the right biological and chemical reactions necessary to produce the energy for training. After a workout, water helps the body recover by flushing out waste products through urination and defecation. It is very difficult (but not impossible) to overdose on water.
• Train with a bottle. There is no extra benefit from training in a dehydrated state. In fact, training or racing while dehydrated can be dangerous.
• Try to eat within 30 minutes of completing a workout. Quick recovery from the affects of a workout relies on an adequate fuel source. Eating soon after a workout ensures that the body has the needed fuel to start regenerating broken down tissues.
• Avoid difficult-to-digest foods before training and competition. Highly acidic foods, high protein foods, and high fat foods eaten before a competition or workout may cause stomach upset. Athletes should stick to high complex carbohydrate foods before competition or workouts.

For more information about proper nutrition and hydration for athletes, speak with your physician or contact a specialist at Saint Vincent Sports Medicine by calling 814-866-3466.

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.