1. Nutrition in Sport Aoife Carey Dietitian
“Knowledge is power, community is strength and positive attitude is everything” Lance Armstrong
Aoife Carey
Dietitian

2. What is a nutritionally balanced diet?
Energy, Carbohydrates, Protein, Fats
Nutrition in Sports
Prior, during and post training/match
Gym/ resistance training
Nutritional supplements
Diet plans
Questions

3. The Food Pyramid

4. Low, Medium and High GI foods
Wholegrain bread
Pitta bread
White, brown bread
Oat based/ bran cereals
Cereal bars
Baguettes
Pasta and noodles
Cous cous
Bagels
Basmati Rice
White and brown rice
Corn flakes, weetabix
Peas, beans, lentils, nuts
New potatoes in skin
Boiled ‘old’ potatoes, chips
Baked/ mashed potatoes
Fresh fruit
Fruit juices
All vegetables
Sweetcorn
Parsnips
Sweet potato
Milk and plain yogurt
Flavoured yogurt
Lucozade

5. The ‘average’ GAA player
83kg GAA football player
BMR: 1960 kcals
Average energy requirements for training/ match day approx kcals
Body percentage fat 14-17% (fitness range) down to 6-13% (athlete range)

6. Nutrition in sports General healthy balanced diet Aims:
Improve performance
Delay onset of fatigue
Maximise and accelerate recovery
Science versus sports nutrition ‘foods’
Using real food to benefit performance

7. Pre match nutrition Carbohydrates
To maintain and maximise blood glucose and glycogen stores
Benefits concentration and quick thinking decisions
Combination of low, medium and high GI sources
g in the 2-4 hours prior match
Low fibre

8. Carbohydrate Food Examples
Carbohydrate content
Bowl pasta
80g
Mashed potatoes
33g
Rice
60g
White bread
28g
Porridge
18g
Scone
27g
Nutrigrain
26g
Jaffa cakes
17g
Fruit cake
35g
Peanuts 5g
Yogurt
24g
Banana
23g

9. Pre Match Nutrition Fluids
2 litres daily normal recommended amount
Measuring fluid losses
Urine colour
Sweat losses- 1g sodium in every litre sweat
mls before match training
Replace 150% of losses

10. Sports Drinks Sports drinks Isotonic, hyper/ hypotonic products
Lucozade, Powerade, Gatorade, Energise
Carbohydrate content
30-35g per 500mls
Sodium content
Trace amounts – 250mg
Benefits and limitations

11. Pre Match Nutrition Protein/ Caffeine
Currently no recommendations
Caffeine
Lucozade fuel and focus
80mg one hour prior to match
Improves concentration and decision making
Regular intake has no impact on effects
Not a diuretic

12. Match Nutrition Carbohydrates & Fluids
Water only for first hour of sport
Lucozade & water during match: mls every 15 mins
Combination of water and lucozade at half time
Food at half time
Jaffa cakes (17g)
Jelly babies (5g per sweet)
Digestive biscuits (24g)
Nutrigrains (26g)

13. Post Match Nutrition Carbohydrates
Essential to prepare for next training/match session
Average player g in 1st hour post session
High GI foods better tolerated- flavoured milk, jelly beans
Portion potatoes, rice, pasta, bread + dessert + glass of milk will achieve requirements

14. Post Match Nutrition Protein
Normal intake g/kg/day
No benefits of intakes over 2g/kg/day
Training or match minimum of 10g post session
½ pint milk (10g)
2 eggs (13g)
Chicken fillet (10g)
Yogurt (8g)
40g cheese (10g)
Maximuscle promax (23g)

15. Post Match Nutrition Milk- ‘Superfood’
Kcals
Carbs
Protein
Sodium
Full fat
193kcals,
10g
13g
126mg
Semi skimmed
135kcals,
14g
Powder
100kcals,
16g
11g
Chocolate
288kcals
51g
13.5g
235 kcals, 26g carbs, 25g protein
Half pint (250mls)
Make your own: Milk and milk powder

16. Gym sessions & Resistance training
Resistance training- build muscle mass & optimise weight gain
Pre training:
30-50g carbs
10g protein
Post session:
80-120g carbs
20-25g protein

17. Training/Match day diet
Breakfast
Weetabix (2-3) with semi-skimmed milk
Slice wholemeal toast (1-2) , low fat spread
Small glass orange juice
Snack
Fruit yogurt
Banana
Lunch
Wholemeal sandwich with tuna and sweetcorn and salad
Small handful grapes
Snack (pre-training)
Cereal bar, 8-10 grapes
Training
Water++, jaffa cakes
Post-training
Carton Chocolate milk
Dinner
Tomato and chicken pasta bake
Small bowl of jelly and ice-cream
Supper
Bowl cereal/ slice of toast
Don’t try anything new on match days, practice at training sessions.

