Posts Tagged ‘Nutrition’

Sports Nutrition and Carbohydrates – Find Out More

Athletes from all areas of sports want to get the right nutrition because this can give you the winning edge. When your body gets what it needs it can deliver the performance that you need. You can make the most of your sports talent by getting the most out of your sports nutrition. What sports nutrition you will require will depend on our age, size, physical condition and what sports you are involved with.

There are however basics to sports nutrition that everyone can follow.

Water is the most important factor in sports nutrition. Your body is around 60% water and requires water for almost every bodily function. Water cannot be stored or made by your body therefore it must constantly be replaced. While training it is especially important to keep water levels topped up and you should try to match the amount you drink with the amount you sweat.

Getting sports nutrition right means getting your fuel intake right. Good sports nutrition requires that all the food groups be consumed in the right quantities for you.

When it comes to sports nutrition carbohydrates are the most important fuel source. Fruit, vegetables, pasta, bread, cereals and rice all contain carbohydrates. The carbohydrates contain sugar and starches which you body converts to glucose, an available instant energy burst. The glucose can be stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen that will give you endurance and power for high-intensity, short bursts of activity.

Your performance level will drop when your body runs out of carbohydrate fuel and has to turn to protein and fat for energy. This is because your body has to work harder to get the fuel out of protein and fat.

Having a carbohydrate strategy as part of your sports nutrition can enable you to control the level of your performance as can ensuring that you have the correct vitamins and minerals built up in adequate level before competition.

Take advice from you doctor and coach as to when to boost your carbohydrate intake prior to competing as they are useful resources when it comes to finding out about sports nutrition.

General sports nutrition can be based on a well balance diet. The added incentive of achieving a good performance can sway you against the temptation of crisps, chocolate, alcohol and fried foods such as chips. Sports nutrition from an early age can start a health eating regime for the rest of your life, keeping you fit and healthy.

Facts About Sports Nutrition For Women

There are many books and manuals out there by nutritionists that help to provide the correct diets for improving strength and endurance. When looking for a guide be sure to read this article first as it is aimed towards female athletes looking to improve performance.

The body system that a women has is totally different to that’s of males. That is the main reason why that a woman who is interested in sports will have a completely different set of nutritional needs. And just like men, women are also more than capable of involving themselves in sports.

The sports nutrition for women is different, those that are involved in sports and have regular exercise will have some special nutritional needs. The basic principles however are the same for men and women when it comes to nutrition but there are small differences. Females who are involved in regular sporting activities will have more needs for certain nutrients.

This is mainly due to that fact that woman are more prone to dietary deficiencies. This is not to say that men are completely immune, this is just due to the fact that woman have ongoing cycles taking place inside their body. It is very important to keep the right level of nutrients up to prevent any disorders.

The main nutritional factors in sports nutrition for women would have to be iron and calcium. Another important issue for women is weight control and eating disorders. Calcium and iron are required nutrients to help the body perform at it’s peak.

In saying that though there still has been no scientific reason for this, but the simple fact is that women are overly conscious about their weight. By having a normal weight in will help in giving you a healthy psychological system.

Calcium is a mineral that plays an essential role in growth. In sports, muscle and mind coordination is important. It also helps in muscle contraction and transmission of nerve impulses.

Another reason why it is useful is due to the fact that it will aid in the maintenance and development of strong bones. This play an important part in the nutritional intake that women require.

Having adequate amounts of calcium during your childhood and adolescence is important for developing an optimal peak in bone mass by your mid twenty’s to your early thirty’s. This will then help you reduce your risk of acquiring osteoporosis or the thinning of your bones.

Some women who are into sports are at risk of inadequate calcium intake, while some are at risk of early osteoporosis due to the absence of appropriate amount of calcium, or an irregularity of their menstrual cycle. So conclusively, women should have higher intakes of calcium.

There is a list of recommended dietary intakes of calcium for sports women according to their ages. For girls with ages twelve to fifteen, they must have at least one thousand milligrams of calcium per day. For teenagers with ages sixteen to eighteen, on the other hand, should have a normal calcium intake per day, which is eight hundred milligrams. For women who are having their menstrual periods, they should also take eight hundred milligrams of calcium a day.

