Sports nutrition

Who is this guide for?

This information guide presents the benchmarks published by scientific societies and health agencies for people who train. It does not replace the opinion of a doctor or sports dietitian, which the joint position stand of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada and the American College of Sports Medicine (2016) recommends for drawing up a personalised plan. No nutrition strategy guarantees a sporting result.

Energy needs

The greater the activity, the more energy expenditure increases. To understand how a daily requirement is calculated and what the activity level covers, seeHow many calories per day?. The 2016 position stand stresses that an energy intake insufficient relative to expenditure can harm health and performance: this is one of the points where professional support is most useful.

Carbohydrates before, during and after exercise

Carbohydrates are the main fuel for sustained efforts. The 2016 position stand (Thomas, Erdman, Burke) proposes benchmarks that depend on duration and intensity. These are consensus benchmarks for athletes, not individual prescriptions.

• Day to day: 3 to 5 g per kilo per day for light activity, 5 to 7 g for about 1 h per day, 6 to 10 g for 1 to 3 h per day of moderate to intense effort, 8 to 12 g beyond 4 to 5 h per day.
• Beforean effort of more than 60 minutes: 1 to 4 g per kilo, taken 1 to 4 h before. Foods rich in fat, protein or fibre may be best avoided just before the event to limit digestive problems.
• During: nothing is needed under 45 minutes; small amounts between 45 and 75 minutes; 30 to 60 g per hour between 1 h and 2 h 30; up to 90 g per hour beyond 2 h 30 to 3 h.
• After: when fewer than 8 h separate two demanding sessions, 1 to 1.2 g per kilo per hour during the first 4 hours, with small regular intakes where possible.

The same document specifies that the athlete should practise in advance to find a plan that suits them, including for digestive comfort.

Protein

For people who train, the 2017 position stand of the International Society of Sports Nutrition estimates that 1.4 to 2.0 g per kilo per day is enough for most people to build or maintain muscle mass. Details, with the population benchmark from EFSA and ANSES, are inHow much protein per day?. For recovery, the 2016 position stand indicates 0.25 to 0.3 g per kilo, i.e. 15 to 25 g, within two hours after exercise.

Hydration

According to the 2016 position stand, the drinking plan should aim to limit body weight loss from sweating to less than 2% during exercise. A plan that suits most athletes is 0.4 to 0.8 L per hour, but it must be adapted to tolerance, heat and each person's experience. The text also stresses that, conversely, drinking more than one's losses is the main cause of hyponatraemia, which can be serious.

Before exercise, the document cites 5 to 10 mL per kilo in the 2 to 4 h beforehand.

Salt and sweating

Sweat contains sodium, on average around 1 g per litre according to the 2016 position stand. The text indicates that sodium should be provided during exercise especially in cases of heavy sweating (more than 1.2 L per hour), very salty sweat, or effort lasting more than 2 h. Professional advice specifies individual needs.

Exercise and recovery snacks

The 2016 consensus does not set a list of foods. It specifies that foods and drinks rich in carbohydrates, easy to consume, help achieve the goals, and that choices rich in fat, protein or fibre may be best avoided just before exercise for digestive comfort. After exercise, small regular intakes can help when recovery time is short.

Supplements, energy drinks and protein products

Dietary supplements and fortified foods for athletes (protein, amino acids, plant extracts) are the subject of awarning from ANSES. In its news item of 17 July 2024, the agency reports that 154 new adverse effects were reported to nutrivigilance between 2016 and February 2024, including 18 very serious ones, with two deaths and four people whose life was at risk. Cardiovascular effects are the most common.

ANSES also points out the fraudulent presence of prohibited substances (anabolic steroids, clenbuterol, ephedrine) in some products, which poses a health risk and can result in a positive anti-doping test. It recommends not combining several products or taking them with medicines, seeking the advice of a doctor or sports dietitian, choosing products that comply with the EN 17444:2021 standard, and avoiding internet purchases.

"Energy drinks" is a marketing term with no regulatory definition, not to be confused with sports drinks. ANSES states that they have no nutritional value during exercise and recommends avoiding them before or during physical activity.

"Fitness" products and claims

A pack that evokes performance, muscle mass or fitness says nothing about the actual composition. To read these claims with perspective, seeMarketing traps. On Yumiq, the product page shows the number of additives detected (harmless, to watch, risky), and the Yumiq-Score penalises controversial additives assessed by EFSA and ANSES.

Key takeaways

• Carbohydrates: the benchmarks depend on the duration of effort, from 3 to 5 g per kilo per day up to 8 to 12 g for very high volumes.
• Protein: 1.4 to 2.0 g per kilo per day according to the ISSN (2017) for most active people.
• Hydration: aim to limit weight loss to less than 2%, without drinking beyond one's losses.
• Supplements: official ANSES warning, advice from a professional before taking any.

Sources

• Thomas, Erdman, Burke - Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance (2016)
• Jäger et al. - International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise (2017)
• ANSES - Sports supplements and fortified foods: at-risk consumption (17 July 2024)
• ANSES - Energy drinks: what are the health effects?