The benefits and necessity of multivitamins for endurance athletes are subject to scrutiny. While multivitamins can provide essential nutrients, their impact on performance is not well-established. Athletes who maintain a balanced diet can usually meet their nutrient needs without supplementation.

Excessive intake of certain vitamins or minerals through multivitamins can lead to imbalances or toxicity. It is recommended to prioritise a varied diet of whole foods and undergo individualized nutritional assessments to identify specific deficiencies. However, where there are known nutrient deficiencies, taking a multi-vitamin can be valuable.

The inclusion of beetroot shots in your nutrition regimen may be an efficient way to incorporate beetroot into your diet for endurance athletes, although this is up for debate. While beetroot juice is known to contain nitrates that have the potential to enhance exercise performance, the necessity of regularly consuming beetroot shots remains a matter of debate.

The impact of beetroot shots on endurance athletes is greatly individualised, with some individuals experiencing limited or no noticeable benefits.

Furthermore, alternative dietary approaches, such as maintaining a well-rounded diet consisting of whole grains, lean proteins, and a variety of fruits and vegetables, can provide comparable advantages in terms of recovery.

It is also important to consider individual preferences, taste, and the potential for gastrointestinal discomfort when consuming beetroot shots. Adequate protein intake is crucial for growth, development, and repair of muscles and other tissues in the body, including bones and tendons.

Protein-rich foods like meat, fish, eggs, dairy, tofu, and beans should be regularly consumed. What about protein shakes? Protein shakes can be a convenient option to meet protein requirements. Carbohydrates hold significant importance for endurance athletes, serving as a cornerstone of their nutrition.

Carbohydrates offer several benefits. Firstly, carbohydrates serve as the primary source of energy, fuelling athletic performance and aiding in the delay of fatigue, thereby enhancing endurance capacity.

Additionally, they play a pivotal role in supporting immune function, which can be temporarily compromised by intense training.

By ensuring an adequate carbohydrate intake, athletes can bolster their immune system, reducing the susceptibility to illnesses. Furthermore, carbohydrates contribute to the maintenance of bone health by facilitating the production of insulin-like growth factor and aiding in calcium absorption.

It is crucial for endurance athletes to prioritise a well-balanced diet, ensuring an appropriate carbohydrate intake to support their energy needs, immune system, and bone health. There are two main types of carbohydrates.

Sugars are comprised of small molecular structures, making some easier to digest and providing immediate energy just before and during exercise. However, these fast-digesting carbs can have a significant impact on blood sugar levels and energy levels due to their fast digestion rate.

Consuming excessive amounts of sugars can lead to sluggishness. However, not all simple carbs are fast-digesting, some comprise of being slow-digesting e. So, while quickly digesting sugars can be effective for quick energy sources before and during endurance training e. Carbohydrate drinks, gels and chews are also a convenient way endurance athletes can effectively restore glycogen levels and rapidly fuel their energy needs during prolonged periods of exercise.

Endurance athletes need to watch their hydration throughout the day, especially during workouts. Water intake guidelines are provided by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 4. Current guidelines are 2.

This includes water consumed both from beverages and food. When your client is taking part in endurance activity, they need to up their intake. Here are some recommendations to follow:. After endurance exercise: 24 ounces for every pound of body weight lost.

In addition to water loss through sweating, we also lose electrolytes. When we sweat, we lose sodium, chloride potassium, magnesium, and calcium. These electrolytes serve important roles in supporting bodily systems.

There are many electrolyte drinks on the market. These can help replace lost nutrients. Many exist in the form of a sports drink. The problem is that these drinks can also be high in sugar and calories.

One of the best ways to replenish electrolytes after a long endurance training session is by eating whole foods. Here are a few options to consider:. Potassium - banana, sweet potato, dried fruits, avocado, kale, peas, beans.

Magnesium - whole grains, leafy vegetables, nuts, lentils, peanut butter. Achieving peak performance requires having nutrients available when you need them. This can be accomplished by developing a nutrient intake plan. And this plan should provide nutrient timing guidelines.

