Special Considerations in Sports Nutrition

Calorie needs decrease after college for athletes.

Masters athletes might need vitamins/minerals adjusted

Vegetarians need to combine plant-based proteins to get all essential amino acids.

Different types exist, like Lacto-ovo, vegan, pesco.

Meal planning, cooking, and grocery shopping are vital for maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle choices after college.

A type of diabetes where the pancreas doesn't produce enough insulin, requiring insulin injections for treatment. It's often diagnosed in children and young adults.

A type of diabetes where the pancreas produces enough or too much insulin, but the body's cells don't respond properly to it (insulin resistance). It's often managed with medication, diet, and exercise, and common in middle-aged and older adults.

Symptoms of diabetes can include excessive thirst, frequent urination, unexplained weight loss, excessive hunger, poor wound healing, dizziness, headaches, and blurred vision.

Requires precise self-monitoring, including insulin dosage adjustments to manage blood glucose levels before, during, and after exercise.

Typically easier to manage than Type 1, exercise enhances glucose uptake, reducing the need for constant insulin adjustments.

Before exercising, athletes must consider blood glucose levels to adjust insulin dosage, timing, and composition of meals. Monitoring and adjustments are critical before exercise.

High blood sugar.

Low blood sugar.

Athletes should have consistent daily eating routines with similar carbohydrate intake at meals and snacks.

Athletes with diabetes need 15-30 grams of carbs every 30-60 minutes while exercising, using options like sports drinks, gels, or fruit bars.

Closely monitor athletes for hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and hyperglycemia (high blood sugar).

Pregnant athletes need extra calories (25-800 kcals/day) beyond the average (300 per day), particularly in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters.

Pregnant athletes need slightly more protein (20-25 extra grams daily), easily met with proper overall nutrition.

Folate is crucial for DNA synthesis, red blood cell formation, and nervous system development during pregnancy.

Vitamin C helps with collagen, hormone, and immune function, and improves iron absorption.

Intensity, volume, physician, and dietary recommendations need to be taken into consideration when athletes participate in sports.

Increase vitamin A intake to 750-770 µg (RAE) daily for cell function and immunity.

Increase magnesium intake by 40 mg to 350-360 mg daily for muscle and energy.

Increase iron intake to 27 mg daily for red blood cell production and oxygen delivery.

Caloric intake should cover growth and sports needs.

Children need good fluid intake, are less heat tolerant.

Children and teens (9-18) need 1,300 mg of calcium daily.

Varying iron needs by gender and age (8-15 mg/day) for healthy growth and development.

College athletes need to plan meals, manage calories, and avoid skipping meals or alcohol.