What is sports nutrition?

Sports nutrition is the branch of nutrition and dietetics focused on people who practice intense or endurance sports.

Depending on the final objectives of the sport and the training, sports nutrition will emphasise different foods and diets.

Why is sports nutrition necessary?

Sports nutrition is necessary because the nutritional needs of an athlete are different from those required by a normal person. Exercise increases the energy needs and nutritional needs of the body, so a sports diet can vary from 110kJ/kg/day (26 kcal/kg/day) to 157Kj/kg/day.

What does sports nutrition consist of?

Sports nutrition is one of the factors that influence how well an athlete performs, along with their genetic makeup and the training they do. The foods included in sports nutrition serve three basic objectives:

• Providing energy
• Providing matter for strengthening and repairing tissues 
• Maintaining and regulating the metabolism

There is no single diet for athletes; the ideal sports diet depends on the specific demands of each sport and the body type of the athlete.

For example, to build muscle, protein-rich foods that favour muscle growth or increase in muscle mass will be more important, while in aerobic sports (cycling, for example), foods that favour prolonged energy use, such as carbohydrates, will be essential.

What are the benefits of sports nutrition?

Sports nutrition is important for athletes because it provides the correct fuel. Benefits of sports nutrition include:

• Increased focus and attention span
• Muscle healing and recovery
• Improved energy levels
• Decreased muscle tiredness and soreness
• Prevention of injury
• Immune system strengthening

Which nutrients are part of a sports diet?

A balanced diet of nutrients in a sports diet include:

• Carbohydrates: Complex or simple
• Fats: Saturated or unsaturated
• Protein: It helps to build and repair tissue

Supplements feature in the diets of some athletes and bodybuilders' that follow a sports nutrition diet in order to boost strength, as well as performance and recovery. 

Which specialist can provide sports nutrition expertise?

There are various sports nutrition specialists who provide expertise in this area. They include sports and exercise medicine physicians as well as dieticians and nutritionists.