A healthy diet is basically the same for athletes and non-athletes. A high-protein, low-fat diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables is the way to go whether you’re involved in sports or not. But athletes do have some special nutritional needs that are not shared by athletes. Specifically, athletes need more energy and more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They also have special nutritional needs during and after workouts, and may derive performance benefits from the use of certain supplements. Let’s take a look at each of these special needs.
1. Greater energy needs
Athletes use more carbohydrate and fat to fuel their muscles during workouts and more protein to rebuild the muscles between workouts. Therefore, athletes need more carbohydrate, fat and protein than sedentary persons. A good balance for athletes is 45 percent of calories from carbohydrate, 25 percent of calories from fat, and 30 percent of calories from protein.
Most Americans get only 18 percent of their calories from protein. The best way to increase your daily protein intake from 18 percent of calories to 30 percent is to consume three total servings of Permalean protein shakes and/or bars daily. They are convenient snacks and work perfectly as post-exercise nutrition supplements (see #3 below).
2. Greater vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant needs
Exercise also increases the body’s needs for vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. For example, research has shown that the body’s supply of antioxidant vitamins—especially vitamins C and E, is used up during strenuous exercise. Vitamin supplementation has been shown reduce the muscle cell damage that results when the body’s antioxidant defenses are overwhelmed.
As for minerals, certain types of exercise, especially running, appear to increase iron requirements. Iron-deficiency anemia is more common among endurance athletes, and particularly runners, than among the general population, possibly due to iron losses incurred through sweating and other exercise-related mechanisms.
To ensure that your daily vitamin and mineral needs are being met, be sure to take a high-quality daily multivitamin/multimineral supplement.
3. Hydration and energy needs during exercise
Athletes and exercisers clearly benefit from consuming the right forms of nutrition during workouts and competitions. Consume fluid during all exercise sessions lasting an hour or more, and during workouts and competitions of any duration in very hot weather (85° or more). This will improve your performance by limiting the amount of dehydration you experience during exercise.
Water is adequate in most workouts. In longer or high-intensity workouts, sports drinks are sometimes better. Sports drinks hydrate better than water because they replace sodium and other minerals that are lost in sweat, whereas water does not. Sports drinks also contain carbohydrates, the muscles’ main fuel during running. Water does not. Many studies have shown that consuming carbohydrate with fluid during running enhances performance more than drinking fluid alone.
Drink small amounts frequently: 4-8 ounces every 10-15 minutes. Your stomach empties faster when it’s fuller. Drinking frequently helps keep it fuller. The exact amount of fluid you need depends on your weight, your exercise intensity, and how long you exercise.
4. Post-workout recovery nutrition needs
After workouts your body is at least slightly dehydrated, your muscle fuel stores are at least somewhat depleted, and some of your muscle cells are damaged from the strain of activity. Proper nutrition is needed to address these recovery needs, and the sooner you get it, the better.
The human body uses nutrition much more effectively for recovery within the first hour after exercise than it does at other times. A recent Australian study found that men gained more muscle mass over the course of a 10-week strength-training program when they consumed protein immediately before and immediately after workouts than they did when they consumed the same protein supplement in the morning and in the evening.
Always consume a meal or recovery supplement contain carbohydrates and protein plus fluid within an hour after finishing every workout and competition. The most convenient and effective sources of post-workout protein are Permalean protein shakes and bars.
5. Potential benefit of performance-enhancing supplements
Certain supplements may enhance sports performance to a level that foods cannot match. For example, creatine is proven to be a "must-have" supplement for strength/speed/power athletes. Dozens of studies have demonstrated that athletes build strength, speed, muscle size and power faster when they take a creatine supplement.
For endurance athletes, antioxidant supplements such as CoQ10 are most beneficial. During aerobic exercise, the muscles produce free radicals at a high rate. These unstable molecules cause fatigue and damage muscle fibers, resulting in post-exercise muscle soreness. Certain antioxidant supplements have been scientifically shown to delay fatigue and reduce exercise related muscle damage. In addition to CoQ10, other antioxidant supplements with proven effectiveness are n-acetyl cysteine, green tea extract, and quercetin.
