Whether you're a competitive athlete, someone who exercises for health and fitness or a sedentary individual, you need the same type of nutrients - in different amounts. However, some athletes also need more calories or fluids because of the intensity of their sports or training program. Exercise or training may increase calorie needs by as much as 1,000 to 1,500 calories each day.
Just like everyone else, athletes need to eat a diet that contains appropriate amounts of carbohydrate, protein, vitamins and minerals. The general guidelines are:
- 55 to 60% of calories from carbohydrates (60 to 69% if engaging in a competition)
- No more than 30% from fat
- 10 to 15% of calories from protein
The exact percentages may vary slightly for some athletes, based on their sports or training program.
Carbohydrates Provide Energy
The body uses a combination of fat and carbohydrate as energy sources for most activities. The length and intensity of your workouts, your level of fitness and your diet will affect the type of fuel your body uses. For short-term, high-intensity activities like sprinting, athletes rely mostly on carbohydrates for energy. In low-intensity activities such as walking, the body uses more fat for energy.
Carbohydrates are the body's preferred source of energy. There are two groups: simple carbohydrates, or sugars, and complex carbohydrates, or starches, which are found in foods like breads, cereals and pasta, as well as many fruits and vegetables. Your body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose that your blood carries to your cells for energy. The body can't differentiate between glucose that comes from starches or sugars; however, because the simple carbohydrates are frequently high in calories and fat, experts and athletes usually prefer complex carbohydrates to provide energy for working muscles.
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Protein Needs
Athletes who eat diets that include a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains probably don't need vitamin and mineral supplements. However, vegetarians or athletes who avoid an entire food group (who never drink milk, for example) may need a supplement to make up for the vitamins and minerals not being supplied by food. A multivitamin with 100% of the recommended dietary allowance for vitamins and minerals may be recommended.
Some athletes eat extra protein or take protein supplements to help them gain muscle weight. However, according to The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, the true secret to building muscle is training hard and consuming enough calories. Most American diets provide plenty of protein; daily intake of 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight is sufficient for muscle mass gain. That's 68 to 102 grams of protein per day for a 150-pound person. You can get that much protein in an 8- to 12-ounce steak or in a 6-ounce hamburger with 2 ounces of cheddar cheese and an 8-ounce glass of milk.
Getting Adequate Iron
The part of our red blood cells that carries oxygen to the body is hemoglobin, which contains iron. Because muscles need oxygen to produce energy, low iron levels may fail to provide sufficient oxygen and may cause fatigue. Symptoms of iron deficiency include fatigue, irritability, dizziness, headaches and lack of appetite; often there are no symptoms, however. Athletes who participate in endurance sports are more likely to suffer from iron deficiency or iron-deficiency anemia than those involved in power or strength activities; female athletes, who lose iron each month with their menstrual cycle, are also at higher risk of iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anemia. Vegetarian athletes are also at higher risk for iron deficiency and anemia.
A blood test is the best way to find out if your iron level is low. Red meat is the richest source of iron, with almost 1 milligram of iron in each ounce of steak. Iron is also found in fish, poultry, fortified breakfast cereals, beans and green leafy vegetables. Men should get 10 milligrams of iron a day; women should get 15 milligrams. Iron supplements should not be taken without proper medical supervision because too much iron can cause constipation, diarrhea and nausea. Iron can also interfere with the absorption of other nutrients such as copper and zinc.
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Fluid Intake
Vigorous and lengthy workouts can place an athlete at risk for dehydration. Dehydration occurs when a person loses too much fluid through urine and sweat, and can cause dizziness, fatigue and dry mouth. Because the body is comprised of two-thirds water, fluid is necessary for optimal performance.
How much water should you drink? Nonathletes are encouraged to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day, so athletes should be sure to drink at least that amount. Your urine color is always a good indicator of hydration level: you should be drinking enough water so that your urine is pale yellow or straw-colored.
Athletes who compete in endurance sports such as marathons and triathlons should talk to a sports medicine specialist about using electrolyte replacements (such as drinks, bars or gels) during long practices or competitions. These replacements offer the added benefit of rebuilding diminished stores of glycogen and are usually required after an hour of exercise or for workouts or competitions exceeding an hour.
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