Fueling for Performance

Abstract

Context: Proper nutrition is crucial for an athlete to optimize his or her performance for training and competition. Athletes should be able to meet their dietary needs through eating a wide variety of whole food sources. Evidence Acquisition: PubMed was searched for relevant articles published from 1980 to 2016. Study Design: Clinical review. Level of Evidence: Level 4. Results: An athlete should have both daily and activity-specific goals for obtaining the fuel necessary for successful training. Depending on the timing of their season, athletes may be either trying to gain lean muscle mass, lose fat, or maintain their current weight. Conclusion: An athlete will have different macronutrient goals depending on sport, timing of exercise, and season status. There are no specific athletic micronutrient guidelines, but testing should be considered for athletes with deficiency or injury. Also, some athletes who eliminate certain whole food groups (eg, vegetarian) may need to supplement their diet to avoid deficiencies.