Post menopausal women should have at least one thousand milligrams per day of calcium, while women who are pregnant and who are also breast feeding should have one thousand two hundred milligrams per day.

And, not to be the least, sportswomen who have an absent or an irregular menstrual cycle, they should have at least one thousand to one thousand five hundred milligrams in a day. It is detrimental for women to meet their required calcium intake for normal functioning.

What is used to help form hemoglobin is the mineral iron, this is very important in maintaining the oxygen in the blood as it is transported to the different parts of the body. It is also a very important nutrient in helping produce energy and immunity.

Athletes are more prone to iron deficiencies than anyone else in the world. Women are at a bigger risk because they continually lose blood as they undergo the cyclical process of menstruation. Plus, strenuous exercises contribute to the loss of iron through the destruction of red blood cells. Inadequate iron intake are associated with reduced athletic performance. Women will require the nutrient iron in big amounts.

Being able to keep the body’s fat levels low is often the main aim of many female athletes. Having excess fats can have a negative effect on performance. However having less fat or none at all can compromise the energy levels of a female athlete. Low energy will affect overall sporting performance, that is why it is so important to keep the right amount of nutrients in the body. The right sports nutrition for women will aid performance in all exercise and sporting activities.

Sports Nutrition 101: Muscle Building

Muscle building sports nutrition has become a specialized branch, which is based on scientific knowledge and practical feasibility. Attractive muscles are the biggest assets of every bodybuilder. However, having good muscles, remains only as a dream for many, in spite of their hard work. The absence of a well planned muscle building nutrition strategy will be the possible reason behind this disappointment of lack of proper muscles. Anyhow, sports nutrition has taken up it as a part of its interest, as sturdy muscles are the need of every sports person. Now, muscle building sports nutrition has formulated specific muscle building strategies.

Muscle building sports nutrition mainly focuses to satisfy the physiological requirements needed for the muscle building. Muscles are the contractile tissue in the body, which helps for the proper movement of the body parts. The functional importance of muscles but does not make sense about the development of the size of the muscles. The muscle building has to be based on its requirement since some games require sturdy muscles rather than thick muscles and vice versa. However, muscle building is an essential requisite of body building and sports nutrition has attributed special attention for muscle building of the professional body builders.

Muscle building requires professional guidelines from sports nutrition since just eating up cannot build good muscles. Muscle building is often compared to an art since it requires special attention, planning, creativity to balance the features and beauty towards the perfection. The intake of excess fat and carbohydrate can only increase the weight with tiers of hanging tissue and not tone muscles. Anatomically, muscles are made up of protein stands and increased amount of protein intake will eventually help for building up of muscles. But, it does not mean that fat and carbohydrates has to be abandoned from diet. A proportionate intake of the fat and carbohydrate is required, with more prominence for proteins. It is believed that the diet will stimulate the hormone production that controls the muscle development. Muscle building sports nutrition have formulated the most appropriate formulas for the muscle building, based on the principle, using trial and error method.

Muscle building sports nutrition specifies that eating patter is also important for muscle building. The reports say that taking up of food in frequent intervals is better for muscle building rather than 2 or 3 giant meals. And essentially the calories of intake must exceed the weight training too. It is estimated that 350 to 500 calories are required for building up 1 pound of muscle. As carbohydrates will help to burn calorie for the weight training and regulate the insulin in the body, the meal with a combination of 30 gram protein to 50 gm carbohydrate will be recommended for the weight training snacks.

Muscle building nutritious diet can be provided using natural substances as well as supplements. The carbohydrates can be provided in diet through including juices, vegetables and grains in the diet. It is said that 1 gram of protein is required for one pound of body mass. Whey protein, chicken, egg, good beef, nuts and beans can be used to include protein. Essential fatty acid such as omega 3 fatty acid and omega 6 fatty acids can be in taken using cold-water fish (salmon), fish oils, flax seed oil, olive oil, ground flax seeds of hempseed oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, and walnuts. To add on, water is very important in muscle building sports nutrition, as in every diet.

