Protein Intake in NCAA Division 1 Soccer Players: Assessment of Daily Amounts, Distribution Patterns, and Leucine Levels as a Quality Indicator

Abstract

Dietary protein is required to support recovery and adaptation following exercise training. While prior research demonstrates that many athletes meet total daily protein needs, intake seems to be predominantly skewed toward the evening meal. An even distribution of protein doses of ≥0.24 g/kg BW consumed throughout the course of a day is theorized to confer greater skeletal muscle anabolism outcomes compared to a skewed pattern of intake. Protein quality is also an important dietary consideration for athletes, with the amino acid leucine seemingly serving as the primary driver of the postprandial anabolic response. The present study investigates protein consumption characteristics among a cohort of NCAA D1 soccer players and evaluates differences between male and female athletes. Athletes were instructed to complete 3-day food diaries, which were subsequently analyzed and compared to UEFA expert group-issued nutrition guidelines for soccer players. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner accounted for 81.4% of the total daily dietary protein intake. Most athletes (77.8%) ingested optimum amounts of protein at dinner but not at breakfast (11.1%) or lunch (47.2%). In addition, statistically significant sex-based differences in daily dietary protein intake, meal-specific protein amounts, and protein quality measures were detected. Findings indicate suboptimal dietary protein intake practices among the collegiate soccer athletes.

Dietary intake and adherence to the Mediterranean diet in semi-professional female soccer players: a cross-sectional study

“…Morning snacks provided insufficient amounts of protein, while the main intake came from dinner and after dinner snacks. Consistent with our findings, Kwon et al found that dinner was the highest protein containing meal, whose intake was uneven distributed across meals, in both male and female soccer players (42).Even though the low number of subjects involved, the present results suggest that athletes adequately met total protein requirements, but food sources and timing should be better emphasized.…”

The Relationship Between Eating Patterns With Anemia Status In Adolescent Girls At Mtsn 1 Deli Serdang

“…So it can be concluded that there is a relationship between the amount of breakfast eaten and anemia status. The results of this study are in line with (Afritayeni 2019) where there is a relationship between the amount of food and hemoglobin levels in adolescent girls at SMP Negeri 20 Pekabnbaru (p = 0,028) (Kwon et al, 2023). Table 7 shows that in the analysis of the relationship between food frequency and anemia status of 32 respondents with a frequency of eating once a day, there were 2 respondents (14.3%) who had anemia and 31 respondents out of 13 respondents (35.7%) who had anemia in the <3 times a week category.…”

Fulfillment of Nutrition Intake of Volleyball Athletes to Achieve Achievement: A Systematic Review

“…As a meal plan, nutrition is important because it can help you perform better and consume more macro, micro, and fluid nutrients. As indicated by Kwon et al, (2023), volleyball athletes must pay close attention to their nutrition on match days, during training, body composition, stressful environments, cultural diversity, and dietary considerations, as well as food supplements.…”