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<\/small><\/p>\nFigure 1. <\/span>Nutrition strategies tailored to various sports<\/span><\/strong>If you wish to enjoy sports throughout your life, you cannot be negligent about considering a nutrition strategy tailored to your sport. To build up a strong body and fully exert your strength in competition, you need to be aware of how you eat, considering such matters as how you choose and eat ingredients, appropriate meal size, and weight monitoring.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Endurance sports is the collective term for sports that involve constant physical movement over long periods, such as running and swimming. Examples include long-distance athletics events such as marathon and ekiden relays; long-distance swimming events; triathlon, which involves the three disciplines of swimming, cycling, and running; trail running, in which competitors run on unpaved trails, such as woodland paths, gravel roads, and mountain trails; long-distance speed skating; and cross-country skiing.<\/p>\n In endurance sports, there is a tendency to burn a lot of energy, as both the races and the training sessions are generally lengthy, so ensuring that one does not run out of energy during training or in competition is crucial. Accordingly, the key focus should be on how to build up physical strength and ensure the body can store energy by the time of the competition.<\/p>\n Carbohydrates and fat serve as sources of energy during endurance-based exercise, with a small quantity of protein also utilized, but the key nutrient is carbohydrate. Prolonged exercise lasting more than an hour in duration can lead to a shortage or depletion of carbohydrates in the body, causing performance to decline. The sugars we consume are synthesized into glycogen, which is stored in the muscles and the liver, among other places, but as the quantity stored is limited, it is necessary to continually supplement these levels through our daily diet. The fundamental rule is to eat a good balance of the various nutrients, while making sure to consume the right amount of carbohydrates from staple foods such as rice, bread, and noodles, which will prevent energy deficiency and enable energy to be stored.<\/p>\n However, in long-distance athletic events, weight gain is a burden. As there are many cases in which everyday athletes’ energy consumption is excessive, it is necessary to control energy intake to avoid putting on too much weight. Monitoring one’s own body weight as one indicator is essential for maintaining an appropriate weight, as well as measuring peaks and troughs. When weighing oneself, one needs to keep the conditions constant, such as always weighing oneself after getting up or before training. That does not mean alternating between happiness and anxiety over daily fluctuations, however, if you check for changes in your weight regularly and notice it gradually creeping up, it may indicate that your energy intake is excessive. In that case, you should reconsider your appropriate energy intake and the nutritional balance necessary to maintain it.<\/p>\n One often sees a lack of energy availability (EA) in slim athletes who engage in endurance sports. EA is the amount of energy available for basal metabolism and daily activities after deducting energy expended through exercise from dietary energy intake.<\/p>\n For example, even if training volume remains unchanged, curbing carbohydrate and fat intake to avoid weight gain will lead to a deficiency in EA. If this situation becomes prolonged, it will result in not only weight loss, but also a reduction in muscle glycogen and changes in hormonal balance, which can reduce the desire to exercise and has the potential to cause performance to decline. If EA deficiency progresses further, the athlete runs an increased risk of experiencing relative energy deficiency in sport (REDs), which can cause a range of mental and physical problems, including reduced muscle strength and bone density, anemia, and psychological or neurological issues. In the sporting world, EA deficiency and REDs are regarded as particularly key issues for female athletes, as they are thought to also be related to menstrual disorders and reduced bone density.<\/p>\n The prevention of anemia is vital, as the condition is frequently observed among endurance athletes. If an athlete’s anemia does not improve despite adequate iron and protein intake, REDs may be a contributing factor. It has been reported that ongoing energy deficiency promotes secretion of the iron-regulating hormone hepcidin in the liver, which inhibits iron absorption in the gut. Accordingly, the involvement of energy deficiency and hepcidin as key factors contributing to anemia have come under the spotlight in the field of sports nutrition. At our institution, we have provided nutritional support to members of Takasaki University of Health and Welfare High School’s track and field club, and have monitored energy intake and anemia status. Among members whose energy intake decreases from spring to summer, we found a tendency to lose weight and become anemic.<\/p>\n Variation among individuals when it comes to such things as meal size, nutrient absorption rate, and energy expenditure means that some individuals may gain weight while others lose it, even when consuming the same foods. The simplest method of identifying the appropriate meal size for your exercise habits is to monitor your weight as described above. Once you are able to quantify changes in your weight, you will alter the way in which you choose ingredients, as well as the way you eat. I believe that this will lead to an accurate understanding of nutrition and how to build up your body in the course of daily life and everyday training.<\/p>\n Although the duration of exercise in explosive power\/strength sports is shorter than in the case of endurance sports, the intensity of exercise is very high, because these sports involve momentary bursts of power. Examples of such sports include short-distance athletic events, martial arts such as judo, and gymnastics; also falling into this category is bodybuilding, which has become a focus of attention of late.<\/p>\n As explosive power\/strength sports require considerable muscle strength, the key point in day-to-day training is to increase muscle mass. Muscles and other tissues of the body undergo a constantly repeating process of protein synthesis and degradation. Physical exercise causes an increase in degradation and synthesis, and muscle mass grows once synthesis outpaces degradation (Figure 2). However, without targeted strength training to develop the desired areas, protein consumption alone will not lead to muscle growth.