Muscle building sports nutrition also suggests many supplements available in the market. It mainly includes amino acids, metal replacement products, thermogenic substances, and prohormones. Certain sports nutrition strategy utilizes the growth hormone and other steroid hormones for muscle building. However, it may lead to serious future consequences.

Muscle building sports nutrition includes scientific approach regarding the nutrition for a muscle inducing diet. It must include all the essential nutrients, but must give importance for proteins. However, no program can assure the muscle building since its growth is not linear, and depends upon the physiological specialties of the person.

Play Better Sport With Sport Nutrition

Athletes from all areas of sports want to get the right food because this can give you the pleasing limit. When your body gets what it requests it can save the performance that you ought. You can make the most of your sports talent by receiving the most out of your sports diet. What sports diet you will demand will depend on our age, bulk, physical form and what sports you are involved with.

There are however basics to sports diet that each can track.

Water is the most important part in sports diet. Your body is around 60% water and requires water for almost every physical work. Water cannot be stored or made by your body then it must constantly be replaced. While exercise it is especially important to keep water levels topped up and you should try to game the quantity you gulp with the amount you sweat.

Getting sports diet right means receiving your fuel intake right. Good sports food requires that all the food groups be consumed in the right quantities for you.

When it comes to sport food carbohydrates are the most important fuel resource. Fruit, vegetables, pasta, bread, cereals and rice all enclose carbohydrates. The carbohydrates inhibit baby and starches which you body converts to glucose, an existing immediate energy burst. The glucose could be stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen that will give you survival and warrant for high-intensity, rapid bursts of activity.

Your performance pointed will crash when your body runs out of carbohydrate fuel and has to walk to protein and fat for energy. This is because your body has to work harder to get the fuel out of protein and fat.

Having a carbohydrate stratagem as part of your sports food can allow you to organize the glassy of your performance as can ensuring that you have the accurate vitamins and minerals built up in adequate balanced before competition.

Take counsel from you physician and coach as to when to boost your carbohydrate intake previous to competing as they are effective resources when it comes to decision out about sports nutrition.

General sports nutrition can be based on a well poise diet. The added incentive of achieving a good performance can convince you against the temptation of crisps, chocolate, alcohol and fried foods such as chips. Sports nutrition from an early age can flinch a fitness ingestion regime for the rest of your life, custody you fit and healthful.

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Play Better Sport With Sport Nutrition

Athletes from all areas of sports want to get the right food because this can give you the pleasing limit. When your body gets what it requests it can save the performance that you ought. You can make the most of your sports talent by receiving the most out of your sports diet. What sports diet you will demand will depend on our age, bulk, physical form and what sports you are involved with.

There are however basics to sports diet that each can track.

Water is the most important part in sports diet. Your body is around 60% water and requires water for almost every physical work. Water cannot be stored or made by your body then it must constantly be replaced. While exercise it is especially important to keep water levels topped up and you should try to game the quantity you gulp with the amount you sweat.

Getting sports diet right means receiving your fuel intake right. Good sports food requires that all the food groups be consumed in the right quantities for you.

When it comes to sport food carbohydrates are the most important fuel resource. Fruit, vegetables, pasta, bread, cereals and rice all enclose carbohydrates. The carbohydrates inhibit baby and starches which you body converts to glucose, an existing immediate energy burst. The glucose could be stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen that will give you survival and warrant for high-intensity, rapid bursts of activity.

Your performance pointed will crash when your body runs out of carbohydrate fuel and has to walk to protein and fat for energy. This is because your body has to work harder to get the fuel out of protein and fat.

Having a carbohydrate stratagem as part of your sports food can allow you to organize the glassy of your performance as can ensuring that you have the accurate vitamins and minerals built up in adequate balanced before competition.

Take counsel from you physician and coach as to when to boost your carbohydrate intake previous to competing as they are effective resources when it comes to decision out about sports nutrition.

General sports nutrition can be based on a well poise diet. The added incentive of achieving a good performance can convince you against the temptation of crisps, chocolate, alcohol and fried foods such as chips. Sports nutrition from an early age can flinch a fitness ingestion regime for the rest of your life, custody you fit and healthful.

