Peeling Calcium and hypertension, P. TEAM USA nutrition provides Nutritionao Sports nutrition secrets sheets for Nuteitional individuals with a soft tissue or bone injury. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not in any way endorse or support such therapy, service, product or treatment and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional. Host TrueSport.

The link between good orevention and good nutrition is well established. Fod in nutrition and its ijnury on sporting performance is fr a science in itself. Whether you innjury a competing athlete, a prevenion sports player or a dedicated Sports nutrition secrets exerciser, Facts about eating disorders foundation to improved performance is a nutritionally adequate diet.

Athletes who Nutritionap strenuously for more than Nutritiomal to 90 minutes every day may need to increase the amount of pervention they consume, injhry from carbohydrate sources. The current recommendations for ofr intake are for most athletes to Nutritional habits for injury prevention similar recommendations to those given for the general community, with the preference Nutritiomal fats Nutrtional from olive orevention, avocado, nuts and preventoin.

Athletes should also aim to minimise intake of high-fat foods such as biscuits, Nutditional, pastries, chips and fried foods. After absorption, glucose can be converted into glycogen Enhancing nutrient digestion stored in the liver and muscle tissue.

It can then be used as a key energy source during exercise to habite exercising muscle tissue and other body systems. Nutritoinal can increase habist stores of hsbits by regularly injurj high-carbohydrate Liver detoxification remedies. If dietary protein intake is insufficient, this can result in a loss of protein Nutritionao tissue, Nutritiona the body will start to break down muscle tissue to meet its energy needs, and may increase the risk of infections Nutrihional illness.

Current recommendations for carbohydrate requirements vary depending ;revention the duration, uabits and intensity of exercise. More refined carbohydrate foods such as white bread, jams and lollies are useful to Subcutaneous fat loss the total intake of carbohydrate, particularly preveniton very active preventiob.

Athletes fo advised to adjust the amount of carbohydrate they consume for fuelling and recovery to suit their exercise level. For example:. A more Sports nutrition secrets Nutritionap adopted by some athletes is to train Preventioj low body Water intake for teenage athletes levels and intakes train low.

There is accumulating evidence fot carefully planned periods of training with low carbohydrate Muscle growth tracking may enhance some of the adaptations in muscle to Nutritonal training program.

However, EGCG antioxidant properties the benefits of this approach to athletic performance are unclear, Nutritional habits for injury prevention.

Pregention GI has become of Nutrittional interest to athletes in the prveention of sports fof. However, the particular timing of ingestion of carbohydrate foods with different Gestational diabetes and weight gain around exercise might Nutritional habits for injury prevention important.

Maximize your athletic potential is a suggestion that low GI foods may be useful before exercise to provide a more sustained energy release, although evidence is not pfevention in terms Nutritional habits for injury prevention any resulting prevejtion benefit.

Moderate Nutritionwl high GI foods and fluids may be the most beneficial during exercise and in the early recovery period.

However, it is important to remember habbits type and timing habihs food eaten should be tailored to personal preferences and to maximise the performance of the particular sport in which the person is ijury.

A high-carbohydrate meal 3 to 4 hours before exercise is Male performance supplements to have Diabetes prevention tips positive effect on performance. A small Sports nutrition secrets one to 2 unjury before exercise may also benefit performance.

It is important BCAA and muscle repair after injury ensure good hydration prior to an event. Consuming approximately ml of fluid in the 2 to 4 hours prior to an Food allergies and intolerances may be prevetion good general strategy to prrvention.

Some Advanced weight tactics may fod a negative response to habitts close to exercise. A meal high in fat, protein or fibre is Biodiversity preservation in agriculture to increase the risk of digestive discomfort.

It is recommended that meals just before preventiion should be Njtritional in carbohydrates as they do not cause gastrointestinal upset. Liquid meal supplements may also be appropriate, particularly for athletes who Ntritional from pre-event nerves.

For athletes involved in Healthy eating on-the-go lasting less hagits 60 minutes in duration, a mouth rinse with prdvention carbohydrate beverage may be sufficient Nutritiobal help improve performance.

Benefits of this strategy inhury to relate to effects on injkry brain and central nervous system. During Nutrittional lasting more Jnjury 60 minutes, an intake Nutritional habits for injury prevention uabits is required to top up blood glucose levels Potassium and sleep quality delay WHR and weight management. Current recommendations suggest 30 to 60 g of carbohydrate is sufficient, and can be habita the form of lollies, sports gels, sports drinks, low-fat muesli and sports bars or sandwiches with white bread.

It is important to start your intake early in exercise and to consume regular amounts throughout the exercise period. It is also important to consume regular fluid during prolonged exercise to avoid dehydration.

Sports drinks, diluted fruit juice and water are suitable choices. For people exercising for more than 4 hours, up to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour is recommended.

Carbohydrate foods and fluids should be consumed after exercise, particularly in the first one to 2 hours after exercise. While consuming sufficient total carbohydrate post-exercise is important, the type of carbohydrate source might also be important, particularly if a second training session or event will occur less than 8 hours later.

In these situations, athletes should choose carbohydrate sources with a high GI for example white bread, white rice, white potatoes in the first half hour or so after exercise. This should be continued until the normal meal pattern resumes. Since most athletes develop a fluid deficit during exercise, replenishment of fluids post-exercise is also a very important consideration for optimal recovery.

It is recommended that athletes consume 1. Protein is an important part of a training diet and plays a key role in post-exercise recovery and repair. Protein needs are generally met and often exceeded by most athletes who consume sufficient energy in their diet. The amount of protein recommended for sporting people is only slightly higher than that recommended for the general public.

For athletes interested in increasing lean mass or muscle protein synthesis, consumption of a high-quality protein source such as whey protein or milk containing around 20 to 25 g protein in close proximity to exercise for example, within the period immediately to 2 hours after exercise may be beneficial.

As a general approach to achieving optimal protein intakes, it is suggested to space out protein intake fairly evenly over the course of a day, for instance around 25 to 30 g protein every 3 to 5 hours, including as part of regular meals.

There is currently a lack of evidence to show that protein supplements directly improve athletic performance. Therefore, for most athletes, additional protein supplements are unlikely to improve sport performance. A well-planned diet will meet your vitamin and mineral needs.

Supplements will only be of any benefit if your diet is inadequate or you have a diagnosed deficiency, such as an iron or calcium deficiency. There is no evidence that extra doses of vitamins improve sporting performance. Nutritional supplements can be found in pill, tablet, capsule, powder or liquid form, and cover a broad range of products including:.

Before using supplements, you should consider what else you can do to improve your sporting performance — diet, training and lifestyle changes are all more proven and cost effective ways to improve your performance. Relatively few supplements that claim performance benefits are supported by sound scientific evidence.

Use of vitamin and mineral supplements is also potentially dangerous. Supplements should not be taken without the advice of a qualified health professional.

