What is sports nutrition?
Sports nutrition is all about creating a diet or eating plan to help increase athletic performance. It is most commonly used in endurance and strengthening sports but can be applied to anyone looking to improve their performance.
Having the right amount of each food type (protein, carbohydrates, fats, fibre, etc.), fluids and nutrients to maximise energy and aid in sports recovery is key.
Making more informed decisions about how you eat can result in improved performance, injury prevention and quicker recovery. It can be difficult to know where to start, however, with so much conflicting information out there. That's where the help of a sports nutritionist can aid your decisions, and ultimately improve your performance.
Nutrition professionals offer various services to support your health and sporting goals. This can range from tips for eating after workouts, guidance on sports supplements or a dedicated nutrition plan for training and competitions.
Sports nutrition differs from regular nutrition because athletes require different levels of nutrients than non-athletes, so speaking to a professional with experience in this area is advised.
What is the importance of nutrition in sports?
Having the right balance of food and drink is important for everyone. Those actively participating in sports need to be aware that it can also affect performance. For example, athletes may need more calories than the average person and those training for bodybuilding competitions may need to increase their protein intake.
Sports performance and energy
Fuelling your body with the right foods is essential for sports performance, importantly fats, protein and carbohydrates which maintain the body's energy.
- Carbohydrates are the primary fuel used by working muscles, so getting enough is essential for preventing muscle fatigue.
- While monitoring your animal and saturated fat intake is important, healthy unsaturated omega-3 fats obtained from oily fish, olive oil, nuts and seeds should form part of your diet. These types of fats provide the building blocks for hormones as well as support the health of every single cell in the body.
- Protein is critical for building new muscle tissue. If you're taking part in resistance and heavy endurance training, your body will require additional protein.
Key nutrients for sports performance
Nutrients are fuel for the body. For our physical and mental health to remain strong and healthy, we need to consume a balanced diet of nutrients that can carry us through everyday life. Not only whilst performing sports activities but before and afterwards. Important nutrients include:
Carbohydrates
There are two key forms of carbohydrates – starchy or complex, and simple sugars. Simple sugars are carbohydrates found in refined products and provide a sweet taste such as white bread and sugary cereals. Naturally found in milk products, fruit and vegetables, simple sugars can also be added to foods through white sugar, brown sugar, honey, molasses, maple syrup etc. Though all the sugars we eat (whether they occur naturally or are added) are used by the body in the same way, it is better to get your simple sugars from foods where they occur naturally, as these foods also contain fibre.
Complex carbohydrates, also known as starches, include grains such as bread, pasta and rice. Similarly to simple sugars, some complex carbohydrates are more beneficial than others. Processed refined grains such as white rice and white flour are less favourable as vitamins, minerals and fibre and fibre are removed.
Where possible, instead of white varieties, it's advised to opt for unrefined brown or wholegrains, which are packed full of vitamins, minerals and fibre. Fibre slows down the release of sugar into the bloodstream, reducing blood sugar spikes and energy dips. However, it is important to note, that during competitions or sporting events, high-fibre foods are to be avoided. This is where speaking to a qualified professional can help devise a plan specific to your needs.
Fats
Unsaturated fat is an essential macronutrient as it helps the body absorb fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K as well as being a source of energy for the body. Although healthy mono and polyunsaturated fats are important, over-consuming can still lead to weight gain.
Saturated fats are commonly found in animal products and processed foods such as meat and dairy. This type of fat is not considered to be healthy for the heart and is thought to raise your LDL ('bad') cholesterol levels.
Unsaturated fats are found in foods such as avocados, olives, nuts and oily fish. They are considered to be heart-healthy and can work to lower your LDL cholesterol levels and raise your HDL ('good') cholesterol levels.
Protein
Protein is present in every cell of the body and is important for helping to build and repair tissues. It’s also used to make enzymes, hormones and other body chemicals as well as form the building blocks of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin and blood.
Protein-rich foods include meat, fish, eggs, pulses, nuts, seeds and soy products.