Related Websites

• Maxwell Technologies And ISE Research-Thundervolt Inc. Form Strategic Alliance To Develop Ultracapacitor-Based Energy Storage Packs For Heavy Hybrid Vehicles And Stationary Power Systems | ISE Corporation
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Work Your Way To The Top Through Sports Nutrition Education

When sport became professionalized athletes began searching for ways to improve their performances. For sports the physical aspect was predominant and athletes sought their way for golden medals at regular doctors. Sport became an industry and the need for specialized physicians grew. This brought a new specialization in medicine; sports medicine. Here after further specialization progressed and sports nutrition became a specialization in sports medicine.

Sport and physical health in general became popular, to practice and also as a form of entertainment. A new and profitable industry was born where many people make there living as does the specialist in sports nutrition. The study of sports nutrition was popular among younger students. The idea of working with famous athletes, or better yet becoming a better athlete themselves was the driving force for and maybe still is the driving force for this study.

The curriculum of this study focuses on understanding how the body functions during exercise and sport. The goal is to maximize the athletic potential and minimizing health risks.

This study provides a scientific background, specific knowledge and skills to address concepts and controversies relating to sports nutrition, sports physiology and to explore the links between nutrition, physiology, performance and health outcomes through the life cycle.

The educational principles integrate nutrition and exercise physiology and application to exercising individuals. The topics that are commonly studied are specific nutrient needs, energy expenditure, hydration, fuel substrate metabolism, ergogenic aids and weight issues for exercising individuals and athletes.

The program also has topics like personal training programs specially designed for the individual client. The focus is on the clients’ workout and how to enhance the physical program and to provide the best nutrition plan. The aim is to tailor the program to the specific needs of their body. The program should include proper nutrition, the necessary supplements and beneficial vitamins and minerals.

The curriculum has a lot to offer. Most institutes have similar courses on a college level that don’t only educate on sport nutrition but much wider than that. The program consist of courses like basic sports science, sport psychology, human physiology, data analysis, functional anatomy, exercise physiology, nutritional physiology and biochemistry, human nutrition, research methods, biomechanics and much more.

The students of sports nutrition education learn the following:

-How nutrients are taken in and how foods are digested and metabolized to provide necessary energy to fuel muscular activity.
-Dietary patterns that maximize performance and prevent disease.
-Research advancements in ergogenic aids.
-Supplementation and the pros and cons of popular diet techniques.
-Sample eating plans showing how to fuel for specific workouts.
-How to distinguish among food, diet, and supplement options and understand which are best and why.
-How to overcome food and weight obsessions.
-How to lose undesired body fat while maintaining energy for exercise.
-Strategies to boost energy, reduce stress, control weight, improve health and enhance workouts.

When you graduate from this study you will be able to get a job in the sports industry. The graduate can target various industries for employment. The following can be targeted: local or state government agencies, hospitals, rehabilitation clinics, institutes of sports, universities and colleges and also personal training. There a many options available to the graduate.

Studying sports nutrition is good investment and will give the graduate more than enough chances to work in this wonderful industry. Even so, many students continue onto a PGCE or Masters course in a related area.

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The Worldwide Effects Of Sports Nutrition Products

It is very obvious in the current market that sports nutrition products come from various different places worldwide. The interest in these products can be seen from all over the world. Many people assume that it is only in demand from people who live in first world countries.

Now though being interested in sports nutrition does not automatically mean that the person concerned has to participate in sports. Many people see it as way of having a positive attitude towards their health in general. With the current ad campaigns going on around the world, more and more people are looking for ways of improving their health and see nutrition as a part of that.

Sports nutrition is most definitely a worldwide concept now. With more people becoming interested in it from around the world. Before many people were not overly conscious with what they were eating and the nutrients that the food provided. Now though, nutrition labels can be seen on nearly all food products so that nutrients that the food provides can be seen by people who have a keen interest in providing their body with the correct types of food.

The incorporation of nutrition programs in several fitness centers and sports facilities also support the worldwide concern for sports nutrition.

Before, fitness in terms of sports and exercise in general is seen as an independent aspect and has nothing to do with diet and nutrition.