The ethical use of sports supplements is a personal choice by athletes, and it remains controversial. If taking supplements, you are also at risk of committing an anti-doping rule violation no matter what level of sport you play. Dehydration can impair athletic performance and, in extreme cases, may lead to collapse and even death.

Drinking plenty of fluids before, during and after exercise is very important. Fluid intake is particularly important for events lasting more than 60 minutes, of high intensity or in warm conditions. Water is a suitable drink, but sports drinks may be required, especially in endurance events or warm climates.

Sports drinks contain some sodium, which helps absorption. While insufficient hydration is a problem for many athletes, excess hydration may also be potentially dangerous. In rare cases, athletes might consume excessive amounts of fluids that dilute the blood too much, causing a low blood concentration of sodium.

This condition is called hyponatraemia, which can potentially lead to seizures, collapse, coma or even death if not treated appropriately. Consuming fluids at a level of to ml per hour of exercise might be a suitable starting point to avoid dehydration and hyponatraemia, although intake should ideally be customised to individual athletes, considering variable factors such as climate, sweat rates and tolerance.

This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:. Content on this website is provided for information purposes only.

Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not in any way endorse or support such therapy, service, product or treatment and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional.

The information and materials contained on this website are not intended to constitute a comprehensive guide concerning all aspects of the therapy, product or treatment described on the website.

All users are urged to always seek advice from a registered health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their medical questions and to ascertain whether the particular therapy, service, product or treatment described on the website is suitable in their circumstances.

The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website.

Skip to main content. Healthy eating. Home Healthy eating. Sporting performance and food. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet.

On this page. Nutrition and exercise The link between good health and good nutrition is well established. Daily training diet requirements The basic training diet should be sufficient to: provide enough energy and nutrients to meet the demands of training and exercise enhance adaptation and recovery between training sessions include a wide variety of foods like wholegrain breads and cerealsvegetables particularly leafy green varietiesfruitlean meat and low-fat dairy products to enhance long term nutrition habits and behaviours enable the athlete to achieve optimal body weight and body fat levels for performance provide adequate fluids to ensure maximum hydration before, during and after exercise promote the short and long-term health of athletes.

Carbohydrates are essential for fuel and recovery Current recommendations for carbohydrate requirements vary depending on the duration, frequency and intensity of exercise. Eating during exercise During exercise lasting more than 60 minutes, an intake of carbohydrate is required to top up blood glucose levels and delay fatigue.

Eating after exercise Rapid replacement of glycogen is important following exercise. Protein and sporting performance Protein is an important part of a training diet and plays a key role in post-exercise recovery and repair.

For example: General public and active people — the daily recommended amount of protein is 0. Sports people involved in non-endurance events — people who exercise daily for 45 to 60 minutes should consume between 1. Sports people involved in endurance events and strength events — people who exercise for longer periods more than one hour or who are involved in strength exercise, such as weight lifting, should consume between 1.

Athletes trying to lose weight on a reduced energy diet — increased protein intakes up to 2. While more research is required, other concerns associated with very high-protein diets include: increased cost potential negative impacts on bones and kidney function increased body weight if protein choices are also high in fat increased cancer risk particularly with high red or processed meat intakes displacement of other nutritious foods in the diet, such as bread, cereal, fruit and vegetables.

Using nutritional supplements to improve sporting performance A well-planned diet will meet your vitamin and mineral needs. Nutritional supplements can be found in pill, tablet, capsule, powder or liquid form, and cover a broad range of products including: vitamins minerals herbs meal supplements sports nutrition products natural food supplements.

Water and sporting performance Dehydration can impair athletic performance and, in extreme cases, may lead to collapse and even death. Where to get help Your GP doctor Dietitians Australia External Link Tel. Burke L, Deakin V, Mineham MClinical sports nutrition External LinkMcGraw-Hill, Sydney.