Timing the intake of carbohydrate, protein, fat, and water is essential to endurance success. It involves laying out what to consume before, during, and after endurance training and endurance events. Consume 20 ounces of water 2 hours before the start of endurance training.

Carbohydrate loading should only occur leading up to an endurance event. Consume 1. Consume 15 to 25 grams of protein within the first 30 minutes post-exercise. Nutrition for endurance involves a lot. But when endurance athletes pay attention to the recommendations and figure out what methods work best for them, the outcome is improved athletic performance.

This can translate to higher awards come race day. Whether you are an elite athlete, a weekend warrior, or a personal trainer designing programs for athletes, it is important to fuel the body properly.

Proper nutrients at the right time allow the body to perform at its highest level. Want to learn more about nutrition and its impact on sports performance?

Check out the ISSA Nutritionist Certification and join a network of experts in sports nutrition. By becoming an ISSA Nutritionist, you'll learn the foundations of how food fuels the body, plus step by step methods for implementing a healthy eating plan into clients' lifestyles.

Healthy Fat foods for your diet. Heaton, L. Selected in-season nutritional strategies to enhance recovery for Team Sport Athletes: A practical overview. Sports Medicine , 47 11 , — de la Puente Yagüe, M. Role of vitamin D in athletes and their performance: Current concepts and new trends. Nutrients , 12 2 , Institute of Medicine.

Dietary Reference Intakes for Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, and Sulfate. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. All Categories Anatomy Audio Blogs Behavior Change Business More. BY: ISSA DATE: What Is Endurance? No One-Size-Fits-All Diet for Improved Endurance Events vary, as do athletes and your everyday personal training clients.

Endurance Athlete Macronutrient Needs Macronutrients are the basic components of the food we eat. How Many Carbohydrates Should Endurance Athletes Eat?

How Much Protein Should Endurance Athletes Eat? There are two different types of protein: Animal-based protein Plant-based protein Animal-based protein, as the name implies, is protein that comes from animals. Animal-based protein sources include: beef fish chicken eggs milk Plant-based protein is protein that comes from plants.

To keep those carb reservoirs fully stocked, she shared some specific carbohydrate intake goals she uses with elite runners for various distances:. Yes, this message surprised me—but read on to see what she meant.

One of the big trends in sports nutrition over the past decade has been the idea that, instead of just eating the same things every day, you should adjust your intake to match your expenditures. Olympic Committee that offers visual guidance for how you might eat during periods of light, moderate, and heavy training.

You can see the three plates here. On the easy training plate, vegetables and fruits take up half the plate. Grains and fats are good options, along with subtler tweaks. For example, the easy training plate includes only fresh fruit; the moderate and hard plates add stewed and dried fruits.

In practice, that means cutting way back on fiber for a few days. Researchers at Liverpool John Moores University in Britain tested this approach in a study published earlier this year. They had 19 volunteers cut back from their typical 30 grams of daily fiber to less than 10 for four straight days, while maintaining the same overall calorie content and macronutrient distribution in each meal.

The result: average weight loss of 1.

Sports Med ;31 10 : Article CAS Google Scholar. Noakes T. Fluid replacement during marathon running. Clin J Sport Med ;13 5 American College of Sports Medicine, American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada. Joint position stand on nutrition and athletic performance. J Am Diet Assoc ; Berning JR, Nelson Steen S.

Nutrition for Sport and Exercise. Maryland: Aspen Publishers; Burke L, Deakin V. Clinical Sports Nutrition. Sydney: McGraw-Hill; Burke LM, Kiens B, Ivy JL. Carbohydrates and fat for training and recovery. J Sport Sci ; Tarnopolsky M. Protein requirements for endurance athletes.

Nutrition ; CAS Google Scholar. Horvath PT, Eagen CK, Ryer-Calvin SO, Pendergast DR. The effects of varying dietary fat on the nutrient intake in male and female runners. J Am Coll Nutr ;l9 1 Lowery LM.