With the above in mind, the types of food that you should include in your diet for optimum sports nutrition include:
- vegetables
- whole grains
- fruit
- sources of lean protein and low-fat dairy produce
- healthy fats
Supplements for sports
Supplements are often used by athletes and professionals to boost their strength, performance and recovery. They are available in different forms ranging from multivitamins and minerals to protein, creatine and various other ‘ergogenic’ aids.
Should I take supplements?
Before anyone takes a supplement, they should explore whether their diet is healthy, balanced and suits their sport. Those who decide to take supplements should always consult a professional who specialises in sports nutrition. They will be able to assess suitability for a particular supplement.
Common sports supplements include the following:
Creatine
Simply explained, creatine is a high-energy compound that helps to store and provide energy. It is produced within the body, occurs naturally in fish and meat and can also be taken in supplement form. As a dietary supplement, creatine is used by those in sports to increase muscle strength and explosive power. It's intended to help you train for longer and to boost performance during frequent high-intensity exercise.
Whey protein
Whey protein is a natural protein present in milk, containing very little fat, carbohydrate or lactose. Whey is what is known as a naturally complete protein. This means that it contains all the essential amino acids needed in the average daily diet.
As well as housing the perfect combination of amino acids, whey protein also contains what is known as a 'branch chain of amino acids' (BCAAs), which are the first ones to be used during intense training. The whey protein provides the body with these amino acids and in turn, they assist with repairing and rebuilding lean muscle tissue.
Another benefit of whey protein is that it is extremely easy to digest. This means it is absorbed quickly and can provide instantaneous nourishment to the muscles.
Read nutritionist Rebecca Jennings' MSc ANutr checklist for taking supplements.
How can a sports nutrition professional help?
A sports nutritionist can create a tailored nutrition plan to support an individual’s training regime and goals. The plan will incorporate both food and hydration integral to performance, but tailored nutrition can also help to:
- increase energy levels
- promote good health
- help manage weight
- improve concentration
- develop body composition and growth
- enhance recovery
Whether your goal is training for a specific event or more general enhancements such as weight management, improving concentration or energy levels, a sports nutrition professional will assess your whole-body health, daily habits, supplements and regular medication needs.
- Jonny Carter, Clinical Nutritionist & Personal Trainer, BSc, DIP ION, PGCE
Weight management
To maintain a healthy weight, eating well is crucial. But with many fad diets claiming that they have the magic formula, it can be hard to get correct, healthy advice. This is where a nutritionist can help advise on managing weight for sport and performance: it's common that people deciding to lose weight will strictly reduce protein, fat or calorie intake. This can not only have a negative impact on your performance, but it can severely harm your body.
Special events
A specific sporting event puts your body under stress, even more so if your nutritional needs aren't being met. A nutritionist can advise and deliver strategic plans for you to follow for optimum performance.
Even if things haven’t gone to plan in your game, or you’ve had to walk the last half-mile of your run because of fatigue, you shouldn’t neglect your nutritional needs. It should be a priority, no matter what the result is.
Hydration
It’s crucial to stay hydrated when taking part in sports: not drinking enough water leads to dehydration as the body is trying to cool down through sweating. This not only affects your performance but can be extremely dangerous to your health. Although dehydration can happen in any activity, it’s more prevalent when exercising in hot and humid conditions.
Water is perfect for rehydration, but if you are engaged in physical activity for longer than one hour, sports drinks that include electrolytes or natural coconut water can be helpful. Electrolytes, tiny charged particles, are essential for maintaining a healthy sodium and potassium balance in our bodies. They help to stimulate thirst and encourage drinking, as well as enhance the body’s ability to hold water.
For more information on water intake, The British Nutrition Foundation has detailed advice on hydration for daily life.
Finding a sports nutritionist
If you think you could benefit from seeing a sports nutritionist, you can find a qualified professional on Nutritionist Resource.
'Nutritionist' is not a formally monitored profession in the UK, so we recommend checking to see if they hold a membership with a professional body. All our members listed on Nutritionist Resource are verified and will help you work towards achieving your goals, whatever they may be.
