Introduction to Sports Nutrition Key Questions Addressed 1. What is sports nutrition? Why study sports nutrition? What are the basic nutrients? How does the body produce energy? What are the Dietary Reference Intakes? What are enriched and fortified foods? What are the basic nutrition guidelines? How should athletes interpret the information on food labels? What are the factors to consider when developing an individualized sports nutrition plan for athletes? 10. How can sports nutrition knowledge be converted into practical applications? ® You Are the Nutri Jennifer is 9 42-year-old tennis player. She states that recently her energy levels have dropped and that she has had a hard time recovering from long tennis matches. She also complains of being “hungry al the time’ The constant hunger has been frustrating because she is trying to maintain her current weight by attempting to control her total daly intake. She has been ‘eating well’ since finding out 2 years ago that she has high cholesterol. She received counseling from a dietitian at the time of her diagnosis and subsequently made major changes in her diet, such as switching to nonfat foods and eliminating dairy. Her goals are to increase her energy levels, decrease recovery time, and create a meal plan that will also be healthy for her husband and three sons. ion Coach Question + What should Jennifer's top priority be—her high cholesterol, struggle to maintain her weight, constant hunger, low energy levels, or long recovery time?4 SECTION 1 The Basics of Sports Nutrition What is sports nutrition? Why study sports nutrition? Sports nutrition is a specialization within the field of nutrition that partners closely with the study of the human body and exercise science. Sports nutrition can be defined as the application of nutri- tion knowledge to a practical daily eating plan focused ‘on providing the fuel for physical activity, facilitating the repair and rebuilding process following hard physical work, and optimizing athletic performance in competi- tive events, while also promoting overall health and well- ness. The area of sports nutrition is often thought to be reserved only for “athletes,” which insinuates the inclu- sion of only those individuals who are performing at the elite level. inthis text, the term athlete refers to any indi- vidual who is regularly active, ranging from the fitness enthusiast to the competitive amateur or professional Differences may exist in specific nutrient needs along this designated spectrum of athletes, creating the excit- ing challenge of individualizing sports nutrition plans. ‘To fully understand and subsequently apply sports nutrition concepts, professionals instructing athletes on proper eating strat- egies first need to have a command of general nutrition as well as exercise science. The sec- ond step is to gain the knowledge of how nutrition and exercise science are intertwined, under- standing that physical training and dietary habits are reliant on each other to produce optimal performance. ‘The final step can be considered one of the most critical— the practical application of sports nutrition knowledge to individual athletes participating in a sport or physical activity. Sports nutrition professionals must be able to teach athletes by putting “book” knowledge into practice with actual food selection and meal planning, while keeping in mind the challenges presented by busy schedules of exercise, competitions, work, school, and other commit- ments, Itis this third step that many professionals lack after graduating from an undergraduate or graduate pro- gram in sports nutrition, dietetics, exercise science, or athletic training. Our focus is to review sports nutrition concepts while also translating the information into spe- cific meal plans, recipes, and case study scenarios. Stu- dents are encouraged to seek additional opportunities outside the classroom to work with recreational and elite athletes to gain more experience in applying sports nuti- tion concepts before searching fora job in the “real world.” Thefield of sports nutrition requires command ofgeneralnutrtion and ‘exercise scence, an understanding of their interrelationship, and the knowledge of how to practically apply sports nutrition concepts Sports nutrition has emerged as a recognized specialty area within the field of nutrition. Athletes challenge their bodies on a regular basis through physical training and ‘competitions. To keep up with the physical demands of their activity or sport, athletes need to fuel their bodies adequately on a daily basis. This fueling process requires a specialized approach; therefore, athletes who want to ‘make dietary changes should seek out professionals who are experts in sports nutrition and experienced in devel- ‘oping individualized plans. eae aa research is provid- ing new and exciting information on a reg- lar basis Itiveriticel —_Thefleldof sports nutrition is grow that sports nutri- _ingincreasing thedemandorquat tion professionals fled sports nutiion professionals stay current so they TO Be considered an “expert in sports nutrition a profesional must obtain the appropriate education and certification background as can be evidence- based practitioners. well as hands-on experience work: ing wit athletes Gone are the days of suggesting dietary practices based on anecdotal observa- tions or experiences. Becoming an evi- dence-based practi- tioner requires use of nutrition guidelines and dietary practices that have been doc- umented as being effective through peer-reviewed research, Professionals ‘who have studied sports nutrition, have experience in the field, and continue to stay abreast of the latest nutrition research can