Now, however, people seem to recognize the fact that both are interrelated and that each one would not yield positive results if taken individually. It appears now that people are open to the idea that without a healthy diet, performance may not be expected to be excellent.

Several campaigns and sales efforts in support of sports nutrition have likewise been circulating worldwide.

In almost any country, one would hear of the availability of supplements sports nutrition programs, training on nutrition and health, nutrition verification for athletes, and many others. Indeed, sports nutrition is not anymore considered as for the First World countries only, but for worldwide benefit as well.

Aligning targets in terms of sports to targets in terms of nutrition is indeed very sound. In the first place, the body controls all activities.

Having a weak control system would certainly not bring the positive results that are sought. Sports can become very stressful on the body, even more so if it is not backed up with right nutrition.

The worldwide prevalence of sports nutrition also creates more vigilance in terms of sustaining efforts which have started already. It somehow creates a sense of pressure that yields favorable responses. Some people are indeed becoming good role models in terms of sports nutrition.

With the release of many books and other materials on sports nutrition it has helped to increase the worldwide awareness. Now people can see with their own eyes the concrete evidence of successes that occurred in the past by providing your body with the correct nutrients. They are also shown that it is not difficult for them to follow these examples.

It only requires commitment and good motivation on the part of the person interested. If before a good balance between fitness and nutrition was very complex to achieve now because of the practical tips coming from previous experiences it feels a lot easier to do.

Indeed, the coming years show more promise of worldwide sports nutrition because of heightened awareness and interest in it. This is a very advantageous thing for all as it somehow guarantees a healthier generation in the future. Sports is not just about competition or making ones body look good aesthetically, it also tackles the entire aspect of health.

With sports nutrition becoming a worldwide concept, the sustenance and motivation of previous efforts should always remain a concern. Although societal pressure can become a positive motivation, it can sometimes begin to falter.

Both the dissemination of the idea as well as maintenance of established ones should be taken good care of as health is a very essential aspect of life.

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Sport Nutrition: Eat your Way to the Top of your Sport

There are many factors that affect your performance, but one of the keys is having your body in top condition and provided with the best nutrition. While most people understand that nutrition is a major factor in keeping our bodies healthy, sport nutrition requires eating healthy to an even higher level. A wise athlete recognizes that sport nutrition is very important and is something to be taken seriously if they want to maintain good health.

While most experienced endurance athletes know the importance of eating and drinking enough calories, some do not consume enough nutrition for their sport. When establishing a proper nutrition plan for endurance athletes, you still need to factor in exactly which sport they are training for competition. While most people eat to satisfy their hunger and remain healthy, sport nutrition is designed to make your body perform its best.

When establishing a diet for an athlete, it is best to consult a professional sport nutrition expert. A good place to start planning meals and menus as an athlete is with a sport nutritionist if you do not know how to do so yourself. Another good option would be to try some of the diets given by the professionals that have already achieved what you’re striving to do. Feed your body with low nutritional and sugary garbage and see how fast you will begin to feel out of shape.

Very cheap food supplements will not give your body the proper nutrition when you are eating to maintain a diet for a particular sport. When it comes to potentially performance-enhancing supplements, one option is to, consult a sport nutrition expert for help. Another good place to obtain more information on sports nutrition is the internet; here you will find journals from different sport nutritionist. You can often find sports nutrition presentations and booklets placed all over supplement and nutrition stores as well.

While most people would love to have the problem of not eating enough for their body, it’s quite common for endurance athletes to lack the proper nutrition. Ensuring you are receiving all the correct nutrients and vitamins is the correct way to maintain a healthy and balanced diet. There are a surprisingly large number of myths about sport nutrition and nutrition in general floating around all over the place. Ensuring you receive the correct nutrition will encourage your success in any sport or non sport activity that you participate in, so be sure to educate yourself and find the plan that will work best for you.

Antioxidants, Free Radicals, and Sports Nutrition

As you know, I am a physician. It’s part of my profession to keep abreast of what’s happening in medical /health research. Being retired helps, because doctors simply do not generally have the “extra time” to devote to the scientific literature.

