Welcome to Sports Nutrition Guide
Definition Of Sports Nutrition Article
This is a selection made from among articles on Definition Of Sports Nutrition. For a permanent link to this article, or to bookmark it for future reading, click here.
The World of Sports Nutrition
from:Advancements in medicine and an increase in capitalism in the world as well as other factors all contributed to the development of the field of sports nutrition.
As scientists learned more and more about our bodies and the optimum level of strength and physical fitness they can harbor, businessmen jumped the gun and manufactured products and services that actually help athletes meet these optimum levels. The media joined in the ruckus and published materials leading to the promotion of both the scientific and the commercial side of the field.
Sports nutrition has been changing through the years around the world. It’s not just that the topics are different – the emphasis and approach have also changed.
Peak Performance, a sports magazine carried an article on dehydration in runners on October 1990, its maiden issue. This article compared the benefits of plain water with those of dilute glucose solutions, which are more isotonic and therefore absorbed more rapidly.
Today, go into almost any supermarket, convenience stores and even school cafeterias and you’ll find a ready supply of sports drinks aimed at maintaining hydration just like glucose solutions.
The difference is that by using soluble long-chain glucose polymers instead of simple glucose, it’s now possible to create an isotonic hydrating drink which also supplies significant amounts of carbohydrate to working muscles. And, the good thing is, sports drinks also taste better.
More than 10 years ago, it was made public that muscle damage brought about by free-radicals may be reduced by having supplements of antioxidant vitamins A, C and E. Years after, antioxidant supplementation became a norm in the world of sports nutrition.
Now, researchers are also beginning to understand that muscle damage is a more complex subject. It is difficult to assess free radical damage in athletes and it has been found out that large amounts of antioxidant nutrients may actually cause cellular damage and impair performance.
The “Carbo loading” technique has been widely used over the years by athletes all over the world. A carbohydrate-rich diet is important in maintaining muscle glycogen stores thus ensuring high endurance levels.
However, in the 1990’s it became clear that the ‘glycaemic index’ and release rate of different carbohydrates had important influence on when they should best be consumed in relation to physical activity.
The relationship of carbohydrates and proteins were also discovered namely that carbohydrates promote protein-sparing in the body. It was also discovered recently that consuming carbohydrates before and during prolonged bouts of strenuous exercise can help protect the immune system.
One of the most exciting recent developments in sports nutrition has been the rise of creatine supplementation. The use of creatine is now very common. Creatine renews the muscles essential energy source, ATP or adenosine triphosphate. Increased levels in muscles optimizes energy turnover meaning you’ll more energy for high power exercise and faster recovery during and after workouts. Creatine also increases the athlete’s maximum effort, delays fatigue and therefore prolongs endurance.
New wisdom and therefore new products have definitely enabled athletes to fuel themselves better, work harder, train longer and recover more rapidly. However, as in any kind of innovation there will always be downsides.
Nutritional supplements available to most athletes in the 80’s were very straightforward. Some athletes took drugs but the boundaries between nutritional supplements and drugs clear. Today, the race to find new formulas to boost performance has resulted to the availability of sports nutrition supplements which do not really occur naturally. The result is that the distinction between a nutrient and a performance-enhancing substance has become increasingly blurred.
Some of these supplements contain ingredients that can cause athletes to violate the rules and regulations governing their sport because of unintentional contamination by other, ‘exotic’, substances present in the supplement manufacturing environment.
More developments will be created in the world of sports nutrition and these will definitely spawn ethical questions. “Nutrigenomics”—the relationship between genetics and nutrition—will be more researched upon.
As scientists become more skilled at discovering the processes of our genes, it will be possible that rather than adopting a general approach for sports nutrition, athletes around the world will be genetically tested to help them determine precise individual requirements for optimum health.
The next years will predictably be more exciting for the world of sports nutrition.
Definition Of Sports Nutrition News
American Council on Exercise Kick Starts National Physical Fitness and Sports ... - MarketWatch (press release)
American Council on Exercise Kick Starts National Physical Fitness and Sports ... MarketWatch (press release) The ACE PALA+ Challenge is designed to build total body strength, enhance cardiovascular endurance, gain muscular definition, lose weight, improve health and increase energy. Created for exercise beginners, the plan can also be used as a dynamic ... |
CrossFit offers a workout that will work for anyone - Lufkin Daily News
CrossFit offers a workout that will work for anyone Lufkin Daily News What started out as a new way to work out, CrossFit has escalated into a popular sport from military personnel to police officers to professional athletes. The working definition of CrossFit is “constantly varied, functional movements at high intensity ... |
20 Most Overhyped Draft Picks in Sports Since 1990 - Bleacher Report
 Bleacher Report | 20 Most Overhyped Draft Picks in Sports Since 1990 Bleacher Report Quinn has graced magazine covers ranging from Sports Illustrated to Muscle & Fitness. He also starred in a commercial for EAS after signing an endorsement deal with the sports nutrition company. This, and more, occurred before he took a single snap ... |
Limbaugh: Liberals new target pro football - Seattle Post Intelligencer (blog)
 Seattle Post Intelligencer (blog) | Limbaugh: Liberals new target pro football Seattle Post Intelligencer (blog) (Ethan Miller / Getty Images) Limbaugh, in February of 2011, mocked first lady Michelle Obama's campaign for child nutrition. "Dare I say this: It doesn't look like Michelle Obama follows her own nutritional advice," he joked. Of the presidential limo, ... |
NZ On Air releases original proposal for show that became The GC - National Business Review
NZ On Air releases original proposal for show that became The GC National Business Review And he's juggling the business with his desire for an even better education – studying for a degree in health and nutrition. The combination of a great climate and a fitness and body-conscious population means he's never short of clients. |
Fighting the childhood obesity epidemic: Are 'food rules' the solution? - Washington Post (blog)
Fighting the childhood obesity epidemic: Are 'food rules' the solution? Washington Post (blog) One of the interesting commonalities between the families featured in the documentary is that they seemed to let their children dictate certain circumstances: a TV in the bedroom, computer usage, whether to quit a sport, etc. |