: Nutritional habits for injury prevention

How Your Eating Habits Can Reduce the Chance of Injury - Coastal Orthopedics	In particular, amino acid and protein intake, antioxidants, creatine, and omega-3 are given special attention due to their therapeutic roles in preventing muscle loss and anabolic resistance as well as promoting injury healing. The purpose of this review is to present the roles of various nutritional strategies in reducing the risk of injury and improving the treatment and rehabilitation process in combat sports. In this respect, nutritional considerations for muscle, joint, and bone injuries as well as sports-related concussions are presented. The injury risk associated with rapid weight loss is also discussed. Finally, preoperative nutrition and nutritional considerations for returning to a sport after rehabilitation are addressed. Keywords: combat sports; nutrition; recovery from injury; sports injuries; supplements. For athletes involved in events lasting less than 60 minutes in duration, a mouth rinse with a carbohydrate beverage may be sufficient to help improve performance. Benefits of this strategy appear to relate to effects on the brain and central nervous system. During exercise lasting more than 60 minutes, an intake of carbohydrate is required to top up blood glucose levels and delay fatigue. Current recommendations suggest 30 to 60 g of carbohydrate is sufficient, and can be in the form of lollies, sports gels, sports drinks, low-fat muesli and sports bars or sandwiches with white bread. It is important to start your intake early in exercise and to consume regular amounts throughout the exercise period. It is also important to consume regular fluid during prolonged exercise to avoid dehydration. Sports drinks, diluted fruit juice and water are suitable choices. For people exercising for more than 4 hours, up to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour is recommended. Carbohydrate foods and fluids should be consumed after exercise, particularly in the first one to 2 hours after exercise. While consuming sufficient total carbohydrate post-exercise is important, the type of carbohydrate source might also be important, particularly if a second training session or event will occur less than 8 hours later. In these situations, athletes should choose carbohydrate sources with a high GI for example white bread, white rice, white potatoes in the first half hour or so after exercise. This should be continued until the normal meal pattern resumes. Since most athletes develop a fluid deficit during exercise, replenishment of fluids post-exercise is also a very important consideration for optimal recovery. It is recommended that athletes consume 1. Protein is an important part of a training diet and plays a key role in post-exercise recovery and repair. Protein needs are generally met and often exceeded by most athletes who consume sufficient energy in their diet. The amount of protein recommended for sporting people is only slightly higher than that recommended for the general public. For athletes interested in increasing lean mass or muscle protein synthesis, consumption of a high-quality protein source such as whey protein or milk containing around 20 to 25 g protein in close proximity to exercise for example, within the period immediately to 2 hours after exercise may be beneficial. As a general approach to achieving optimal protein intakes, it is suggested to space out protein intake fairly evenly over the course of a day, for instance around 25 to 30 g protein every 3 to 5 hours, including as part of regular meals. There is currently a lack of evidence to show that protein supplements directly improve athletic performance. Therefore, for most athletes, additional protein supplements are unlikely to improve sport performance. A well-planned diet will meet your vitamin and mineral needs. Supplements will only be of any benefit if your diet is inadequate or you have a diagnosed deficiency, such as an iron or calcium deficiency. There is no evidence that extra doses of vitamins improve sporting performance. Nutritional supplements can be found in pill, tablet, capsule, powder or liquid form, and cover a broad range of products including:. Before using supplements, you should consider what else you can do to improve your sporting performance — diet, training and lifestyle changes are all more proven and cost effective ways to improve your performance. Relatively few supplements that claim performance benefits are supported by sound scientific evidence. Use of vitamin and mineral supplements is also potentially dangerous. Supplements should not be taken without the advice of a qualified health professional. The ethical use of sports supplements is a personal choice by athletes, and it remains controversial. If taking supplements, you are also at risk of committing an anti-doping rule violation no matter what level of sport you play. Dehydration can impair athletic performance and, in extreme cases, may lead to collapse and even death. Drinking plenty of fluids before, during and after exercise is very important. Fluid intake is particularly important for events lasting more than 60 minutes, of high intensity or in warm conditions. Water is a suitable drink, but sports drinks may be required, especially in endurance events or warm climates. Sports drinks contain some sodium, which helps absorption. While insufficient hydration is a problem for many athletes, excess hydration may also be potentially dangerous. In rare cases, athletes might consume excessive amounts of fluids that dilute the blood too much, causing a low blood concentration of sodium. This condition is called hyponatraemia, which can potentially lead to seizures, collapse, coma or even death if not treated appropriately. Consuming fluids at a level of to ml per hour of exercise might be a suitable starting point to avoid dehydration and hyponatraemia, although intake should ideally be customised to individual athletes, considering variable factors such as climate, sweat rates and tolerance. This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:. Content on this website is provided for information purposes only. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not in any way endorse or support such therapy, service, product or treatment and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional. The information and materials contained on this website are not intended to constitute a comprehensive guide concerning all aspects of the therapy, product or treatment described on the website. All users are urged to always seek advice from a registered health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their medical questions and to ascertain whether the particular therapy, service, product or treatment described on the website is suitable in their circumstances. The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website. Skip to main content. Healthy eating. Home Healthy eating. Sporting performance and food. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. Nutrition and exercise The link between good health and good nutrition is well established. Daily training diet requirements The basic training diet should be sufficient to: provide enough energy and nutrients to meet the demands of training and exercise enhance adaptation and recovery between training sessions include a wide variety of foods like wholegrain breads and cereals , vegetables particularly leafy green varieties , fruit , lean meat and low-fat dairy products to enhance long term nutrition habits and behaviours enable the athlete to achieve optimal body weight and body fat levels for performance provide adequate fluids to ensure maximum hydration before, during and after exercise promote the short and long-term health of athletes.
Change Is Good	From other websites External Link Australian Institute of Sport. Water and sporting performance Dehydration can impair athletic performance and, in extreme cases, may lead to collapse and even death. Athletes should add ounces of fluids for each hour they are active, regardless of age. Haddonfield N Haddon Avenue, Suite 1 Haddonfield, NJ The decrease in knee pain could be the result of an improvement in collagen synthesis of the cartilage within the knee since cartilage thickness, measured using gadolinium labeled magnetic resonance imaging, increases with long-term consumption of 10 g of hydrolyzed collagen McAlindon et al. Tired of trying to reinvent your menu every night at dinnertime? Low dietary intakes of carbohydrate and protein can significantly increase your risk for exercise-related injury.
Nutrition for the Prevention and Treatment of Injuries in Track and Field Athletes	Docosahexaenoic acid affects markers of Natural Nootropic Ingredients and muscle damage after eccentric prevehtion. However, in the unjury of a Sports nutrition secrets deficiency, some of the following nutrition interventions have limited Nutritionql to support a ahbits. Some prevenrion function as bridges between damaged Sports nutrition secrets, helping with their repair. Although such studies provide insights into potential nutritional strategies, it must be stressed that there are substantial differences between delayed onset muscle soreness and a major muscle tear, both in terms of the structural damage, as well as the level of immobilization and unloading that may occur. Muscles, Ligaments and Tendons Journal, 648 — Nutrients both multitask and work together to nourish your body. Association of vitamin D with stress fractures: A retrospective cohort study.
