A A balanced diet is essential for good health and, in athletes, it is also essential for achieving good athletic performance., both in professionals and in people who are starting to practice a sport.
Just like the diet of the general population, It must provide all the necessary nutrients, These factors are more specific for athletes and vary depending on the sport, among other parameters. In this post, we explain the relationship between nutrition and physical performance.
What is athletic performance and why is it related to nutrition?
Athletic performance is the relationship between the goals achieved by an athlete, and the resources used to achieve them. This performance is influenced by several factors, including physical capacity and health-related factors, which may be influenced by genetics, circumstantial factors, psychological factors, among others, and, one of the most important, nutrition.
Although proper nutrition alone is not enough to guarantee an athlete's victory, having an inadequate diet at a specific point in their athletic career, as we will see below, can negatively impact their performance.
A Proper nutrition for athletes will provide all the necessary nutrients at each of the different moments of sports practice:
- Training
- Competition
- Recovery
- Rest
Depending on each of these moments, Nutrition for athletes will focus on providing the necessary energy and nutrients to maintain and/or repair tissues (especially muscle tissue). In this way, the body will obtain at all times all the nutrients it needs for optimal athletic performance.
If you want to know more about the diet that each athlete needs at a specific time, you can read our article “Keys to a diet for athletes”, where we explain the differences.
What nutritional needs should a diet for athletes cover?
As you've seen, nutrition varies depending on the stage of athletic activity, and therefore it's also one of the most crucial factors in athletic performance. Now we'll explain the general nutritional needs that a proper diet for athletes should cover, keeping in mind that this It has to be adapted to specific circumstances such as age, sex, or type of sport., among others.
Energy needs of athletes
Before we look at how much energy an athlete needs, let's look at some concepts related to the amount of energy we all need.
Did you know that, in addition to when we do sports or any physical activity, we also consume energy while at rest?
Therefore, the total energy that human beings need is divided into three groups:
- Minimum energy we need to maintain vital functions, a process known as basal metabolism.
- Energy after food consumption, called the thermogenic action of food, which includes the processes of digestion, absorption and metabolism of food, essential to be able to use the components of food.
- Energy needed to perform physical activities, that involve bodily movements through the contraction of our muscles. This includes the movements we perform as part of daily life, and the performance of specific sporting activities.
We get all our energy from food, and it's important to eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly to maintain good health. If you'd like to learn more about what a balanced diet is and the role of exercise in our health, you can read articles on our blog such as “the beneficial health effects of a balanced diet”.
Athletes perform more physical activity than sedentary people, hence they also need more energy and, therefore, to obtain it they must consume nutrients in accordance with this energy expenditure.
But do all athletes need the same amount of energy? The answer is no, since, as we mentioned earlier, it will depend on the specific type of exercise they perform, its intensity, and its duration.
The key role of carbohydrates in the diet of athletes
In the previous section, we saw that our body needs energy both to maintain vital functions and for each of the physical activities we perform throughout the day, including sports. Well then, Carbohydrates are the most important source of energy. In addition, our body can also obtain energy from fats and proteins, as we will see later.
Carbohydrates are the body's primary source of energy, which is why they play a fundamental role in athletic performance. They are an essential source of energy during training and competition, and their proper intake also aids in muscle repair after exercise.
That's why In sports nutrition, it is essential that the intake of carbohydrates is adequate, otherwise a lack of energy may occur during training, as well as a slower recovery.
When talking about carbohydrates, it's important to remember that they are present in most whole grains, potatoes, rice, pasta, and dairy products, among other foods. However, not all carbohydrates are the same (they differ mainly in whether they are composed of glucose, fructose, starch, or galactose), and they are not all absorbed at the same rate. Therefore, depending on the level of physical activity, some carbohydrate sources will be preferable to others.
Why are proteins important in the diet of athletes?
As we mentioned earlier, proteins can also be a source of energy for our bodies. However, our bodies only use them as an energy source during long periods of fasting, when there are insufficient amounts of fats or carbohydrates, or during periods of prolonged physical exertion, common in some sports.
In athletes, proteins can contribute between 51% and 101% of the total energy they use.
So, what role do proteins play in our bodies during exercise? Well, while we can also use them for energy, their essential role is building, as they are made up of amino acids that form part of cellular structures, enzymes, hormones, and so on. They are the main building blocks of cells and essential for the growth, repair, and continuous renewal of body tissues.
Some of the best sources of protein are legumes, milk and dairy products, meat, fish, eggs, and tofu. But, just like with carbohydrates, not all proteins are created equal. First, it depends on whether they are composed of essential amino acids—meaning our bodies cannot synthesize them and therefore we must obtain them through our diet—or non-essential amino acids. Furthermore, proteins, among other characteristics, also have a biological value, which is the quantity of essential amino acids they contain. Typically, high-biological-value proteins contain all nine essential amino acids and are primarily of animal origin, such as meat, fish, eggs, and milk.
