Selected In-Season Nutritional Strategies to Enhance Recovery for Team Sport Athletes: A Practical Overview

Abstract

Team sport athletes face a variety of nutritional challenges related to recovery during the competitive season. The purpose of this article is to review nutrition strategies related to muscle regeneration, glycogen restoration, fatigue, physical and immune health, and preparation for subsequent training bouts and competitions. Given the limited opportunities to recover between training bouts and games throughout the competitive season, athletes must be deliberate in their recovery strategy. Foundational components of recovery related to protein, carbohydrates, and fluid have been extensively reviewed and accepted. Micronutrients and supplements that may be efficacious for promoting recovery include vitamin D, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, creatine, collagen/vitamin C, and antioxidants. Curcumin and bromelain may also provide a recovery benefit during the competitive season but future research is warranted prior to incorporating supplemental dosages into the athlete’s diet. Air travel poses nutritional challenges related to nutrient timing and quality. Incorporating strategies to consume efficacious micronutrients and ingredients is necessary to support athlete recovery in season.

Dietary mistakes of Polish athletes in relation to the frequency of consuming foods recommended in the Swiss food pyramid for active people

“…A diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, legumes, and sprouts as well as seeds is an effective and safe way to meet the antioxidant needs of physically active people [14]. It has been confirmed that satisfying the increased nutritional needs, also in the field of antioxidants, accelerates muscle regeneration processes and glycogen resynthesis, counteracting fatigue and increasing immunity, while improving the efficiency of preparation for subsequent training and competitions [23,31].…”

“…The cited nutritional model emphasizes the special importance of water and other unsweetened beverages for the effective regulation of water and electrolyte balance, as well as vegetables and fruits (products with low and medium glycaemic index, rich in dietary fibre, potassium, magnesium, group B vitamins and antioxidants) for restoring antioxidant status and acid-base balance of the body under physical stress [5,19,23,32,39,42,49]. Incorrect nutritional choices and an unbalanced diet reduce exercise capacity, both indirectly (through negative impact on health and body composition) and directly (via improper nutritional preparation for exercise, improper hydration and weaker post-workout regeneration), and in combination with high intensity training, accelerate the development overtraining syndrome [19,30,39,42].…”

Consideraciones nutricionales en entrenamiento en altura

“…En la actualidad se está estudiando la adición de curcumina y bromelina a las bebidas de recuperación por su efecto en la reducción de la inflamación postejercicio (19) . De acuerdo con Jeukendrup, las necesidades nutricionales deben ser personalizadas y ajustadas en cada paciente y periodizadas de acuerdo con el plan de entrenamiento (20) .…”

Reposición del Glucógeno Muscular en la Recuperación del Deportista

“…De esta forma, cuando el entrenamiento y la recuperación se equilibran de manera apropiada, se producen adaptaciones fisiológicas positivas (Nieman & Mitmesser, 2017). Sin embargo, el deportista se enfrenta a múltiples variables que pueden influir en su recuperación, como nutrición (Beck, Thomson, Swift, & von (Nédélec et al, 2015), cambios de zona horaria (Simmons et al, 2015) y/o elevadas cargas de entrenamiento/competición (Heaton et al, 2017).…”