Dictary fat and sports nutrition: a primer. J Sport Sci Med ; Lambert EV, Goedecke JH. The role of dietary macronutrients in optimizing endurance performance. Curr Sport Med Rep ;2 4 Rowlands DS, Hopkins WG.

Effects of high-fat and high-carbohydrate diets on metabolism and performance in cycling. Metabolism ;51 6 Lambert EV, Goedecke JH, Zyle C, et al. High-fat diet versus habitual diet prior to carbohydrate loading: effects of exercise metabolism and cycling performance.

Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab ; 11 2 Helge JW. Adaptation to a fat-rich diet: effects on endurance performance in humans. Sports Med ;30 5 Ivy J. Regulation of muscle glycogen repletion, muscle protein synthesis and repair following exercise.

J Sports Sci Med ;3: Romano BC, Todd MK, Saunders MT. Med Sci Sports Exerc ;36 5 :SI Ivy JL, Res PT, Sprague RC, Widzer MO. Effect of a carbohydrate-protein supplement on endurance performance during exercise of varying intensity. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab ; Hsieh M.

Recommendations for treatment of hyponatremia at endurance events. Sports Med ; Speedy DB, Noakes TD, Rogeres IR, et al. Hyponatremia in ultradistance triathletes.

Med Sci Sports Exerc ;31 6 von Dullivard SP, Braun WR, Markofski M, Beneke R, Leithauser R. Fluids and hydration in prolonged endurance performance. Stamford B. Muscle cramps: untying the knots. Phys Sportmed ; Noakes TD. Fluid and electrolyte disturbances in the heat.

Int J Sports Med ;SI Eichner ER. Treatment of suspected heat illness. Int J Sports Med ; 19 :SI Chatard JC, Mujika I, Guy C, Lacour JR. Anaemia and iron deficiency in athletes: practical recommendations for treatment. Sports Med ;27 4 Nieman DC. Physical fitness and vegetarian diets: is there a relation?

Am J Clin Nutr ;S Loosli AR, Rudd JS. Meatless diets in female athletes: a red flag. Phys Sports Med ; American Dietetic Association. Position stand on vegetarian diets. Position stand on the female athlete triad. Med Sci Sports Exerc ;29 5 :i-ix. Dueck CA, Matt KS, Manore MM, Skinner JS.

Treatment of athletic amenorrhea with a diet and training intervention program. Int J Sport Nutr ; Joy E, Clark N, Ireland ML, Nattiv A, Varechok S. Team management of the female athlete triad. Benson JE, Englebert-Fenton KA, Eisenman PA. Nutritional aspects of amenorrhea in the female athlete triad.

Putukian M, Potera C. Phys Sportsmed ; Murray R. Fluid needs in hot and cold environments. Int J Sport Nutr ;S Shephard R. Metabolic adaptations to exercise in the cold. Askew EW. Nutrition for a cold environment. Kayser B. Nutrition and high altitude exposure. Int J Sports Med ;S Nutrition and energetics of exercise at altitude.

Lickteig JA. Exercise at high altitudes. In: Rosenbloom C, ed. Sports Nutrition: A Guide for the Professional Working with Active People. Chicago: The American Dietetic Association; Saunders MJ, Kane M, Todd MK. Effects of a carbohydrate-protein beverage on cycling endurance and muscle damage.

Gastrointestinal problems occur frequently, especially in long-distance races. Problems seem to be highly individual and perhaps genetically determined but may also be related to the intake of highly concentrated carbohydrate solutions, hyperosmotic drinks, as well as the intake of fibre, fat, and protein.

Hyponatraemia has occasionally been reported, especially among slower competitors with very high intakes of water or other low sodium drinks. Here I provide a comprehensive overview of recent research findings and suggest several new guidelines for the endurance athlete on the basis of this.

These guidelines are more detailed and allow a more individualized approach.

Sure, you may not need as much as you would in hotter weather, but your body still requires consistent replenishment of these minerals to maintain the optimal performance of many important bodily functions. Of course not. You fulfill your fueling requirements before the consequences of inadequate replenishment strike.