But I do. And I love it. I am one of those individuals who really enjoys …brace yourself…chemistry. When I’m done here, you should be excited too, especially if you are interested in sports nutrition and antioxidants, though not necessarily in that order.

Sports nutrition is a vast industry with emphasis on optimizing PERFORMANCE. Off hand, I can think of quite a few categories involving sports nutrition:

* sports nutrition and supplements for athletes,

* sports nutrition and athletic performance,

* sports nutrition and body building,

* sports nutrition and endurance training,

* sports nutrition and special diets in a variety of sports,

* sports nutrition and strength training,

* sports nutrition for running, jogging, walking, skiing, swimming

* There’s even Rocky Mountain sports nutrition

* …the list is endless.

So far, no surprises, huh? Well, here’s one for you. Did you know that when you exercise intensively you INCREASE the free radical burden in your body? If you’re a serious sports enthusiast, you should know that.

But…the real news is what science is now finding out about that free radical burden of yours. You should pay close attention here.

Suddenly, chemistry gets real personal.

Everyone of us has, what may be called, our antioxidant protective capacity. That means our bodies normally utilize antioxidants to protect us against the harmful impact of free radicals.

First of all, what are antioxidants? They are molecular substances which offset free radical damage to the body. Antioxidants, “quench” free radicals (for lack of a better metaphor) neutralizing their damaging effects on the cells of the body.

* Antioxidants are found in foods such as cranberries, green tea and even chocolate.

* Antioxidants are found in vitamins such vitamin C and E.

* Antioxidants are found in carotenoids such as beta-carotene.

* Antioxidants are found in many substances supplied by the body such as glutathione.

* Antioxidants are found in many herbs and enzymes.

The impact of antioxidants is boosted by glyconutrients to offset free radicals in your body…and, as a result of your athletic exertions.

Antioxidant capacity must be provided in your sports nutrition regimen or you could be “robbing Peter to pay Paul” with your workouts. As you will see, without a glyconutrional presence in your sports nutrition, the healthful gains made by your physical workouts will be offset by your own free radical burden.

Free radicals, sports and sports nutrition

Free radicals are those chemical species which contain one or more unpaired electrons, capable of independent existence. They form in the body due to a variety of reasons as offshoots of cellular activity or as products introduced to the body from the outside.

As an analogy, think of running a car engine as the cellular production and the car emissions a the free radical production. The engine produces products which cannot stay inside the car without further damage. They simply must be neutralized and expelled.

Free radicals form and cause damage by reacting with many substances in your body. It is estimated that upwards of 200,000 free radical attacks occur in our bodies daily.

When free radical damage is done, the body can remove the compounds formed by its cellular repair system. However, if the body cannot handle the free radicals (with antioxidants for example), nor remove the compounds, then disease can be the result.

Contrary to popular opinion, free radicals do not circulate throughout the body. The half-life of most free radicals varies in a range of a few nanoseconds to about 7 seconds duration. That means they will react within the “neighborhood” (a few Angstroms or microns near where the increase in free radicals occurred) …organs, connective tissue, circulatory or nerve tissue, bone or lymphatic material are all candidates for free radical attack.

Wherever they form, they will damage the surrounding areas, unless prevented by the body…So the body does NOT have the luxury of just filtering away any circulatory fluids to find the free radicals. The body’s defense systems must be…well…fairly omnipresent to neutralize the effects of free radicals. The antioxidant protective system must be healthy.

Since they are highly reactive substances, they react with all sorts of cell elements readily. But, when they do react with your body cells, they can damage the cells and even kill them. Often, the damage from free radicals can CHANGE the cellular structure enough to cause DISEASE such as cancer, diabetes, arthritis, heart disease and a host of others.

The type of disease that occurs is dependent upon which of the free radical defenses in the body weren’t functioning properly and where the free radical attacks occur.

The body has pretty sophisticated antioxidant defense systems. But, the body CAN get overwhelmed in its antioxidant protections against such free radicals…

Indeed, unless antioxidant enhanced sports nutrition (with glyconutrients) are used to offset the increased free radical burden, the BODY will suffer as a result of intensive sports training, stress, and competition.

