Abstract
It is the position of the American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada, and
the American College of Sports Medicine that physical activity, athletic performance,
and recovery from exercise are enhanced by optimal nutrition. These organizations
recommend appropriate selection of foods and fluids, timing of intake, and supplement
choices for optimal health and exercise performance. This updated position paper couples
a rigorous, systematic, evidence-based analysis of nutrition and performance-specific
literature with current scientific data related to energy needs, assessment of body
composition, strategies for weight change, nutrient and fluid needs, special nutrient
needs during training and competition, the use of supplements and ergogenic aids,
nutrition recommendations for vegetarian athletes, and the roles and responsibilities
of sports dietitians. Energy and macronutrient needs, especially carbohydrate and
protein, must be met during times of high physical activity to maintain body weight,
replenish glycogen stores, and provide adequate protein to build and repair tissue.
Fat intake should be sufficient to provide the essential fatty acids and fat-soluble
vitamins, as well as contribute energy for weight maintenance. Although exercise performance
can be affected by body weight and composition, these physical measures should not
be a criterion for sports performance and daily weigh-ins are discouraged. Adequate
food and fluid should be consumed before, during, and after exercise to help maintain
blood glucose concentration during exercise, maximize exercise performance, and improve
recovery time. Athletes should be well hydrated before exercise and drink enough fluid
during and after exercise to balance fluid losses. Sports beverages containing carbohydrates
and electrolytes may be consumed before, during, and after exercise to help maintain
blood glucose concentration, provide fuel for muscles, and decrease risk of dehydration
and hyponatremia. Vitamin and mineral supplements are not needed if adequate energy
to maintain body weight is consumed from a variety of foods. However, athletes who
restrict energy intake, use severe weight-loss practices, eliminate one or more food
groups from their diet, or consume unbalanced diets with low micronutrient density,
may require supplements. Because regulations specific to nutritional ergogenic aids
are poorly enforced, they should be used with caution, and only after careful product
evaluation for safety, efficacy, potency, and legality. A qualified sports dietitian
and in particular in the United States, a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics,
should provide individualized nutrition direction and advice subsequent to a comprehensive
nutrition assessment.
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- ErratumJournal of the Academy of Nutrition and DieteticsVol. 113Issue 12
- PreviewIn the “Position of the American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance,” which appeared in the March 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association (pp 509-527), there are two errors. On page 511, the sixth sentence of the first paragraph under the “Energy Metabolism” heading currently reads, “Creatine phosphate is an ATP reserve in muscle that can be readily converted to sustain activity for 3-5 minutes.” The corrected sentence should read, “Creatine phosphate is an ATP reserve in muscle that can be readily converted to sustain activity for 3-4 seconds.” On page 519, the first sentence of the first paragraph under the “During Exercise” heading currently reads, “Current research supports the benefit of carbohydrate consumption in amounts typically provided in sport drinks (6% to 8%) to endurance events lasting 1 hour or less (103-105), especially in athletes who exercise in the morning after an overnight fast when liver glycogen levels are decreased.” The corrected sentence should read, “Current research supports the benefit for carbohydrate consumption in amounts typically provided in sport drinks (6% to 8%) to endurance events lasting 1 hour or more (103-105), especially in athletes who exercise in the morning after an overnight fast when liver glycogen levels are decreased.”
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