(SDN) Special Health and Nutritional Requirements for Athletes Lesson

Special Health and Nutritional Requirements for Athletes

image of athletesA fundamental component of an athlete's training and performance plan is proper nutrition. It ensures that an individual is getting the fuels necessary for the energy production needs related to activity and recovery. Some factors that may affect an athlete's nutritional needs include type of activity (aerobic vs. anaerobic), gender, weight, height, body mass index, workout or activity, and time of day. A proper diet will reduce these disturbances in performance. The key to a proper diet is to get a variety of food, and to consume all the macro-nutrients, vitamins, and minerals needed. Raw foods, such as unprocessed foods, are ideal to choose. Eating foods that are natural means the athlete is getting the most nutritional value out of the food. When foods are processed, the nutritional value is normally reduced.

There are 5 Nutrition Tips for Athletes

Athletes tend to have higher demands for dietary protein intake compared to inactive individuals. Athletes should consume balanced protein feedings throughout the day and emphasize whole foods as opposed to protein based supplements. Athletes should consume at least 5 to 7 ounces daily from the Protein Foods Groups. Extra protein will not help you build bigger muscles. To build muscle, you need physical activity, not more protein from food.

Dietary lipids are essential for the absorption of vitamins A, D, E, and K. It is important to restrict lipid intake to avoid excessive caloric intake. In terms of athletic requirements, an increase of dietary carbohydrates should account for a majority of the increased caloric demands. Fats are an important nutrient. They carry some vitamins into your bloodstream. In moderate amounts, unsaturated fats promote health.

General carbohydrate intake recommendations suggest adult athletes consume 5-12 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram per day dependent on exercise and activity, activity intensity, sex, and environmental conditions. The recommendations for young athletes suggest at least half of a young athlete's diet should be in the form of carbohydrate or between 3 and 8 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body mass. People who are very physically active need extra calories. Most of these calories should come from nutrient-dense foods high in starches, or complex carbohydrates. These foods include bread, cereal, rice, pasta, dry beans, and peas, and starch vegetables.

Hydration during sports is important to performance in young athletes. During intense activity, your body heats up. To cool down, your body sweats. When you sweat, you must drink fluids to replace lost fluids. Hydration goals should be to minimize body mass losses associated with dehydration while ensuring fluid ingestion does not exceed sweat losses. This is easily assessed through body weight measures immediately prior to and immediately following activity. If you do not replace fluids lost through sweating, you may suffer from dehydration. Dehydration is a significant loss of body fluids. Symptoms start with thirst and fatigue, and can proceed to weakness, confusion, muscle cramps, and heat exhaustion. In severe cases, dehydration can cause death.

Micronutrients generally refers to vitamins and minerals used by the body during normal physiological functions. Athletes should eat a variety of food to get the vitamins and minerals needed. Iron-rich foods are good for the blood. Calcium-rich foods help develop, or promote the growth of healthy bones. As an athlete, you do not need extra vitamins and minerals. The ADA recommends nutrients be obtained from food sources rather than supplements in healthy children.  Some children are at increased risk of nutrient deficiencies. Children and adolescents with anorexia or poor appetites, chronic diseases, and food insecurity are at greater risk for nutrient deficiencies. Youth who do not consume adequate amounts of dairy or have sufficient sun exposure may also be at risk for deficiencies.  The daily time constraints of a young athlete can make achieving a balanced diet difficult, thus putting these individuals at a potential increased risk for micronutrient deficiencies as well.  Specifically, iron and calcium are frequently noted as common nutritional concerns among children and adolescents. Iron deficiency and subsequent anemia are common in adolescents. Athletes should eat regular snacks that include rich sources of calcium (fortified orange juice, almonds, and broccoli), throughout the day. 

Summary

  • Athletes need high carbohydrate, low fat diets to fuel their training and competitions.
  • It is imperative athletes consume enough protein and calories to meet their strength goals.
  • Male athletes who seek to maintain their body mass need 20 calories per pound of body weight daily.
  • Female athletes who seek to maintain body mass need 17 calories per pound of body weight each day.
  • High intensity training requires a greater quantity of carbohydrates.

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