Glyconutrients VITAL to sports nutrition …

Studies comparing marathon runners who did and did not take glyconutritional sports nutrition supplements were undertaken. The results were reported by the Proceedings of the Fisher Institute For Medical Research ( August 2003, vol.3, no.1). The results “demonstrated strikingly different patterns.” Antioxidant protection appeared to be powerfully enhanced against free radicals with glyconutritional supplementation. Thus, the body was protected for several days after the marathon run.

However, when glyconutritional sports nutrition was NOT used, the damaging effects of the free radical burden appeared to remain in the body for about five days. Thus, the subject “consistently excreted higher concentrations of free radical byproducts…” as compared to that of the glyconutritional subject. It should be emphasized that the subject studied WAS TAKING other antioxidants, though not glyconutrition. Despite that fact, the above cited results were obtained.

That’s another way of saying that when glyconutritional supplements were not used, the free radical burden upon the body was not lifted. Antioxidant protection does appear to be (significantly) strengthened with glyconutritional sports nutrition. Such antioxidant protection appears to be of benefit for athletes overall, including training, stress, competition and dietary issues.

The glyconutrional revolution in sports nutrition and therapy is just beginning. More studies are being done. More results are coming in concerning free radicals and the capacity of the glyconutrients to boost antioxidant affect against free radicals.

Sports Nutrition, Success Fuel

Nutrition and sports performance is a complex and essential relationship for serious sports men and women to understand and it can help them achieve success in their chosen sport. Sports nutrition also aids injury prevention and speeds up recovery times from an injury. The correct diet and fluid intake coupled with appropriate training is the difference between winning and losing. Fuelling the body with the right nutrition can be key to success.

Good sports nutrition promotes brain function and muscle activity. Physical training and performance requires the right diet (quantity and quality) that will provide the athlete with energy. Each sport has its own individual requirements as does each individual sports man and woman. These requirements dictate the nutritional demands of training and competition. Sports nutrition applies scientific methods to the applications of the sport to provide a diet that meets the needs of both athlete and discipline.

Sports performance is fundamentally affected by dehydration. The importance of water and fluid replacement in sports nutrition is paramount to supporting the activity of tissue cells in the body. These cells carry nutrients and oxygen around the body, eliminating toxins and removing excess body heat. During physical exercise, body heat increases and water is lost through evaporation or sweating. In hot environments, sports activity can attribute to sweat losses of 4-5 pints an hour. Water loss is partly offset by metabolic water produced from proteins, carbohydrates and fat metabolising in the body. However, sports nutrition dictates that hydrating the body properly requires fluid intake before, during and after activity.

A sports nutritionist will calculate fluid losses by measuring body weight before and after a session to determine how much fluid is required. Optimum levels should never be exceeded as overloading on fluids can lead to stomach discomfort and breathing difficulties during the activity. Modern sports nutrition recommends special carbohydrate-electrolyte drinks for intense activity that has a longer duration but water is typically recommended for low to moderate level activity.

A diet rich in carbohydrate and low in fat improves long-term and short-term sports performance. High-intensity exercise requires more carbohydrates to ensure the liver and muscle glycogen levels are high. High liver and muscle glycogen levels improve performance and glycogen present in the liver is a source of glucose for the brain (important for concentration, alertness and reaction time). A wide range of carbohydrates are required to ensure essential vitamins and minerals are present. Potatoes, bananas, pasta, bread, vegetables, cereals and porridge are a good source of carbs for sport.

Protein plays an important role in sports nutrition by building muscle and repairing it. Athletes should aim to eat a range of foods that will provide the necessary levels of protein. Foods such as lean meat, fish, eggs, beans and pulses, milk, yoghurt, cheese and cereals will provide protein needs. High protein sports nutrition does not necessarily lead to greater muscle mass as excess protein in the body is metabolised or excreted. The extra amount of food required for sport is usually enough to provide the correct intake of protein without resorting to increased portions or protein supplements. High-protein diets can be expensive and will decrease the bank balance before increasing muscle mass. A good sports nutritionist can ensure there are adequate nutrients and calories for an athlete to support the requirements of their sport.