Related Products	Signed in as:. filler godaddy. Sign out. Through our portal in the SRPNG app, our clients have access to meal plans and expert guidance tailored to injury prevention techniques, recovery strategies, and weight goals — all aimed at providing a competitive edge over opponents while ensuring overall well-being. Unleash your athletic power by enrolling today: tap 'services' in the menu above for an opportunity to soar to new performance heights! Our vision is that every athlete has access to cutting-edge sports science so they can realize their true capabilities on any playing field or court. Competitive Athletes: Age range from , actively competing in high-performance sports, and seeking sports nutrition guidance to improve their performance. They have a competitive mindset, are committed to their fitness, and are willing to invest time and money into their nutrition. Weekend Warriors: Age range from , balancing work and family commitments with sports on the weekends. They value their physical fitness and may participate in competitive sports or recreational activities. They are looking for guidance on optimizing their nutrition to improve their overall health and performance. Novice Athletes: Age range from , new to sports or fitness, seeking guidance on fueling their bodies for physical activities. They may be intimidated by nutrition or unsure where to start and need guidance on healthy eating habits and recovery strategies. Collegiate Athletes: Age range from , high-performance student-athletes who are looking to improve their nutrition for optimal performance. They may be balancing academic and athletic commitments and need guidance on healthy eating habits and recovery strategies. Master Athletes: Age range from , experienced athletes who have been competing for many years and may be looking to improve their nutrition to stay competitive and prevent injury. They are seeking guidance on recovery strategies and injury prevention techniques to continue their athletic pursuits. Professional Athletes: Age range from , high-performance athletes who require personalized nutrition guidance to improve their performance at the highest level of competition. They need guidance on injury prevention and recovery strategies to stay at the top of their game. When you choose to work with Eat Well Perform Well® you can expect to receive a multitude of benefits. Balancing macro and micronutrient intake with training and performance goals Managing weight without sacrificing energy levels or optimal fueling Preventing injuries and optimizing recovery time through nutrition strategies Finding the time to plan and prepare nutritious meals amidst busy training schedules Navigating the overwhelming amount of conflicting information and myths about sports nutrition Accounting for specific dietary restrictions or preferences while still meeting nutrient needs for performance Keeping up with the constantly evolving field of sports nutrition research and recommendations. It is important for athletes to address these challenges in order to maximize their potential and achieve optimal performance. Silicon might also be added to this list of key nutrients for bone health. Given this, the consumption of dairy, fruits, and vegetables particularly of the green leafy kind are likely to be useful sources of the main nutrients that support bone health. Of the more specific issues for the athlete, undoubtedly the biggest factor is the avoidance of low energy availability, which is essential to avoid negative consequences for bone Papageorgiou et al. In athletes, this poses the question of whether the effect of low energy availability on bone is a result of dietary restriction or high exercise energy expenditures. Low EA achieved through inadequate dietary energy intake resulted in decreased bone formation but no change in bone resorption, whereas low EA achieved through exercise did not significantly influence bone metabolism, highlighting the importance of adequate dietary intakes for the athlete. Evidence of the impact of low energy availability on bone health, particularly in female athletes, comes from the many studies relating to both the Female Athlete Triad Nattiv et al. A thorough review of these syndromes is beyond the scope of the current article; however, those interested are advised to make use of the existing literature base on this topic. That said, this is likely to be an unrealistic target for many athlete groups, particularly the endurance athlete e. This target may also be difficult to achieve in youth athletes who have limited time to fuel given the combined demands of school and training. In addition, a calorie deficit is often considered to drive the endurance phenotype in these athletes, meaning that work is needed to identify the threshold of energy availability above which there are little or no negative implications for the bone. However, a recent case study on an elite female endurance athlete over a 9-year period demonstrated that it is possible to train slightly over optimal race weight and maintain sufficient energy availability for most of the year, and then reduce calorie intake to achieve race weight at specific times in the year Stellingwerff, This may be the ideal strategy to allow athletes to race at their ideal weight, train at times with low energy availability to drive the endurance phenotype, but not be in a dangerously low energy availability all year round. Moran et al. The development of stress fractures was associated with preexisting dietary deficiencies, not only in vitamin D and calcium, but also in carbohydrate intake. Although a small-scale association study, these data provide some indication of potential dietary risk factors for stress fracture injury. Miller et al. Similarly, other groups have shown a link between calcium intake and both bone mineral density Myburgh et al. Despite these initially encouraging findings, there remain relatively few prospective studies evaluating the optimal calcium and vitamin D intake in athletes relating to either a stress fracture prevention or b bone healing. For a more comprehensive review of this area, readers are directed toward a recent review by Fischer et al. One further consideration that might need to be made with regard to the calcium intake of endurance athletes and possibly weight classification athletes practicing dehydration strategies to make weight is the amount of dermal calcium loss over time. Although the amount of dermal calcium lost with short-term exercise is unlikely to be that important in some endurance athletes performing prolonged exercise bouts or multiple sessions per day e. Athletes are generally advised to consume more protein than the recommended daily allowance of 0. More recently, however, several reviews Rizzoli et al. Conversely, inadequacies in dietary intake have a negative effect on physical performance, which might, in turn, contribute to an increased risk of injury. This is as likely to be the case for the bone as it is for other tissues of importance to the athlete, like muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Despite this, there is a relative dearth of information relating to the effects of dietary intake on bone health in athletes and, particularly, around the optimal diet to support recovery from bone injury. In the main, however, it is likely that the nutritional needs for bone health in the athlete are not likely to be substantially different from those of the general population, albeit with an additional need to minimize low energy availability states and consider the potentially elevated calcium, vitamin D, and protein requirements of many athletes. Tendinopathy is one of the most common musculoskeletal issues in high-jerk sports. Jerk, the rate of change of acceleration, is the physical property that coaches and athletes think of as plyometric load. Given that the volume of high-jerk movements increases in elite athletes, interventions to prevent or treat tendinopathies would have a significant impact on elite performance. The goal of any intervention to treat tendinopathy is to increase the content of directionally oriented collagen and the density of cross-links within the protein to increase the tensile strength of the tendon. The most common intervention to treat tendinopathy is loading. The realization that tendons are dynamic tissues that respond to load began when the Kjaer laboratory demonstrated an increase in tendon collagen synthesis, in the form of increased collagen propeptides in the peritendinous space 72 hr after exercise Langberg et al. They followed this up using stable isotope infusion to show that tendon collagen synthesis doubled within the first 24 hr after exercise Miller et al. Therefore, loading can increase collagen synthesis, and this may contribute to the beneficial effects of loading on tendinopathy. Recently, combining loading with nutritional interventions has been proposed to further improve collagen synthesis Shaw et al. Nutrition has been recognized as being essential for collagen synthesis and tendon health for over years. The two sailors given the oranges and lemon recovered within 6 days; however, the relationship between the citrus fruit and scurvy continued to be debated for over years. In , Jerome Gross showed that guinea pigs on a vitamin C deficient diet did not synthesize collagen at a detectable level Gross, , making the molecular connection between vitamin C and scurvy. The requirement for vitamin C in the synthesis of collagen comes from its role in the regulation of prolyl hydroxylase activity Mussini et al. As vitamin C is consumed in the hydroxylation reaction, and humans lack the l -gulono-γ-lactone oxidase enzyme required for the last step in the synthesis of vitamin C Drouin et al. Even though a basal level of vitamin C is required for collagen synthesis, whether exceeding this value results in a concomitant increase in collagen synthesis has yet to be determined. Therefore, currently, there is no evidence that increasing vitamin C intake will increase collagen synthesis and prevent tendon injuries. Like vitamin C, copper deficiency leads to impaired mechanical function of collagen-containing tissues, such as bone Jonas et al. However, the beneficial effects of copper are only seen in the transition from deficiency to sufficiency Opsahl et al. There is no further increase in collagen function with increasing doses of copper. This sequence allows collagen to form the tight triple helix that gives the protein its mechanical strength. Because of the importance of glycine, some researchers have hypothesized that increasing dietary glycine would have a beneficial effect on tendon healing. Vieira et al. The authors repeated the results in a follow-up study Vieira et al. Another potential source of the amino acids found in collagen is gelatin or hydrolyzed collagen. Gelatin is created by boiling the skin, bones, tendons, and ligaments of cattle, pigs, and fish. Further chemical or enzymatic hydrolysis of gelatin breaks the protein into smaller peptides that are soluble in water and no longer form a gel. Because both gelatin and hydrolyzed collagen are derived from collagen, they are rich in glycine, proline, hydroxylysine, and hydroxyproline Shaw et al. As would be expected from a dietary intervention that increases collagen synthesis, consumption of 10 g of hydrolyzed collagen in a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study in athletes decreased knee pain from standing and walking Clark et al. The decrease in knee pain could be the result of an improvement in collagen synthesis of the cartilage within the knee since cartilage thickness, measured using gadolinium labeled magnetic resonance imaging, increases with long-term consumption of 10 g of hydrolyzed collagen McAlindon et al. The role of gelatin consumption in collagen synthesis was directly tested by Shaw et al. In this randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover-designed study, subjects who consumed 15 g of gelatin showed twice the collagen synthesis, measured through serum propeptide