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Basics of Sports NutritionKimberly A. Searl

www.mindbodybalance.coma minimum daily water intake of 64 to80 ounces. Water needs increase withhigher temperatures and humidity, aswell as with the consumption of alco-hol, coffee and soda.

Understanding sports nutritioncan help you make food anddrink choices that will comple-

ment your physical activity, as well ashelp improve your endurance, speedrecovery from exertion, lower risk ofinjury and assist in rehabilitation.

According to San Diego nutritionistPatti Tveit Milligan, MS, RD, mostof the nutrients required for athleticperformance fall into two categories:1) macronutrients, which are requiredin large quantities and 2) micronu-trients, which are required in smallquantities.

Top Four Macronutrients

1 Carbohydrates. Most athletesshould get 55 to 60 percent

of their total calories from carbohy-drates. Pasta, rice, beans, fruits, veg-etables and whole-grain breads andcereals are good sources.

2 Protein. Research suggeststhat athletes require slightly

more protein than their sedentarycounterparts-between 1.2 and 2.0grams per kilogram (g/kg) of bodyweight, compared to 0.8 g/kg forinactive people. Good protein sourcesare lean meats, chicken, shellfish,fish, soy, eggs and low-fat milk prod-ucts.

3 Fat. Optimal performance hasbeen noted in athletes who

consume 20 to 25 percent of totalcalories from fat. Unsaturated fats,like those in olive oil, nuts, avocadosand fish oil, are the healthiest. Anemphasis should be placed on obtain-ing essential fatty acids, especiallyomega-3 fatty acids found in cold-water fish, leafy greens, walnuts,almonds and flaxseeds.

4 Water. Daily energy expendi-ture of 2,000 calories requires

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Top 10 Micronutrients

1 Calcium. Calcium is secondonly to water as the most

important nutrient for exercisers. Therecommended intake of calcium is1,000 to 1,500 mg daily, dependingon age.

2 Iron. Athletes who train morethan six hours a week should

have their iron status checked yearly.The recommended intake of iron is 10to 15 mg per day-more is definitelynot better. Note: Iron overload isassociated with heart disease and coloncancer.

3 Magnesium. Therecommended daily dosage of

magnesium is 250 to 900 mg.Endurance and ultraendurance ath-letes need to consume quantities at thehigher end of the range. Good sourcesof magnesium are wheat germ, nuts,rye, soybeans and figs.

4 Potassium. Potassium aids inmuscle hydration and recovery

from fatigue. The recommended dailyintake of potassium is 200 to 500 mgfrom sources such as fruits, vegeta-bles and whole grains. Note:Potassium overload can have a toxiceffect on the heart.

S Selenium. Selenium benefitsthe immune system and helps

repair daily cellular damage. Intake100 to 200 micrograms per day. Thebest sources are Brazil nuts, beans,bran, garlic, mushrooms and seafood.

6 Sodium. Sodium helps pre-vent dehydration. A safe daily

intake for sodium is 1,000 to 4,000mg. During ultraendurance activities,athletes should consume 100 to 300mg of sodium per hour.

7 Zinc. Zinc aids in postexer-tion tissue repair and helps

convert food to fuel. The safe dailyrange for zinc is 15 to 45 mg fromsources such as bran, fish, wheatgerm and yeast.

8 Vitamin E. Vitamin E is acritical antioxidant, but it is

nearly impossible to get adequateamounts from food sources (olive oil,almonds, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds,salmon and wheat germ) alone. To geta daily dose of 400 to 800International Units (IU), supplementa-tion is necessary.

9 Vitamin C. Most sports scien-tists recommend at least 1,000

mg of vitamin C per day for consis-tently exercising individuals exposedto city-based environmental toxins,such as smog. Vitamin C sourcesinclude strawberries, bell peppers,cantaloupe, kiwi, citrus fruits andpotatoes.

10 Beta-Carotene. Recom-mended daily dosage of beta-

carotene is from 25,000 to 50,000 IUper day. Many researchers adviseathletes to emphasize dietary foodsources first (fruits and vegetables)and then supplement 15,000 to 25,000IU per day from natural marinesources (seaweed).

This handout is a service of IDEA, the leading international membership association in the health and fitness industry.©2002 by IDEA Health & Fitness Association. Reprint permission is granted to IDEA members by the copyright owner, IDEA Health & Fitness Inc.

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