Fats, essential for energy supply
As we've seen, our bodies can obtain energy from fats, and these are also necessary for other essential bodily functions. In high-intensity interval training (HIIT), studies have shown a significant reduction in subcutaneous fat, especially abdominal fat, and an improvement in VO2 max, a marker we can use to measure athletic performance.
As with carbohydrates and proteins, not all fats are the same. They are primarily divided into saturated and unsaturated fats. Saturated fats are found in foods of animal origin, such as meat and milk, among others, although some vegetable oils also contain saturated fats. This type of fat is linked to an increase in levels of bad cholesterol in the blood, so it is advisable to reduce its consumption, not only for athletes but for the general population as well.
On the other hand, among unsaturated fats we find monounsaturated fats, present, for example, in olive oil, and polyunsaturated fats, whose main source is oily fish like salmon, rich in omega-3, one of the most recommended fats. In addition, you've surely heard of trans fats, which are formed when liquid fats are converted into solid fats and are mainly found in ultra-processed foods, which are not at all beneficial to our health.
Some of the best sources of healthy fats are oily fish, nuts, olive oil, and avocado.
Minerals and vitamins: the importance of replenishing them after sports activity
Both vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients because they are indispensable for the proper functioning of the body. They are also called micronutrients because we need them in very small amounts (milligrams or micrograms).
Some of the most important minerals in the diet for athletes are:
- SodiumIt participates in muscle contraction and in the regulation of body fluids, so during sports it is essential to maintain good hydration of the body.
- CalciumIt is the most abundant mineral in the body and is essential for muscle building, as it participates in the transmission of nerve impulses and muscle contraction.
- PotassiumIt is a mineral whose function is closely related to sodium since together they regulate body water levels, in addition to participating in nerve cells, muscle contraction and the increase of muscle mass.
- IronIron is a component of hemoglobin, a molecule found in red blood cells, which are responsible for transporting oxygen to the body's organs. Low iron levels result in low hemoglobin levels, reducing oxygen delivery and increasing the workload on the heart, thus increasing fatigue and impairing the athlete's ability to recover from exertion.
Deficit
When you exercise, you lose more minerals than usual through sweat, and the only way to replenish these lost minerals is through food. A deficiency in some of these minerals can negatively affect muscle contraction and recovery after exertion, but an excess of minerals can also be harmful, as it can cause toxicity and impair the absorption of other minerals. Therefore, before taking any mineral supplements, you should consult a specialist to determine your specific situation.
Vitamins, as we mentioned earlier, are essential for the proper functioning of the body, and there are some that our bodies cannot synthesize and therefore must be obtained through diet. There are different types of vitamins, and some of the essential ones are the antioxidant vitamins C and E, which protect cells from oxidative damage, which can increase during physical activity due to the greater stress placed on our body's cells. Vitamin D, in addition to influencing the immune system, plays a role in proper bone health. B vitamins, such as B1, B6, and B12, can increase serotonin levels and improve motor skills.
As for vitamin supplements, the same applies as with minerals: they are only beneficial when there is a vitamin deficiency. Therefore, before taking any supplement, it is important to consult a specialist who can advise you on whether you really need them and if they can be beneficial to your health.
The importance of proper hydration in athletes
Whether you're an athlete or not, it's important to provide your body with adequate fluids. Water is the main component of our weight, making up 85% of blood, 80% of muscle mass, and a quarter of bone mass. Maintaining an adequate level of water in the body is essential for the chemical reactions that keep us alive and for nutrients to reach the different organs and tissues.
We lose water not only through sweat, but also through breathing and urination. When we exercise, we sweat more, and through this sweat we lose fluids and minerals, making it important to drink more fluids to stay well hydrated.
In the case of athletes It is especially important to maintain adequate hydration, as otherwise, their physical performance may be impaired. Muscle energy production is affected if hydration is inadequate, which can lead to decreased strength and there is a greater predisposition to suffer an injury, both muscular and joint. Some symptoms of dehydration include being very thirsty (a signal from your body to drink water), headache, feeling tired, or dark-colored urine.
Don't wait any longer!
As you have seen in this article, for an athlete to achieve their maximum performance, it is not enough to just train; having a balanced diet that provides all the specific nutrients they need is also essential.
If you are an athlete and would like to know valuable information about your athletic abilities or aspects that may influence your athletic performance, you may be interested in learning about this test. Nutrition and Sport From Zogen. You'll know, for example, if your genetics make you better suited to strength or endurance sports, if you're prone to vitamin deficiencies, or if you're more susceptible to sports injuries. Thanks to this knowledge You'll be able to adjust your workouts to make them more effective and safer.. Want to know more? Don't hesitate to contactus!
Fountain: https://www.veritasint.com/blog/es/alimentacion-para-deportistas-rendimiento-fisico/