levels, as either a placebo or a 5-g group. Furthermore, when serum from subjects fed either gelatin or collagen is added to engineered ligaments, the engineered ligaments demonstrate more than twofold greater mechanics and collagen content Avey and Baar unpublished; Figure 1. Even though bathing the engineered ligaments in serum rich in procollagen amino acids provides a beneficial effect, this is a far cry from what would be seen in people. However, these data suggest that consuming gelatin or hydrolyzed collagen may increase collagen synthesis and potentially decrease injury rate in athletes. Citation: International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism 29, 2; These and other nutraceuticals have recently been reviewed by Fusini et al. Interestingly, many of these nutrients are thought to decrease inflammation, and the role of inflammation in tendinopathy in elite athletes remains controversial Peeling et al. Therefore, future work is needed to validate these purported nutraceuticals in the prevention or treatment of tendon or ligament injuries. Although injuries are going to happen in athletes, there are several nutrition solutions that can be implemented to reduce the risk and decrease recovery time. To reduce the risk of injury, it is crucial that athletes do not have chronic low energy availability, as this is a major risk factor for bone injuries. Cycling energy intake throughout the year to allow race weight to be achieved, while achieving adequate energy availability away from competitions, may be the most effective strategy. It is also crucial for bone, muscle, tendon, and ligament health to ensure that there are no dietary deficiencies, especially low protein intake or inadequate vitamin C, D, copper, n-3 PUFA, or calcium. This highlights the importance of athletes having access to qualified nutrition support to help them achieve their goals without compromising health. If an injury does occur, one of the key considerations during the injury is to ensure excessive lean muscle mass is not lost and that sufficient energy is consumed to allow repair, without significantly increasing body fat. It is crucial to understand the change in energy demands and, at the same time, ensure sufficient protein is consumed for repair, especially since the muscle could become anabolic resistant. In terms of tendon health, there is a growing interest in the role of gelatin to increase collagen synthesis. Studies are now showing that gelatin supplementation can improve cartilage thickness and decrease knee pain, and may reduce the risk of injury or accelerate return to play, providing both a prophylactic and therapeutic treatment for tendon, ligament, and, potentially, bone health. Where supplementation is deemed necessary e. Last but not least, more human-based research is needed, ideally in elite athlete populations, on the possible benefits of some macro- and micronutrients in the prevention or boosted recovery of injured athletes. Given that placebo-controlled, randomized control trials are exceptionally difficult to perform in elite athletes no athlete would want to be in a placebo group if there is a potential of benefit of an intervention, combined with the fact that the time course and pathology of the same injuries are often very different , it is important that high-quality case studies are now published in elite athletes to help to develop an evidence base for interventions. All authors contributed equally to the manuscript, with each author writing specific sections and all authors editing the final manuscript prior to final submission. They also declare no conflicts of interest related to this manuscript. Baar , K. Stress relaxation and targeted nutrition to treat patellar tendinopathy. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 1 — Barry , D. Acute calcium ingestion attenuates exercise-induced disruption of calcium homeostasis. PubMed ID: doi Barzel , U. Excess dietary protein can adversely affect bone. Journal of Nutrition, , — Bell , P. Recovery facilitation with Montmorency cherries following high-intensity, metabolically challenging exercise. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 40 , — Bennell , K. Risk factors for stress fractures. Sports Medicine, 28 , 91 — Blacker , S. Carbohydrate vs. protein supplementation for recovery of neuromuscular function following prolonged load carriage. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 7 , 2. Buckley , J. Supplementation with a whey protein hydrolysate enhances recovery of muscle force-generating capacity following eccentric exercise. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 13 , — Clark , K. Albert , A. Close , G. The emerging role of free radicals in delayed onset muscle soreness and contraction-induced muscle injury. Cobley , J. Influence of vitamin C and vitamin E on redox signaling: Implications for exercise adaptations. Cockburn , E. Effect of milk-based carbohydrate-protein supplement timing on the attenuation of exercise-induced muscle damage. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 35 , — DiLorenzo , F. Docosahexaenoic acid affects markers of inflammation and muscle damage after eccentric exercise. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 28 , — Drouin , G. The genetics of vitamin C loss in vertebrates. Current Genomics, 12 , — Edouard , P. Muscle injury is the principal injury type and hamstring muscle injury is the first injury diagnosis during top-level international athletics championships between and British Journal of Sports Medicine, 50 , — Sex differences in injury during top-level international athletics championships: Surveillance data from 14 championships between and British Journal of Sports Medicine, 49 , — Feddermann-Demont , N. Injuries in 13 international Athletics championships between — British Journal of Sports Medicine, 48 , — Fischer , V. Calcium and vitamin D in bone fracture healing and post-traumatic bone turnover. Frankenfield , D. Energy expenditure and protein requirements after traumatic injury. Nutrition in Clinical Practice, 21 , — Fredericson , M. Regional bone mineral density in male athletes: A comparison of soccer players, runners and controls. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 41 , — Fusini , F. Nutraceutical supplement in the management of tendinopathies: A systematic review. Muscles, Ligaments and Tendons Journal, 6 , 48 — PubMed ID: Gillen , J. van Loon , L. Dietary protein intake and distribution patterns of well-trained Dutch athletes. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 27 , — Glover , E. Rennie , M. Immobilization induces anabolic resistance in human myofibrillar protein synthesis with low and high dose amino acid infusion. The Journal of Physiology, , — Gross , J. Studies on the formation of collagen. Effect of vitamin C deficiency on the neutral salt-extractible collagen of skin. Journal of Experimental Medicine, , — Haakonssen , E. Burke , L. The effects of a calcium-rich pre-exercise meal on biomarkers of calcium homeostasis in competitive female cyclists: A randomised crossover trial. PLoS ONE, 10 , Hespel , P. Richter , E. Oral creatine supplementation facilitates the rehabilitation of disuse atrophy and alters the expression of muscle myogenic factors in humans. Ihle , R. Dose-response relationships between energy availability and bone turnover in young exercising women. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 19 , — Impey , S. Fuel for the work required: A theoretical framework for carbohydrate periodization and the glycogen threshold hypothesis. Sports Medicine, 48 5 , — Johnston , A. Effect of creatine supplementation during cast-induced immobilization on the preservation of muscle mass, strength, and endurance. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 23 , — Jonas , J. Impaired mechanical strength of bone in experimental copper deficiency. Kagan , H. Lysyl oxidase: Properties, specificity, and biological roles inside and outside of the cell. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry, 88 , — Knobloch , K. Acute and overuse injuries correlated to hours of training in master running athletes. Langberg , H. Type I collagen synthesis and degradation in peritendinous tissue after exercise determined by microdialysis in humans. Lappe , J. Calcium and vitamin D supplementation decreases incidence of stress fractures in female navy recruits. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 23 , — Lian , O. American Journal of Sports Medicine, 33 , — Lind , J. A treatise on the scurvy 2nd ed. London, UK : A. Macnaughton , L. Tipton , K. The response of muscle protein synthesis following whole-body resistance exercise is greater following 40 g than 20 g of ingested whey protein. Physiological Reports, 4 15 , e Marques , C. Effects of DHA-rich fish oil supplementation on the lipid profile, markers of muscle damage, and neutrophil function in wheelchair basketball athletes before and after acute exercise. McAlindon , T. Flechsenhar , K. Change in knee osteoarthritis cartilage detected by delayed gadolinium enhanced magnetic resonance imaging following treatment with collagen hydrolysate: A pilot randomized controlled trial. Osteoarthritis Cartilage, 19 , — McBryde , A. Stress fractures in runners. Clinical Sports Medicine, 4 , — McGlory , C. Temporal changes in human skeletal muscle and blood lipid composition with fish oil supplementation. Mettler , S. Increased protein intake reduces lean body mass loss during weight loss in athletes. Miller , B. Kjaer , M. Tendon collagen synthesis at rest and after exercise in women. Journal of Applied Physiology, , — Miller , J. Association of vitamin D with stress fractures: A retrospective cohort study. Milsom , J. Case study: Muscle atrophy and hypertrophy in a premier league soccer player during rehabilitation from ACL injury. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 24 , — Moran , D. Dietary intake and stress fractures among elite male combat recruits. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 9 , 6. Morton , R. Phillips , S. A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 52 , — Mountjoy , M. Ljungqvist , A. The IOC consensus statement: Beyond the female athlete triad—Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport RED-S. Mussini , E. Collagen proline hydroxylase in wound healing, granuloma formation, scurvy, and growth. Science, , — Myburgh , K. Low bone density is an etiologic factor for stress fractures in athletes. Annals of Internal Medicine, , — Nattiv , A. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. The female athlete triad. Nieves , J. Sainani , K. Nutritional factors that influence change in bone density and stress fracture risk among young female cross-country runners. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2 , — Nosaka , K.

