Sportsguide Multisport Magazine

COMMON NUTRITIONAL MISTAKES WITH ROWENA CURR RD(SA) CONSULTING DIETICIAN.

 By bianca on November 9th, 2009

Good nutrition plays an important role in maintaining good health and enhancing performance. However, athletes are often bombarded with information and advice from disreputable sources, which can be detrimental to both their performance and health.

The following advice should ring warning bells in your ears…

Low carbohydrate diets

Carbohydrates are critical for optimal performance, as exercising muscles rely on carbohydrates as the main source of fuel. Carbohydrates are also vital for brain functioning.
Regular training depletes our glycogen (carbohydrate) stores which can result in muscle breakdown and loss of lean body mass and strength, if our daily carbohydrate intake is inadequate.

An insufficient intake of carbohydrates can also result in:

• A lack of energy
• Fatigue
• Loss of concentration
• A compromised immune system
• Delayed recovery
• Increase in injuries
• Poor performance

Over restricting energy intake

By not eating enough food you will not be getting all the nutrients your body needs.
This can result in:

• Chronic fatigue
• Frequent injuries (e.g. stress fractures)
• Irritability
• Inability to concentrate
• Depression
• Suppressed immunity
• Poor performance
• Female athletes can develop amenorrhea (menstrual dysfunction), and subsequent decreased bone mineral density and osteoporosis.
• The energy needs of athletes range from 2000kcal to 6000kcal. Restricting your intake to much less than this can lead to medical complications that may be fatal, such as cardiac failure.

Overuse of protein shakes

Your body can only use a certain amount of protein (<2g/kg body weight). It is very easy to meet your protein requirements by eating a moderate amount of protein-rich foods.

Any excess protein:

• Will be broken down to be used as energy (however, it is not an efficient source of fuel)
• Excreted as urea (this can place unnecessary strain on your kidneys, if it happens regularly)
• Stored as fat (which can result in weight gain)
• Very high amounts of protein can also lead other problems such as dehydration, gout and osteoporosis.

If you feel you need to take a protein supplement, then it is a good idea to get your diet assessed by a dietician to ensure that your protein intake is adequate to meet your requirements.

Reliance on nutritional supplements

Supplements cannot replace a well-planned diet. They should only be used in certain situations where you know that your diet cannot provide all the nutrients you need.
The danger with using supplements is that there is no governing body in South Africa that controls or regulates the supplement industry.

There is increasing evidence that this lack of control has led to:

• A significant number of supplements not containing ingredients listed on the label supplements containing substances that can be harmful to your health supplements containing banned substances that could result in a positive doping test
• Many of the supplements marketed as having performance-enhancing properties have little scientific evidence to back up the claims made, and they are usually very expensive.
• Be careful of taking mega doses of any vitamins or minerals, as these can be very dangerous in amounts greater than your requirements.
• Always check with a sports physician or dietician whether any supplement you are considering taking is safe and/or appropriate.

Excluding fat completely from your diet

A lower fat diet is essential for optimal performance. Although fat is a concentrated source of energy, it is not a readily available source of energy during exercise.
Dietary fat is easily stored as fat in the body, and excess body fat can be detrimental to performance, as it is simply additional dead weight that will have to be hauled up any mountain climbs.
However, a small amount of healthy fat in your diet is essential for providing and absorbing fat soluble vitamins and essential fatty acids, as well as enhancing your immune system, providing insulation, and keeping your organs protected.

rowenacurr@gmail.com

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