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Nutrient timing
Nutrient timing guidelines are based on the observation that certain nutrients taken at particular times surrounding exercise can improve athletic performance and training adaptations. Nutrient intake is not only necessary for use as fuel during exercise but also necessary for recovery, tissue repair, muscle growth, bone remodelling, immune function, good mood, etc. Generally speaking, you can divide 3 stages: pre, during and post. However, for many athletes there is a blurring of stages as the post-exercise period from one session becomes the pre-exercise period of the next session. Nutrient intake is essential in the pre and post stages, and in some cases during sessions. But it’s not enough with eating…
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How does alcohol affect exercise?
Within the realm of sports, alcohol has been viewed as a performance-enhancing drug, a rehydration beverage, a social lubricant and a post-event treat. Although it is generally understood that excess alcohol intake can be detrimental to health, the answer to “how does alcohol affect exercise?” is less clear. Alcohol consumption is a socially acceptable and expected aspect of team and other sports, and major alcoholic beverage brands often sponsor sports teams and events. Therefore, instead of pretending we can remove alcohol from athlete’s diets, it is more useful to identify which aspects of exercise can be affected by its intake. How does alcohol affect exercise? Energy balance Alcohol is a…
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Product review: YoPRO Perform yoghurt
YoPRO Perform yoghurt is a great high protein, low fat, no added sugar post-workout snack for active individuals. With 20 grams of protein per serve, it is possibly the highest protein per serve option in the market. YoPRO Perform As their name imply, YoPRO Perform yoghurt is specifically formulated as a post-workout snack. The Perform range also includes nut protein bars, not included in this review. Like the original YoPRO line of yoghurt, all Perform products are high in protein (20 grams per serve), low in fat and have no added sugars. In addition, YoPRO Perform yoghurts have branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and probiotics. These yoghurts are currently available at…
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Nitrate and exercise performance
Nitrate and exercise performance is one of the most studied topics in sports nutrition. Nitrate is one of the handful of ergogenic substances with solid evidence behind them. Keep reading to find out what is nitrate, its roles in the body and how it can benefit your athletic endeavours. What is nitrate Nitrate (NO3−) is an anion, i.e. a molecule with more electrons than protons. Nitrate is naturally found in plant foods such as leafy greens and root vegetables, including lettuce, spinach, rocket, celery and beetroot (1, 2). The role of nitrate in the body Some of the nitrate taken in the diet is converted to nitric oxide (NO) (1,…
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Vitamin D and athletic performance
Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, is well known for its role in bone health. Other roles include muscular and immune function, hence the interest for studying vitamin D and athletic performance. What is vitamin D Vitamin D is an essential fat-soluble vitamin (1). The active form of vitamin D is 1,25-dihydroxycholecaciferol (a.k.a. 1,25-dihydroxivitamin D) (2, 3), which interacts with vitamin D receptors (VDRs) (1). Sources of vitamin D Most of the vitamin D we get (80-90%, 4) is synthesised in our bodies from 7-dehydrocholesterol (2) after exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation from the sun (2, 4). The remaining 10-20% is obtained from the diet (4). Sunshine The actual amount…