18. Weight Loss Reduce carbohydrates Increase fluid intake
Fasting training sessions
Portion control
Reduce/ avoid alcohol

20. Nutrition supplements Vitamins and Minerals
Do not replace real food
Micro nutrient deficiencies
? Effectiveness
Unknown effects of combining nutrients, drug and food interactions, level of absorption and actual nutrient requirements
Vitamin C and D
Own brand vitamins and minerals

21. Nutrition supplements Creatine
Protein of which 95% found in muscles mass
↑ performance
↑ strength and lean body mass
↑ fatigue resistance
No known side affects to kidney function
Loading dose followed by maintenance dose
Does cause weight gain through water retention in muscle
JISSEN, Position Statement: The following nine points related to the use of creatine as a nutritional supplement constitute the Position Statement of the Society. They have been approved by the Research Committee of the Society.
1. Creatine monohydrate is the most effective ergogenic nutritional supplement currently available to athletes in terms of increasing high-intensity exercise capacity and lean body mass during training.
2. Creatine monohydrate supplementation is not only safe, but possibly beneficial in regard to preventing injury and/or management of select medical conditions when taken within recommended guidelines.
3. There is no scientific evidence that the short- or long-term use of creatine monohydrate has any detrimental effects on otherwise healthy individuals.
4. If proper precautions and supervision are provided, supplementation in young athletes is acceptable and may provide a nutritional alternative to potentially dangerous anabolic drugs.
5. At present, creatine monohydrate is the most extensively studied and clinically effective form of creatine for use in nutritional supplements in terms of muscle uptake and ability to increase high-intensity exercise capacity.
6. The addition of carbohydrate or carbohydrate and protein to a creatine supplement appears to increase muscular retention of creatine, although the effect on performance measures may not be greater than using creatine monohydrate alone.
7. The quickest method of increasing muscle creatine stores appears to be to consume ~0.3 grams/kg/day of creatine monohydrate for at least 3 days followed by 3–5 g/d thereafter to maintain elevated stores. Ingesting smaller amounts of creatine monohydrate (e.g., 2–3 g/d) will increase muscle creatine stores over a 3–4 week period, however, the performance effects of this method of supplementation are less supported.
8. Creatine products are readily available as a dietary supplement and are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Specifically, in 1994, U.S. President Bill Clinton signed into law the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). DSHEA allows manufacturers/companies/brands to make structure-function claims; however, the law strictly prohibits disease claims for dietary supplements.
9. Creatine monohydrate has been reported to have a number of potentially beneficial uses in several clinical populations, and further research is warranted in these areas.
CM appears to be the most effective nutritional supplement currently available in terms of improving lean body mass and anaerobic capacity.

22. Nutrition supplements
Antioxidants
Prevent oxidative stress
Vitamin A, C and E
68 studies show no benefits or improved outcomes
Chromium
Weight loss
Muscle building
No research or evidence to support

23. Nutrition supplements
Glucosamine
Treatment and prevention of cartilage damage
Only animal trials
No human evidence for use in sport
Fish oils
EPA and DHA
Improve inflammatory response and ↓ muscle soreness
No recommended intake- several hundred milligrams
Asthma and exercise induced bhronchoconstriction may benefit
3.2g EPA and 2g DHA

24. Key messages Hydrate continuously Carb rich meal 3-4 hours before
High carb snacks 1 hour before
Fluid, sports drinks and easily digested food throughout
High protein and carb intake in 20 mins post session (ie.milk)

25. Questions

26. 0860716794 or 07540326271 Email: carey-A1@email.ulster.ac.uk
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