The same principle applies to electrolyte replenishment. Endurolytes , in capsule form, is an inexpensive, easy-to-dose, and easy-to-consume way to get your necessary electrolytes.

Use Endurolytes consistently during workouts and races to fulfill this crucial fueling need. When exercise extends beyond about two hours, your body begins to utilize some protein to fulfill its energy requirements, as you begin to derive glucose from amino acids.

If you fail to include protein in your fuel, your body has only one other choice: your own muscle! The longer your workout or race, the greater these problems are compounded. While carbohydrates are still the primary component of your fuel, it should include a small amount of protein when training sessions or races last longer than two to three hours.

For instance, compared to whey protein which is ideal for recovery , soy protein has higher levels of phenylalanine and tyrosine, which may aid in maintaining alertness during ultra-distance races.

Finally, soy protein has higher levels of aspartic acid, which plays an important role in energy production via the Krebs cycle.

For instance, compared to whey protein which is ideal for recovery , soy protein has higher levels of phenylalanine, which may aid in maintaining alertness during ultra-distance races. Soy has been observed to produce a higher degree of uric acid content than whey proteins.

Uric acid is reduced by excessive free radicals produced during exercise. When uric acid levels are higher, that is an indication of less free radical release due to antioxidant influence of the isoflavones found exclusively in soy.

This is one reason why soy may be the preferred dietary protein application during endurance exercise. Using Perpetuem or Sustained Energy as your primary fuel during workouts and races longer than two to three hours will satisfy energy requirements from a precise ratio of complex carbohydrates and Soy Protein , the latter of which helps protect against excess muscle breakdown.

You stay healthier, reduce soreness, and decrease recovery time. In the Race Across America RAAM , Jonathan Boyer rode to victory using a liquid diet as his primary fuel source. Since then, it has become the norm for endurance and ultra-endurance athletes.

Liquid nutrition is the easiest, most convenient, and most easily digested way to get a calorie and nutrient-dense fuel. Solid food, for the most part, cannot match the precision or nutrient density of the best liquid fuels.

In addition, too much solid food consumption will divert blood from working muscles for the digestive process.

Lastly, some of the calories ingested from solid foods are used up simply to break down and digest them; in essence, these calories are wasted. In fact, our position is that NO solid food is necessary even food as healthy as the Hammer Bar during workouts or races in the hour-or-under range.

If, however, you choose to consume solid food during your workouts or races, even during ultra distance events, we suggest you take heed to these two recommendations:. These provide precise amounts of specific nutrients and are designed for easy digestion, rapid nutrient utilization, and less chance of stomach distress.

Also, the numerous flavors and mixing options give you plenty of variety. If you do decide to consume solid food, use it sparingly and select high-quality foods such as the Hammer Bar. Are you guilty as well? These all must be tested and refined in training. Because all of the Hammer Nutrition fuels are complementary they all work well alone or in combination , you have all the flexibility you need to ensure that you can tailor a fueling program for any length of race, regardless of the conditions.

Use Hammer Nutrition fuels, try a variety of combinations in training, and keep a log of what works best for you. Endurance athletes tend to be strong-willed and uncompromising.

Smart athletes also have a strategy for their supplements and fueling. What does fine in terms of fueling — your hourly intake of fluids, calories, and electrolytes, during training at a slower pace and lower overall energy output, might fail during competition.

In the heat, it becomes more important to stay hydrated and maintain adequate electrolyte levels, so be willing to cut back on calorie consumption. Body fat stores, which satisfy up to two-thirds of energy requirements during prolonged exercise, will accommodate energy needs during occasional breaks from regular intervals of fuel consumption.

During the heat, fueling is still important, but the focus shifts towards maintaining hydration and proper electrolyte levels. Resume regular caloric intake when you start feeling more acclimated to the heat and your stomach has had some time to assimilate the fuel that it already has.

