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Is protein distribution dead?
Best practices in sports nutrition point athletes to eat protein in moderate doses throughout the day to maximise muscle growth. A recent study explored what happens when a large dose of protein is ingested after resistance training, raising the question: Is protein distribution dead? Current recommendations Current sports nutrition recommendations are to consume around 25-30g of protein per meal in order to maximise muscle growth. Many people consume more than that at lunch and/or dinner; for example, 1 medium Scotch fillet steak has around 50 grams of protein and 1 medium chicken breast around 55. The general consensus has been that the extra protein is not required to stimulate muscle…
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The post-workout meal
By definition, the post-workout meal is whatever an athlete consumes after exercising. The main purpose of this meal is to help with repair and recovery. The post-workout meal The purpose of the post-exercise meal is to replenish: Timing Out of the 3 goals of the post-workout meal, the most pressing is rehydration. Replenishing fluids and electrolytes lost via sweat should be as quickly as possible after training or competition to prevent detrimental health consequences. The replenishment of both glycogen and muscle protein happens in the several hours after exercise. For example, the “anabolic window”, i.e. the period of time in which protein turnover is maximised in the muscles after exercise…
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How to adjust carbohydrate intake
How to adjust carbohydrate intake is the third article in this short series dedicated to this important source of fuel for physical activity. We have described what are carbohydrates and the use of carbohydrate for sports. In theory, carbohydrate requirements can be calculated knowing a few variables, however in practice there is often a mismatch between estimated and actual requirements. Sources of mismatch Wrong calculations Biological factors These include insulin sensitivity and glucose oxidation rates, which will determine how much carbohydrate the athlete can actually use for fuel. Health conditions Actual vs predicted output In many cases, this is the biggest source of mismatch. Some athletes can predict with a…
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Carbohydrate for sports
The use of carbohydrate for sports has been well-known for several decades. The amount and timing of carbohydrate intake depends on many factors, including the duration, intensity and type of exercise. Roles of carbohydrate in sport As seen in the previous article, the main role of carbohydrate in the body is the production of energy. During exercise, this can translate to: In the time between training or competition bouts, carbohydrate intake is important to: The amount of carbohydrate an athlete requires during and around exercise depends on several factors: It is important to mention the fact that the individual factors listed above can change with habits. When it comes to…
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Sodium in sports
At the population level, health authorities recommend limiting sodium intake to prevent chronic conditions. However, the role of sodium in sports is more complicated, as this electrolyte plays important roles related to performance and recovery. Roles of sodium As seen in the article How much salt is too much?, sodium has roles in the maintenance of plasma volume and transmission of nerve impulses. In addition, it is needed for muscle contraction and glucose transport into cells. As a reminder, glucose is essential for energy production during most types of exercise, as well as recovery post-exercise. Sodium in sports How do we lose sodium The main ways we lose sodium is…
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Training the gut
Training the gut is a sports nutrition strategy designed to allow athletes to handle increased amounts of food and fluid to meet their training and competition requirements. Gastrointestinal symptoms Many athletes, particularly those participating in intense and/or prolonged exercise, suffer from gastrointestinal (GI) discomfort. The symptoms are highly individual and can include bloating, abdominal cramping, diarrhea and vomiting (1, 2). On the most severe end of the spectrum, athletes may experience ischemic colitis and small bowel infarctions, which may require surgical resection (2). Regardless of severity, GI symptoms can certainly affect both performance and recovery (2). Factors The following factors play a role in the development of gastrointestinal symptoms in…
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Exercise and bone health
It makes intuitive sense that exercise and bone health are tightly related. Regular exercise can help prevent bone loss and decrease the risk of falls and fractures later in life. Exercise can help with muscle strength and bone strength, improving balance (1). At the same time that the muscle contraction during exercise leads to muscle grow, it also causes mechanical strain on the bones, leading to bone adaptation (1). As seen in the article Nutrients for bone health, bone tissue undergoes opposing processes of resorption and formation. Therefore, bone loss occurs when resorption is greater than formation. Most (about 90%) of our peak bone mass is gained from infancy until…
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Sleep and nutrition in athletes
Sleep and nutrition in athletes is an often overlooked aspect of recovery and performance. In this article, we explore the multiple factors that can affect an athlete’s sleep quality and quantity. Sleep in athletes Many athletes suffer from sleep issues, including short duration of sleep (a.k.a. sleep deprivation) and sleep disturbances (e.g. insomnia, waking up at night) (1, 2). The factors that may contribute to sleep issues in athletes include: Muscle soreness (1) and pain Intense training (1) Early or late training sessions or competition (2, 3, 4) Poor sleep hygiene, including screen use close to bedtime (2, 3) Stress, nerves and/or anxiety due to competition or other reasons (2,…
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How to prevent and reduce DOMs
If you have ever engaged in exercise, chances are you have experienced delayed-onset muscle soreness, a.k.a. DOMs. In this article we explore how to prevent and reduce DOMs. What is DOMs Delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMs) describes the tenderness and soreness that may be experienced after exercise. It normally peaks 24-72 hours after exercise and goes away after 5-7 days (1). DOMs typically occurs after performing exercises one is not used to (i.e. unaccustomed exercise) and/or eccentric exercise (i.e. controlled lengthening of muscles) (1, 2, 3). The most commonly cited potential causes for DOMs include lactate build-up in muscles, inflammation, muscle spasm, muscle/connective tissue damage, increased muscle temperature (1, 3). There…
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Why do we keep breaking World and Olympic records?
If you watched the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games you would have noticed there were many records broken, often by the same athlete. Why do we keep breaking World and Olympic records? Of course there is no one answer to this question and this is not meant to be a prescriptive article, but more of a thought process around the fact that records are broken all the time. The great and humble Georges St Pierre said that MMA fighters of today are better than fighters of his generation and future fighters will be better than current ones. It is a fact of sports because all the disciplines that support athletic performance…