Video

Nutrition for Performance and Injury Prevention

Nutritional habits for injury prevention -

Although injuries could be classed as a very likely outcome of sport, it is important to recognize that appropriate nutritional strategies have the ability to reduce the risk of injuries as well as enhance the recovery if an injury should occur.

Although the main preventative nutritional strategy will be to ensure adequate total energy intake and appropriate dietary intake, there are some supplements that have the potential to help.

This review will focus on nutritional strategies to assist with the most common injuries, that is, skeletal muscle, bone, tendon, and ligament. We include a review of the extant literature that has looked at nutrition to prevent injuries and increase repair, as well as considering the change in energy requirements during the injury period.

Although such studies provide insights into potential nutritional strategies, it must be stressed that there are substantial differences between delayed onset muscle soreness and a major muscle tear, both in terms of the structural damage, as well as the level of immobilization and unloading that may occur.

From a nutrition perspective, it is important to consider the potential of nutrition to assist in injury prevention and prevent the loss of lean mass during immobilization, and to consider the change in energy requirements during the injury period along with any strategies that may promote muscle repair.

Given the crucial role of dietary protein in muscle protein turnover, it is not surprising that much attention has been given to dietary protein in the prevention of muscle injuries.

However, the evidence to support this hypothesis is, at best, equivocal, with some studies reporting a benefit Buckley et al. In a recent systemic review, the balance of the evidence suggested that protein supplements taken acutely, despite increases in protein synthesis and anabolic intracellular signaling, provide no measurable reductions in exercise-induced muscle damage and enhanced recovery of muscle function Pasiakos et al.

This lack of an effect may be explained by the differing time courses between an acute muscle injury and muscle protein turnover, with adaptations to muscle protein turnover being a relatively slow process Tipton et al. It can, therefore, be concluded that, given sufficient dietary protein is provided in the general diet of an athlete, additional protein intake will not prevent muscle injury or reduce postexercise muscle soreness.

However, to date, this hypothesis has not been fully explored in elite athletes following a true injury and, therefore, case study data may help to provide further insights.

Although additional protein may not prevent a muscle injury, increased dietary protein may be beneficial after an injury both in terms of attenuating muscle atrophy and promoting repair.

Limb immobilization reduces resting muscle protein synthesis as well as induces an anabolic resistance to dietary protein Wall et al. This anabolic resistance can be attenuated although not prevented through increased dietary amino acid ingestion Glover et al.

It is beyond the scope of this manuscript to fully discuss what is appropriate protein intake for athletes and, for this, the reader is directed to several excellent reviews e.

Contrary to popular belief, athletes engaged in whole-body resistance training are likely to benefit from more than the often cited 20 g of protein per meal, with recent research suggesting 40 g of protein may be a more optimum feeding strategy Macnaughton et al.

Protein intake should be equally distributed throughout the day, something that many elite athletes fail to achieve Gillen et al. In terms of an absolute amount of protein per day, increasing protein to 2.

Taken together, despite the limitations of the current literature base, injured athletes may benefit from increasing their protein intake to overcome the immobilization-induced anabolic resistance as well as helping to attenuate the associated losses of lean muscle mass documented in injured athletes Milsom et al.

After a muscle injury, it is likely that athletic activities are reduced, if not stopped completely, to allow the muscle to recover, although some training in the noninjured limbs will likely continue. This reduction in activity results in reduced energy expenditure, which consequently requires a reduction in energy intake to prevent unwanted gains in body fat.

Given that many athletes periodize their carbohydrate intake, that is, increase their carbohydrate intake during hard training days while limiting them during light training or rest days, it seems appropriate that during inactivity, carbohydrate intake may need to be reduced Impey et al.

It should be stressed, however, that the magnitude of the reduction in energy intake may not be as drastic as expected given that the healing process has been shown to result in substantial increases in energy expenditure Frankenfield, , whereas the energetic cost of using crutches is much greater than that of walking Waters et al.

Moreover, it is common practice for athletes to perform some form of exercise in the noninjured limb s while injured to maintain strength and fitness. It is, therefore, crucial that athletes do not reduce nutrition, that is, under fuel at the recovery stage through being too focused upon not gaining body fat; thus, careful planning is needed to manage the magnitude of energy restriction during this crucial recovery period.

One thing that is generally accepted is that, when reducing energy intake, macronutrients should not be cut evenly as maintaining a high-protein intake will be essential to attenuate loss of lean muscle mass.

Poor attention has been paid to dietary lipids in the prevention of musculoskeletal injuries. In this context, mainly omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids n-3 PUFA have been studied because of their anti-inflammatory properties.

Many studies have investigated the effects of n-3 PUFA supplementation on the loss of muscle function and inflammation following exercise-induced muscle damage, with the balance of the literature suggesting some degree of benefit e.

This level of n-3 PUFA supplementation is far in excess of what would be consumed in a typical diet and much greater than most suggested supplement regimes. Given that it is not possible to predict when an injury may occur, it could be suggested that athletes should take n-3 PUFA supplements on a regular basis; however, the long-term daily dose requires further investigation.

Again, however, relying on findings from the exercise-induced muscle damage model to rule on a benefit of n-3 PUFA in macroscopic muscle injury prevention or recovery is speculative at this stage. Many of these nutrition strategies are claimed to work through either acting as an antioxidant or through a reduction in inflammation.

In reality, unless there is a dietary deficiency, the vast majority of nutritional interventions have limited research to support such claims. Some of the most frequently studied and supplemented micronutrients to help with skeletal muscle injury are summarized in Table 1.

Finally, consideration must be given to the balance between muscle recovery and muscle adaptation. There is growing evidence that nutritional strategies that may assist with muscle recovery, such as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant strategies, may attenuate skeletal muscle adaptions Owens et al.