Many athletes think that the cure for a poor race is to train harder and longer. Instead of recuperating, many athletes will train themselves into the ground, usually ending up not fitter, but overtrained, with a poorly functioning immune system.

Remember that recovery is as important a part of your training and the achievement of your athletic goals as the actual training session. Make sure that you take your recovery as seriously as your training. Evaluate and adjust accordingly as race pace and weather dictate. Performance improvement depends on a program of exercise that stimulates muscular and cardiovascular adaptation followed by a recovery period in which the body rebuilds itself slightly more fit than before.

Thus, the real gain of exercise occurs during recovery, but only in the presence of adequate rest and nutritional support. Athletes who fail to replenish carbohydrates and protein shortly after workouts will never obtain full value from their efforts. So even though all you may want to do after a hard workout is get horizontal and not move for several hours, you must first take care of what might be the most important part of your workout: the replenishment of carbohydrates and protein.

Carbohydrate replenishment as soon as possible upon completion of a workout ideally within the first minutes takes advantage of high glycogen synthase activity, imperative to maximizing muscle glycogen, the first fuel the body uses when exercise commences.

Protein supplies the amino acids necessary to a maximize glycogen storage potential, b rebuild and repair muscle tissue, and c support optimal immune system function. This is also an ideal time to provide the body with cellular protection support in the form of antioxidants.

Because athletes use several times more oxygen than sedentary people, they are more prone to oxidative damage, which not only impairs recovery but is also considered a main cause of degenerative diseases.

The bottom line is that post-workout nutrition is an important component of your training, and properly done, allows you to obtain maximum benefit from your training. For more detailed information on this extremely important topic, please refer to the article, Recovery — A Crucial Component For Athletic Success.

Supplements to consider for providing antioxidants and supporting enhanced recovery are the Hammer Nutrition products Premium Insurance Caps, Race Caps Supreme, Mito Caps, Super Antioxidant, AO Booster, and Xobaline. Especially important for races is the adherence of these two rules:.

Either of these strategies will help top off liver glycogen stores which again, is the goal of pre-exercise calorie consumption without negatively affecting how your body burns its muscle glycogen.

Big mistake! You will not be able to positively influence your fitness level in the days leading up to the race; however, you can negatively impact your race by training during that time training meaning anything of significant duration or intensity.

If you are the type to train right up to the event, you will almost certainly underperform. The best performances in long-duration events are achieved by getting to the starting line well rested rather than razor sharp.

In doing so, you may find yourself not hitting on all cylinders during those first few minutes. In fact, you might even struggle a bit.

This contains three decades worth of knowledge gained helping athletes fuel successfully for every imaginable endurance endeavor. Please give me the FREE eBook "5 Secrets of Success" and subscribe me to your newsletter list. PROBLEM SOLVERS Bonking Dehydration Recovery Cramping Stomach Distress.

The major electrolyte in sweat is sodium with smaller amounts of potassium and magnesium. Loss of substantial amounts of sweat will inevitably reduce the body's reserve of these electrolytes, which can also impair performance. Conversely, excessive drinking can lead to hyponatremia severe enough to cause fatalities.

In addition to securing the right macronutrient distribution, athletes should be encouraged to make the most nutrient dense choices possible.

While a discussion of micronutrients is outside the scope of this article, if athletes are taking in adequate calories and making healthful food choices, they will be better protected against vitamin and mineral deficiencies as well. Timing also is critical and must be individualized to the sport and to each athlete.

Nutrients taken during endurance competition should be primarily carbohydrate sports rehydration beverages, carbohydrate gels and goos and other carbohydrates to deliver this valuable fuel when glycogen may be running low. Likewise, eating carbohydrates after a training session will enhance glycogen storage and some research indicates that a combination of carbohydrate and protein will further promote glycogen replenishment There are numerous considerations in designing nutrition protocols for individual athletes.

As with other any sport, maximizing the nutritional needs during endurance competition begins in training. The competitive advantage will definitely shift in favor of those athletes whose coaches and trainers recognize the fundamental value of fitness, acclimation, hydration, and nutrition for keeping athletes cooled and fueled.