<\/p>\n Figure 2. <\/span>Muscle hypertrophy and protein metabolism<\/span><\/strong>Protein is repeatedly synthesized and degraded in the body. Muscle mass increases (a process called muscle hypertrophy) when protein synthesis exceeds degradation. If you wish to increase muscle mass, it is vital to not only consume high-quality protein, but also combine this with strength training.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Consuming high-quality protein that will become the building blocks of muscles is vital, and top athletes and everyday athletes are now demonstrating an interest in the timing of their protein consumption. It used to be recommended that athletes consume a large quantity of protein immediately after exercise to build muscle mass. However, recent research has reported that, from the perspective of long-term muscle protein synthesis, there is no significant difference between protein consumption immediately after exercise and protein consumption spread out evenly over three meals a day. Accordingly, if you wish to increase muscle mass over the long term, it is crucial to consume an adequate amount of high-quality protein throughout the day.<\/p>\n Foods that contain high-quality protein are those with a good balance of the essential amino acids that are vital for building up one’s body; leading examples include meat, fish, eggs, soy products, and dairy products. Amino acid composition varies from one food type to another, so combining several foods makes it possible to ensure the efficient intake of essential amino acids from a small quantity of food, thereby increasing the muscle protein synthesis effect.<\/p>\n The recommended protein intake for individuals who do not exercise is around 1 g per kg of body weight, while for endurance athletes it is 1.2–1.4 g\/kg, and for those engaged in explosive power\/strength sports it is 1.6–2.0 g\/kg. The protein content of meat and fish is approximately 20% of its weight. For example, an endurance athlete weighing 50 kg would need about 300 g of meat or fish per day in order to meet the 1.2 g\/kg requirement, while an explosive power\/strength athlete weighing 70 kg would need around 700 g\/day to meet the 2.0 g\/kg target. However, eggs, soy products, and dairy products are rich in protein as well, and it is also found in white rice and vegetables, among others. Thus, one can effortlessly and efficiently meet one’s protein needs by combining a variety of different foods.<\/p>\n It is also important for everyday athletes who wish to increase their muscle mass and muscle strength to ensure they do not become energy-deficient while training or during competition, so such athletes should also take care to ensure the appropriate intake of carbohydrates, with reference to the tips for endurance athletes provided above.<\/p>\n Mixed sports include ball sports such as soccer, basketball, volleyball, baseball, tennis, and rugby, as well as badminton. Matches in these sports require endurance to keep moving for long periods, along with playing techniques for which explosive power and muscle strength are needed, as players repeatedly dash and stop, and also shoot, attack, smash, or tackle their opponent via physical contact.<\/p>\n With regard to nutrition strategy, when training and building up their body ahead of a match, athletes in mixed sports need to ensure a good intake of carbohydrates to build up energy, as in the case of endurance sports, and also increasing muscle mass and strength by consuming high-quality protein, as in the case of explosive power\/strength sports.<\/p>\n The format of the game and the number of matches taking place in a single day differ completely according to the type of sport. It is vital to use halftime or other rest periods during a match, and the downtime before the next match, to replenish one’s energy and recover the physical strength used up in the match as quickly as possible. Figure 3 provides recommendations for meals according to the time available before the next match.<\/p>\n Figure 3. <\/span>Meals for recovering physical strength after a match<\/span><\/strong>The number of matches in a single day and the duration of each match varies according to the sport. This diagram shows what kind of foods you should choose to eat after a match to recover the physical strength. Situations vary, including cases in which there is only a short amount of down time before the next match, and cases in which the next match will not take place until the following day, so you should refine your nutrition strategy according to your sport.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n For example, soccer is a game of two halves of 10–45 minutes each, with a 10–15-minute halftime break, while basketball consists of four 10-minute quarters, with the intervals and halftime breaks ranging between 2–20 minutes. In almost all sports, the number of matches per day is between one and three. Athletes use the downtime between intervals of play and free time before the next match to replenish their energy.<\/p>\n In table tennis, where I have supported athletes for many years, a single match may finish in under 30 minutes, but there may be five or more matches in a day. To maintain peak performance right through to the final match, it is crucial for athletes to recover their physical strength and mental \/physical energy through an appropriate nutritional plan. When I accompanied table tennis teams to matches, the items I took with me included sports drinks, 100% fruit juice, energy jellies, bananas, plain sponge cake, and rice balls. I would check how much time we had before the next match, and if a player was very nervous, I would refrain from giving them solid food and instead replenish their energy with something like an energy jelly, which slips down easily and can be quickly digested and absorbed by the body. When players were more relaxed, I would offer them a banana or some cake.<\/p>\n It has been reported that many athletes, regardless of sport, have experienced abdominal pain after consuming solid foods or highly concentrated drinks during exercise. I recommend that you try things for yourself during your regular training, imagining yourself in a competition, in order to see what kind of approach to eating makes you more prone to abdominal pain and whether you find it harder to swallow food when you are nervous.