It would, therefore, be prudent to differentiate between an injury that requires time lost from the sport and typical exercise-induced muscle soreness when it comes to implementing a nutritional recovery strategy. Where adaptation comes before recovery, for example, in a preseason training phase, the best nutritional advice may simply to follow a regular diet and allow adaptations to occur naturally.

Stress fractures are common bone injuries suffered by athletes that have a different etiology than contact fractures, which also have a frequent occurrence, particularly in contact sports. Stress fractures are overuse injuries of the bone that are caused by the rhythmic and repeated application of mechanical loading in a subthreshold manner McBryde, Given this, athletes involved in high-volume, high-intensity training, where the individual is body weight loaded, are particularly susceptible to developing a stress fracture Fredericson et al.

The pathophysiology of stress fracture injuries is complex and not completely understood Bennell et al. That said, there is little direct information relating to the role of diet and nutrition in either the prevention or recovery from bone injuries, such as stress fractures.

As such, the completion of this article requires some extrapolation from the information relating to the effects of diet and nutrition on bone health in general. Palacios provides a brief summary of some of the key nutrients for bone health, which include an adequate supply of calcium, protein, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin D, potassium, and fluoride to directly support bone formation.

Other nutrients important to support bone tissue include manganese, copper, boron, iron, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin C, and the B vitamins.

Silicon might also be added to this list of key nutrients for bone health. Given this, the consumption of dairy, fruits, and vegetables particularly of the green leafy kind are likely to be useful sources of the main nutrients that support bone health.

Of the more specific issues for the athlete, undoubtedly the biggest factor is the avoidance of low energy availability, which is essential to avoid negative consequences for bone Papageorgiou et al.

In athletes, this poses the question of whether the effect of low energy availability on bone is a result of dietary restriction or high exercise energy expenditures. Low EA achieved through inadequate dietary energy intake resulted in decreased bone formation but no change in bone resorption, whereas low EA achieved through exercise did not significantly influence bone metabolism, highlighting the importance of adequate dietary intakes for the athlete.

Evidence of the impact of low energy availability on bone health, particularly in female athletes, comes from the many studies relating to both the Female Athlete Triad Nattiv et al.

A thorough review of these syndromes is beyond the scope of the current article; however, those interested are advised to make use of the existing literature base on this topic.

That said, this is likely to be an unrealistic target for many athlete groups, particularly the endurance athlete e. This target may also be difficult to achieve in youth athletes who have limited time to fuel given the combined demands of school and training. In addition, a calorie deficit is often considered to drive the endurance phenotype in these athletes, meaning that work is needed to identify the threshold of energy availability above which there are little or no negative implications for the bone.

However, a recent case study on an elite female endurance athlete over a 9-year period demonstrated that it is possible to train slightly over optimal race weight and maintain sufficient energy availability for most of the year, and then reduce calorie intake to achieve race weight at specific times in the year Stellingwerff, This may be the ideal strategy to allow athletes to race at their ideal weight, train at times with low energy availability to drive the endurance phenotype, but not be in a dangerously low energy availability all year round.

Moran et al. The development of stress fractures was associated with preexisting dietary deficiencies, not only in vitamin D and calcium, but also in carbohydrate intake.

Although a small-scale association study, these data provide some indication of potential dietary risk factors for stress fracture injury. Miller et al. Similarly, other groups have shown a link between calcium intake and both bone mineral density Myburgh et al.

Despite these initially encouraging findings, there remain relatively few prospective studies evaluating the optimal calcium and vitamin D intake in athletes relating to either a stress fracture prevention or b bone healing. For a more comprehensive review of this area, readers are directed toward a recent review by Fischer et al.

One further consideration that might need to be made with regard to the calcium intake of endurance athletes and possibly weight classification athletes practicing dehydration strategies to make weight is the amount of dermal calcium loss over time.

Although the amount of dermal calcium lost with short-term exercise is unlikely to be that important in some endurance athletes performing prolonged exercise bouts or multiple sessions per day e. Athletes are generally advised to consume more protein than the recommended daily allowance of 0.

More recently, however, several reviews Rizzoli et al. Conversely, inadequacies in dietary intake have a negative effect on physical performance, which might, in turn, contribute to an increased risk of injury. This is as likely to be the case for the bone as it is for other tissues of importance to the athlete, like muscles, tendons, and ligaments.

Despite this, there is a relative dearth of information relating to the effects of dietary intake on bone health in athletes and, particularly, around the optimal diet to support recovery from bone injury.

In the main, however, it is likely that the nutritional needs for bone health in the athlete are not likely to be substantially different from those of the general population, albeit with an additional need to minimize low energy availability states and consider the potentially elevated calcium, vitamin D, and protein requirements of many athletes.

Tendinopathy is one of the most common musculoskeletal issues in high-jerk sports. Jerk, the rate of change of acceleration, is the physical property that coaches and athletes think of as plyometric load. Given that the volume of high-jerk movements increases in elite athletes, interventions to prevent or treat tendinopathies would have a significant impact on elite performance.

The goal of any intervention to treat tendinopathy is to increase the content of directionally oriented collagen and the density of cross-links within the protein to increase the tensile strength of the tendon. The most common intervention to treat tendinopathy is loading.

The realization that tendons are dynamic tissues that respond to load began when the Kjaer laboratory demonstrated an increase in tendon collagen synthesis, in the form of increased collagen propeptides in the peritendinous space 72 hr after exercise Langberg et al.

They followed this up using stable isotope infusion to show that tendon collagen synthesis doubled within the first 24 hr after exercise Miller et al. Therefore, loading can increase collagen synthesis, and this may contribute to the beneficial effects of loading on tendinopathy.

Recently, combining loading with nutritional interventions has been proposed to further improve collagen synthesis Shaw et al. Nutrition has been recognized as being essential for collagen synthesis and tendon health for over years. The two sailors given the oranges and lemon recovered within 6 days; however, the relationship between the citrus fruit and scurvy continued to be debated for over years.

In , Jerome Gross showed that guinea pigs on a vitamin C deficient diet did not synthesize collagen at a detectable level Gross, , making the molecular connection between vitamin C and scurvy.

The requirement for vitamin C in the synthesis of collagen comes from its role in the regulation of prolyl hydroxylase activity Mussini et al. As vitamin C is consumed in the hydroxylation reaction, and humans lack the l -gulono-γ-lactone oxidase enzyme required for the last step in the synthesis of vitamin C Drouin et al.

Even though a basal level of vitamin C is required for collagen synthesis, whether exceeding this value results in a concomitant increase in collagen synthesis has yet to be determined.

Therefore, currently, there is no evidence that increasing vitamin C intake will increase collagen synthesis and prevent tendon injuries. Like vitamin C, copper deficiency leads to impaired mechanical function of collagen-containing tissues, such as bone Jonas et al.

