Topic 1. Nutrition for team sports

Résumé 0

Team sports are based on intermittent high-intensity activity patterns but the exact characteristics vary between and within codes, and from one game to the next. Despite the challenge of predicting exact game demands, performance in team sports is often influenced by nutritional preparation. Chronic issues include achieving ideal levels of muscle mass and body fat, and supporting the nutrient needs of daily training. Acute issues, both for training and in games, include strategies that allow the player to be well fuelled and hydrated over the duration of exercise. Each player should develop a plan of consuming fluid and carbohydrate according to the needs of their activity patterns, within the breaks that are provided in their sport. In seasonal fixtures, competition varies from a weekly game in some codes to two to three games over a weekend road trip in others, with a tournament fixture usually involving one to three days between matches. Recovery between events is a major priority, involving rehydration, refuelling and repair/adaptation interventions. Some sports supplements may be of value to the team sport athlete. Sports drinks, carbohydrate gels and liquid meal supplements may be valuable in allowing nutritional goals to be met, while caffeine, creatine and buffering agents may directly enhance competition performance.