Training can use up as much as 40 percent of an athlete's total daily energy expenditure and energy demands in competition can also be very high. Successful implementation of sport nutrition guidance requires that coaches, athletes, and support personnel are made aware of the practical benefits of adequate fluid replacement and nutrient needs.

Since the National Academy of Sports Medicine NASM has been the global leader in delivering evidence-based certifications and advanced specializations to health and fitness professionals. Our products and services are scientifically and clinically proven.

They are revered and utilized by leading brands and programs around the world and have launched thousands of successful careers. org Fitness CPT Nutrition CES Sports Performance Workout Plans Wellness. Fitness Sports Performance Nutrition Nutrition and the Endurance Athlete - Eating for Peak Performance.

By Dominique Adair, MS, RD Nutritional needs of the endurance athlete are aggressively studied and the days of the pre-marathon pasta dinner have been enhanced by a sophisticated understanding of how nutrients can improve long-duration performance.

The following all influence which fuel is predominant during activity: intensity anaerobic or aerobic of activity duration of activity conditioning of the athlete recovery time diet composition Muscles always use a mixture of fuels, never just one. Carbohydrates For Endurance Athletes Glucose, stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen, is vital to physical activity.

FatS for Endurance In contrast to dietary fat, body fat stores are of tremendous importance during physical activity, as long as the intensity is not too high and there is adequate O2 delivery to use fat as a fuel source.

Protein And Endurance Training While fat and carbohydrate represent the largest contribution of energy expenditure during exercise, the utilization of protein can also be significant. Not just a sum of the parts Regardless of how athletes divide up their macronutrients, if total energy intake is not adequate, performance will suffer 7.

Fluid Needs If organized in priority order, fluid would sit at the top of the list. To Sum it All Up In addition to securing the right macronutrient distribution, athletes should be encouraged to make the most nutrient dense choices possible.

Key Points Training can use up as much as 40 percent of an athlete's total daily energy expenditure and energy demands in competition can also be very high In addition to securing the right macronutrient distribution, athletes should be encouraged to make the most nutrient dense choices possible.

References The History of Gatorade, www. Retrieved on May 11, Lambert EV, Goedecke JH. The role of dietary macronutrients in optimizing endurance performance. Curr Sports Med Rep Aug ;2 4 Wilmore, JH, Costill, DL. Physical Energy: Fuel Metabolism, Nutrition Reviews ;SS Paul GL. Dietary protein requirements of physically active individuals.

Sports Med Sep;8 3 Tarnapolsky M. Protein requirements for endurance athletes. Nutrition ; Gaine PC, Pikosky MA, Martin WF, et al. Level of dietary protein impacts whole body protein turnover in trained males at rest.

M etabolism ; Hoffman CJ, Coleman E. An eating plan and update on recommended dietary practices for the endurance athlete. J Am Diet Assoc ; Nogueira JA, Da Costa, TH. Nutritional status of endurance athletes: what is the available information? Arch Latinoam Nutr Mar ;55 1 Knechtle, B et al.

Energy metabolism in long-term endurance sports: a case study. Schweiz Rundsch Med Prax Apr ;92 18 Murray R. Rehydration strategies--balancing substrate, fluid, and electrolyte provision. I nt J Sports Med Jun ;19 Suppl 2:S Sawka NM, Montain SJ. Fluid and electrolyte supplementation for exercise heat stress, Amer J Clin Nutr ;SS.

Murry R. Fluid and electrolytes in sports nutrition: A guide for the professional working with active people, 3 rd ed. Chicago: ADA; p 95 - Noakes T. Fluid replacement during marathon running.

Clin J Sport Med Sep ;13 5 Tipton, KD, et al. Timing of amino acid-carbohydrate ingestion alters anabolic response of muscle to resistance exercise. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab ;EE The Author. National Academy of Sports Medicine Since the National Academy of Sports Medicine NASM has been the global leader in delivering evidence-based certifications and advanced specializations to health and fitness professionals.