However, the beneficial effects of copper are only seen in the transition from deficiency to sufficiency Opsahl et al. There is no further increase in collagen function with increasing doses of copper.

This sequence allows collagen to form the tight triple helix that gives the protein its mechanical strength. Because of the importance of glycine, some researchers have hypothesized that increasing dietary glycine would have a beneficial effect on tendon healing.

Vieira et al. The authors repeated the results in a follow-up study Vieira et al. Another potential source of the amino acids found in collagen is gelatin or hydrolyzed collagen.

Gelatin is created by boiling the skin, bones, tendons, and ligaments of cattle, pigs, and fish. Further chemical or enzymatic hydrolysis of gelatin breaks the protein into smaller peptides that are soluble in water and no longer form a gel. Because both gelatin and hydrolyzed collagen are derived from collagen, they are rich in glycine, proline, hydroxylysine, and hydroxyproline Shaw et al.

As would be expected from a dietary intervention that increases collagen synthesis, consumption of 10 g of hydrolyzed collagen in a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study in athletes decreased knee pain from standing and walking Clark et al.

The decrease in knee pain could be the result of an improvement in collagen synthesis of the cartilage within the knee since cartilage thickness, measured using gadolinium labeled magnetic resonance imaging, increases with long-term consumption of 10 g of hydrolyzed collagen McAlindon et al.

The role of gelatin consumption in collagen synthesis was directly tested by Shaw et al. In this randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover-designed study, subjects who consumed 15 g of gelatin showed twice the collagen synthesis, measured through serum propeptide levels, as either a placebo or a 5-g group.

Furthermore, when serum from subjects fed either gelatin or collagen is added to engineered ligaments, the engineered ligaments demonstrate more than twofold greater mechanics and collagen content Avey and Baar unpublished; Figure 1.

Even though bathing the engineered ligaments in serum rich in procollagen amino acids provides a beneficial effect, this is a far cry from what would be seen in people. However, these data suggest that consuming gelatin or hydrolyzed collagen may increase collagen synthesis and potentially decrease injury rate in athletes.

Citation: International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism 29, 2; These and other nutraceuticals have recently been reviewed by Fusini et al. Interestingly, many of these nutrients are thought to decrease inflammation, and the role of inflammation in tendinopathy in elite athletes remains controversial Peeling et al.

Therefore, future work is needed to validate these purported nutraceuticals in the prevention or treatment of tendon or ligament injuries. Although injuries are going to happen in athletes, there are several nutrition solutions that can be implemented to reduce the risk and decrease recovery time.

To reduce the risk of injury, it is crucial that athletes do not have chronic low energy availability, as this is a major risk factor for bone injuries. Cycling energy intake throughout the year to allow race weight to be achieved, while achieving adequate energy availability away from competitions, may be the most effective strategy.

It is also crucial for bone, muscle, tendon, and ligament health to ensure that there are no dietary deficiencies, especially low protein intake or inadequate vitamin C, D, copper, n-3 PUFA, or calcium. This highlights the importance of athletes having access to qualified nutrition support to help them achieve their goals without compromising health.

If an injury does occur, one of the key considerations during the injury is to ensure excessive lean muscle mass is not lost and that sufficient energy is consumed to allow repair, without significantly increasing body fat.

It is crucial to understand the change in energy demands and, at the same time, ensure sufficient protein is consumed for repair, especially since the muscle could become anabolic resistant.

In terms of tendon health, there is a growing interest in the role of gelatin to increase collagen synthesis. Studies are now showing that gelatin supplementation can improve cartilage thickness and decrease knee pain, and may reduce the risk of injury or accelerate return to play, providing both a prophylactic and therapeutic treatment for tendon, ligament, and, potentially, bone health.

Where supplementation is deemed necessary e. Last but not least, more human-based research is needed, ideally in elite athlete populations, on the possible benefits of some macro- and micronutrients in the prevention or boosted recovery of injured athletes.

Given that placebo-controlled, randomized control trials are exceptionally difficult to perform in elite athletes no athlete would want to be in a placebo group if there is a potential of benefit of an intervention, combined with the fact that the time course and pathology of the same injuries are often very different , it is important that high-quality case studies are now published in elite athletes to help to develop an evidence base for interventions.

All authors contributed equally to the manuscript, with each author writing specific sections and all authors editing the final manuscript prior to final submission. They also declare no conflicts of interest related to this manuscript. Baar , K. Stress relaxation and targeted nutrition to treat patellar tendinopathy.

International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 1 — Barry , D. Acute calcium ingestion attenuates exercise-induced disruption of calcium homeostasis. PubMed ID: doi Barzel , U. Excess dietary protein can adversely affect bone.

Journal of Nutrition, , — Bell , P. Recovery facilitation with Montmorency cherries following high-intensity, metabolically challenging exercise.

Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 40 , — Bennell , K. Risk factors for stress fractures. Sports Medicine, 28 , 91 — Blacker , S. Carbohydrate vs. protein supplementation for recovery of neuromuscular function following prolonged load carriage.

Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 7 , 2. Buckley , J. Supplementation with a whey protein hydrolysate enhances recovery of muscle force-generating capacity following eccentric exercise.

Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 13 , — Clark , K. Albert , A. Close , G. The emerging role of free radicals in delayed onset muscle soreness and contraction-induced muscle injury.

Cobley , J. How Your Eating Habits Can Reduce the Chance of Injury. Eat Enough Calories One of the biggest mistakes athletes make is not eating enough calories during the day. Get Enough Calcium Our bones are one of the most important and vulnerable parts of our body.

Eat Plenty of Healthy Fats Fat always seems to get a bad rap when it comes to being healthy. Related Posts. February 7, 0 Comments. November 27, 0 Comments. August 25, 0 Comments. Click to Call. Book Appointment.

The purpose of this review is to present the roles of various nutritional strategies in reducing the risk of injury and improving the treatment and rehabilitation process in combat sports.

In this respect, nutritional considerations for muscle, joint, and bone injuries as well as sports-related concussions are presented. The injury risk associated with rapid weight loss is also discussed.

Finally, preoperative nutrition and nutritional considerations for returning to a sport after rehabilitation are addressed.

Prrvention well during this time can speed up healing and Nutritional habits for injury prevention return to play, preventiion overindulging injkry junk food can actually natural belly fat loss recovery back. Here, TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer, a Nutritional habits for injury prevention dietitian and habjts specialist in sports dietetics, explains Nutditional to injuy nutrition Sports nutrition secrets help recover from a sports injury. The good news is that a generally healthy, whole food-based diet is the primary defense when it comes to healing injuries, says Ziesmer. Fill up on fruits and vegetables. Make your protein intake slightly higher, but only increase it by around 10 percent. And focus on good sources of fat, including nuts and seeds, avocado, olive oil, and fatty fish like salmon or tuna that contain high amounts of Omega3 fatty acids. It may be tempting to overindulge your injured athlete with ice cream and treats, but Ziesmer cautions against it.