<\/p>\n The principles of replenishing energy are applicable to all sports, endurance and explosive power\/strength sports alike.<\/p>\n Sports drinks are widely used to rehydrate and replenish sugars. In particular, athletes in endurance sports involving exercise for durations in excess of an hour are prone to sugar deficiency and depletion, so these drinks are regarded as playing an important role. Recent studies have reported that replenishing sugars by means of sports drinks helps to alleviate fatigue and improve performance, even where the duration of exercise is less than an hour. In addition to consuming sports drinks, a technique called a carbohydrate mouth rinse ——<\/span> swishing a drink containing sugars around the mouth before spitting it out ——<\/span> is also regarded as effective. Scientists believe this is because the brain reward system is activated by the detection of the sugar by sweet taste receptors in the tongue’s taste buds.<\/p>\n Recent years have seen an increase in the number of elderly people enjoying sport throughout their lives. A phenomenon known to affect protein synthesis and degradation in elderly people is anabolic resistance, as a result of which the bodily protein synthesis reaction caused by protein consumption is weaker than in young people. Seniors also need to consider their reduced digestion and absorption capacity, so it is recommended that they increase their protein consumption per kilogram of body weight to some extent.<\/p>\n Measures of this kind are regarded as being helpful in preventing sarcopenia (age-related reductions in muscle mass and strength) and frailty (reversible physical weakening caused by aging). It is vital to work on building up a healthy body by taking care to engage in appropriate exercise and ensure good nutritional intake.<\/p>\n An optimal diet based on nutritional science is an essential element for athletes to achieve high performance. However, this does not apply solely to top athletes. Today, amid growing health consciousness and awareness of the importance of physical exercise, the number of people engaging in sport is rising across a wide range of age groups. They enjoy a diverse array of sports in a variety of ways. But at the same time, a sound understanding of diet is required. This article highlights the key points regarding nutritional intake for each of three categories of sporting disciplines: endurance sports, explosive power\/strength sports, and mixed sports (ball sports).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2467,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[102],"class_list":["post-2462","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nutrition","tag-muscle"],"acf":{"author":"composition by Yuko Watanabe An optimal diet based on nutritional science is an essential element for athletes to achieve high performance. However, this does not apply solely to top athletes. Today, amid growing health consciousness and awareness of the importance of physical exercise, the number of people engaging in sport is rising across a wide range of age groups. They enjoy a diverse array of sports in a variety of ways. But at the same time, a sound understanding of diet is required. This article highlights the key points regarding nutritional intake for each of three categories of sporting disciplines: endurance sports, explosive power\/strength sports, and mixed sports (ball sports).<\/p>","person":[{"acf_fc_layout":"personcontent","personimg":2466,"personsholder":"Professor, Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Health and Welfare, Takasaki University of Health and Welfare","personname":"Michiyo Kimura","persondetail":"Obtained her Ph.D. from Kyoritsu Women's University. She subsequently served as a research assistant in the Faculty of Home Economics at Kyoritsu Women's University and also worked at the National Institute of Health and Nutrition (now the National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition), among others before taking up the post of full-time lecturer at Takasaki University of Health and Welfare's Faculty of Health and Welfare in 2002. She subsequently became an assistant professor in that faculty, before being appointed to her current position in 2009. As a member of the Japan Table Tennis Association's Sports Science and Medicine Committee, she is involved in providing support to table tennis players. She was the previous president of the Japan Sports Nutrition Association, and is a registered dietitian, health fitness programmer, and JSPO sports dietitian."}],"issue":2459,"custom_css":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthist.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2462","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthist.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthist.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthist.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthist.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2462"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/healthist.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2462\/revisions"}],"acf:post":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthist.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/issue\/2459"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthist.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2467"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthist.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2462"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthist.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2462"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthist.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2462"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Carbohydrates are a particular necessity in endurance sports<\/h2>\n
Curbing carbohydrate and fat intake can cause performance to decline<\/h2>\n
High-quality protein is vital in strength sports<\/h2>\n
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<\/small><\/p>\nBoth carbohydrates and protein should be considered in mixed sports<\/h2>\n
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Modified with reference to Shō\/Chūgakusei No Supōtsu Eiyō Gaido<\/i> [Sports Nutrition Guidebook for The Children]. Kagawa Nutrition University Publishing Division, p. 103.<\/small><\/p>\nSports drinks are reportedly effective in replenishing sugars<\/h2>\n
illustration by Rokuhisa Chino","intro":"