Chpt 1: Introduction to Sports Nutrition Class Notes

What is sports nutrition?

specialization within nutrition field, knowledge of nutrition and exercise science, beyond general health and wellness

What does sports nutrition involve?

providing energy for physical activity and/or competition, providing nutrients for repair, recovery and adaptation, practicality to achieve goals

What is an RD/RDN?

registered dietitian or registered dietitian nutritionist

Where do RD/RDN work?

hospitals, universities, food service, consulting, public health organizations

Why is it difficult to do studies in the field of sports nutrition?

many variables to account for: training, eating, sleeping, hydration, sex, age training history

What’s the difference between an RD and Nutritionist?

An RD is a registered dietitian who has met specific educational and professional requirements, while a nutritionist may not have formal training or credentials

Is licensure necessary for RDs?

depends on state, licensure regulates: use of professional titles, who can practice, scope of practice

What is scope of practice?

skills professional is allowed to do, S&C can’t be a consultant for eating disorders

Can non-RD give nutrition advice?

yes, if it is public domain info (basic info for public use), not specific nutritional counseling (creating nutrition plan), not medical nutrition therapy (diabetes, labs)

When should a non-Rd refer to trained RD or medical staff?

1. athlete presents with eating disorders or other medical conditions

2. interpretation of medical lab or other info is needed

3. nutritional issues beyond expertise

Why is it difficult to sustain keto diet?

glycogen stores deplete

What are the macronutrients?

carbs, fats, proteins

What are the micronutrients?

vitamins, minerals

What “nutrient” is in it’s own category?

water

Is it necessary to ingest more antioxidants the harder one is pushed?

can be beneficial bc they defend from free radicals which lead to breakdown in body

don’t need more antioxidants if increase caloric intake

What are carbohydrates?

sugar, made of carbon hydrogen and oxygen, 4kcal/gram, found in grains fruits and veggies

What are carbs used for?

main source of energy

What happens to glucose in the body?

it can be stored as muscle glycogen, blood glycogen or liver glycogen, or converted to fat

What are proteins?

amino acids, made of carbon hydrogen oxygen and nitrogen, can provide 4kcals, found mostly in dairy and animal meats

What does essential mean and how many essential amino acids are there?

must be obtained from diet (indispensable), 9

What does nonessential mean and how many nonessential amino acids are there?

made in body (dispensable), 11

What is the energy balance equation and what does it mean?

EI-EE=EB

EI > EE = weight gain

EI < EE = weight loss

it’s not this simple, many influences

What is the nitrogen balance equation?

PI - PB = NB

PI > PB = muscle growth

PI < PB = muscle atrophy

What does condentially essential mean?

usually dispensable but bc of situation it needs to be supplemented

What are fats?

lipids, concentrated form of energy 9kcals/g

What is the function of proteins?

growth and repair of body tissues

What is the function of fats?

provides structure to body tissues: nerves, cell membranes

What are vitamins?

micronutrients, composed of carbon and other elements, must be obtained from diet, found in fruits and veggies

Why are vitamins micronutrients?

they’re needed in small amounts

What is the function of vitamins?

essential to at least one vital process in the body

What are the water-soluble vitamins and what does that mean?

B,C not stored in body, dissolvible in water

What are the fat soluble vitamins and what does that mean?

A, D, E, K - stored in fat, easier to develop toxicity bc of storage

What are minerals?

micronutrients, composed of elements other than carbon

What is the function of minerals?

serve important to structure, electrical and chemical roles in the body

What are the major mineral classifications?

>100mg/day, calcium, sodium, potassium, chloride, etc

What are minor mineral classifications?

<100mg/day, iron, zinc, copper, iodine, etc

What is water?

H2O, 55-60% of body weight

What is the function of water?

temperature regulation (sweat), lubrication of joints, transportation of nutrients

What does bioavailability mean?

amount able to be stored and used, some nutrients can affect bioavailability of others - vitamin increases iron bioavailability

What is hematomacrosis?

high iron levels

What is dietary reference uptake?

umbrella term for all nutrient classifications, including RDA, EAR, AI and UL

What is the recommended dietary allowance (RDA)?

average intake level that meets nutrient requirements of healthy person

What is estimated average requirement (EAR)?

dietary intake level of a vitamin or mineral to meet requirements

What is adequate intake (AI)?

intake recommendations when not enough evidence to calculate EAR/RDA

What is tolerable upper intake level?

highest level of daily nutrient intake that has no adverse health effects

What are the dietary guidelines for americans?

developed by the US Dept. of HHS and the USDA, science based advice regarding dietary and physical activity habits to promote health and reduce disease risk

How do athletes benefit from implementing the guidelines into health and performance?

by electing variety of nutrient-dense foods = meet energy, macronutrient and micronutrient needs for high level performance

What is MyPlate?

guideline to improve nutrition and well-being of Americans, helps focus on key nutrition

What must a food label include?

statement of identity, nets contents, manufacturer info, ingredient list, nutrition facts panel

WHat is statement of identity?

name brand

What is net conents?

quality of food in package, expressed in weight, volume or count

What is included in the nutrition facts panel?

serving size info, total calories, fat carb and protein content, vitamin and mineral info, percent daily values (%DV)

What are nutrient claims?

highligh food characteristics - lowfat, lowcard, high protein

What needs to be considered when developing an athlete’s nutrition plan and why?

1. health history - preexisting conditions (diabetes, high iron, etc)

2. energy demands of sport - intensity and duration bc of energy system used (metabolic specificity), cyclist can consume fluids while training, harder for swimmer

3. total weekly training and competition time -consuming adequate amounts of energy and nutrients, fueling and hydration schedule

4. living arrangements - cooking availability

5. access to food - food availability

6. travel schedule - access to food