prescribe individualized dietary plans that ‘meet basic nutritional needs, enhance performance, and speed recovery in athletes of all sports. Becoming an evi- dence-based sports nutrition practitioner can lead to an. ‘exciting and fulfilling career, What are the basic nutrients? Foods and beverages are composed of six nutrients that are vital to the human body for producing energy, con- tributing to the growth and development of tissues, regulating body processes, and preventing deficiency and degenerative diseases. The six nutrients are carbo- hydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water and are classified as ‘essential nutrients The body requires these nutrients to function properly;however, the body is unable to endogenously manufac- ture them in the quantities needed daily, and therefore these nutrients must be obtained from the diet, Carbohy- drates, proteins, and fats are classified as macronutrients because they have a caloric value and the body needs a large quantity of them on a daily basis. ‘The micronutrients include vitamins and minerals; the prefix micro is used because the body's daily requirements for these nutrients are small. Water fits into its own class, and requirements for it vary greatly among individuals, ‘These nutrients will be discussed briefly in this section. What are carbohydrates? Carbohydrates are compounds constructed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen molecules. Carbohydrates are con- verted into glucose in the body, providing the main source ‘of fuel (4 calories per gram of carbohydrate) for all physi- cal activity. Carbohydrates are found in a wide variety of, foods, including grains, fruits, and vegetables, as well as in the milk/altemative (soy, rice, nut, and other nondairy products) group. What are proteins? Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, which are constructed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitro- gen molecules Amino acids can be made within the body (nonessential) or obtained from dietary sources, Proteins are involved in the development, growth, and repair of muscle and other bodily tissues and are therefore critical for recovery from intense physical training. Proteins ensure that the body stays healthy and continues working efficiently by aiding in many bodily processes. Protein can also be used for energy, provid- ing 4 calories per gram; however, itis not used efficiently and therefore is not a source of energy preferred by the body. Proteins are found in a variety of foods, including grains and vegetables, but are mainly concentrated in the milk/alternative as well as meat and beans/alternative (oy products, nuts, seeds, beans, and other nonanimal products) groups What are fats? Fats, like the other macronutrients, are compounds made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen molecules, Fats are also known as lipids, and they come from both plant and Chapter Introduction to Sports Nutrition 5 animal sources in our diet, Triglycerides are the most ‘common type of fat, Other fats include cholesterol and phospholipids. With 9 calories per gram, fats are a con- centrated source of energy. Fat is primarily used as a fuel at rest and during low-to moderate-intensity exer- cise. Fats are also involved in providing structure to cell, ‘membranes, aiding in the production of hormones, form- {ng the insulation that wraps nerve cells, and facilitating the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. Fats are concen- trated in butter, margarines, salad dressings, and oils, but they are also found in meats, dairy products, nuts, seeds, olives, avocados, and some grain products What are vitamins? ‘Vitamins are a large class of nutrients that contain carbon and hydrogen, as well as possibly oxygen, nitrogen, and other elements, There are two main requirements for a substance to be classified as a vitamin, First, the substance ‘must be consumed exogenously because the body cannot, produce it or cannot produce it in sufficient quantities to, ‘meet its needs. Second, the substance must be essential to at least one vital chemical reaction or process in the human body. Vitamins do not directly provide energy to a za some vitamins aid in the extraction of energy from mac- ronutrients. Vita- [ach of the sx nutrients has a role mins are involved inthe health and proper function. in a wide variety of ing of the human body. Physical bodily functions and activity places extra demands on processes that help the body, increasing the impor to keep the body tance of te nutrients presence in healthy and disease the diet Many of the nutients are free. Vitamins are ‘0«fiica to optimal athletic perfor classified as either mance that the total daly requ. ‘water-soluble (B vita- ments are increased to meet the mins and vitamin C) demands placed on the body. The se Basie nutrants each have dis tinct, but also intertwining, roles, making it tical to consume ade or fat-soluble (vita- mins A, D, E, and K), ‘uate amounts ofeach nutrient on a dally basis depending on their method of absorp- tion, transport, and storage in the body. Vitamins are found in nearly all foods, including fruits, vegetables, grains, meat and beans/alternative, milk/alter- native, and some fats. What are minerals? Minerals are also a large group of nutrients. They are com- posed of a variety of elements; however, they lack car- bon. Minerals have a role in the structural development Of tissues as well as the regulation of bodily processes. Physical activity places demands on muscles and bones, increases the need for oxygen-carrying compounds in the blood, and increases the loss of sweat and electro- lytes from the body, all of which hinge on the adequate