PE FINAL SAC (Chapters 12 and 13)

Chapter 12: Performance Enhancement from a Dietary Perspective

Sports Nutrition:
It is essential that athletes consume the correct balance of nutrients to supply the body with the energy
needed for physical activity and to aid in recover after exercise.
The timing and types of food are vital to enhancing our sporting performances
Each sport has different nutritional requirements
Individuals need to set a dietary program to suit their needs

Pre-exercise Meals
Food is only useful when it has been digested and/or absorbed
Foods high in fat, protein and fibre take longer to digest than other foods and may increase gastric upsets
Performers should have a meal 3-4 hours before exercise or a light snack 1-2 hours before exercise
During long lasting training or performances (60+ mins) carbohydrates and fluids need to be increased

Dietary Performance Enhancing Practices
Carbohydrates: broken down into glucose and transported in the bloodstream as a source of energy to fuel
working muscles. Glucose stored as glycogen in liver and muscles if the body does not require it immediately.
CHO depletion is a major source of fatigue during exercise.
Carbohydrate Loading:
Maximise muscle and liver glycogen (CHO) and prolong
carbohydrates as the main fuel source and decrease the
bodys reliance on fats
3-4 days of exercise tapering while following a high
carbohydrate diet (7-10g/kg) raise muscle glycogen stores
by 200-300% prior to an event. This delays fatigue, allows
athlete to maintain higher exercise intensities for longer
without reaching LIP Lactate Inflection Point. (hitting the
wall).
Performance benefits:
Allows endurance athlete to maintain fastest pace for a
longer period of time
Avoids depletion of glycogen stores, depletion of CHO causes increase in use of fats for energy, fats
have a higher oxygen cost than CHO, resulting in a reduction of intensity.
Possible side effects:
Increases water absorption, causing bloated feeling
Sports in which the aid could be used:
Endurance athletes in events of 90 minutes or more in duration
Marathon
Tour de France
Triathlon

Carbohydrates during recovery:
For first 2 hours during recovery, blood is still being sent to muscles in large quantities and muscles still
taking up glucose. High GI foods (Glycaemic Index) good for rapid recovery of muscle glycogen stores.
Ranks food from 0-100 according to how much they raise blood sugar over 2hr period compared to pure
glucose. E.g. GI score of 70 means it will raise blood sugar by 70% in a 2hr period.
Low GI: foods consumed before endurance event lead to glycogen sparing
Moderate GI: foods consumed during, to increase CHO availability and enhance performance.
High GI: foods that quickly replenish CHO stores during recovery.

Hydration and Diet:
Important to consume food and fluids containing CHO within 20mins of completing exercise.

Avoiding Dehydration:
Condition Dehydration Heat Exhaustion Heat Stroke
Symptoms Thirst
Fatigue
Loss of performance
Dizziness
Headache
Weakness
Loss of coordination
Belligerence
Drowsiness
Nausea
Fainting or dizziness
Action - Rehydrate with sports drink.
Fluid + CHO can prevent
fatigue.
Stop exercise and replace
fluids. Rehydration is critical.
Rest in cool, shaded area
Lie with legs raised = venous
return
Remove self from heat and seek
medical attention
Rapid cooling necessary via ice
baths or other methods

Hyponatraemia:
Result of drinking too much plain water causing low concentration of sodium in blood.
Good sodium balance necessary for transmitting nerve impulses and muscle function.

Dehydration and Sports Drinks:
Sports drinks: flavoured drinks that rehydrate, replace electrolytes and refuel carbohydrates
Electrolytes: essential minerals than can move water from one area to another by osmosis. Enable fluid to
be absorbed quickly from the stomach, and stimulate thirst to promote drinking.
Higher CHO levels in drinks = slower the rate of stomach emptying

Benefits of Sports Drinks:
Hydrate + replace CHO rapidly = delays fatigue and enhances performance.
Tastes better than water = greater consumption of fluid
Presence of electrolytes (sodium) stimulates thirst and promotes further drinking.


Disadvantages:
Hypertonic may risk dehydration due to high amounts of HO and reduced water content
Hypotonic dont provide enough electrolytes and CHO for longer events
Strong taste of hypertonic + isotonic can be unpalatable for some.

Isotonic Drinks:
Same osmolality as the bodys own fluids, containing between 4-8g of CHO per 100mL.
Glucose bodys preferred source of energy. Isotonic drink = glucose concentration 4-8% therefore ideal
choice for helping with hydration.

Hypotonic Drinks:
Low osmolality, contains fewest carbohydrate and electrolyte particles.
More dilated therefore absorbed at faster rate than plain water. Generally contain less than 4g of
CHO/100mL.
Quickly replace fluid lost by sweating.
Most suitable for athletes who need fluid without added boost of CHO or electrolytes.

Hypertonic Drinks:
Higher osmolality than bodys own fluids, therefore absorption is slower than water. Contain approx. 8g of
CHO/100mL.
Normally taken after exercise to top up muscle glycogen stores.

Carbohydrate Gels:
Concentrated form of CHO and provide large fuel boost in high CHO diet and when CHO loading.
Must be consumed with water, otherwise it is not going to be absorbed quickly enough to top up fuel
stores.

Oral VS Intravenous Hydration
Oral hydration: consumption of fluids via the mouth
Intravenous (IV) Hydration: administration of fluid (typically saline solution & may contain glucose)
through a vein.
Used for fluid replacement where athletes have lost consciousness, and/or unable to drink.

Caffeine:
Stimulates the CNS and respiration.
Can be used in High intensity exercise of 20mins OR Medium-High intensity events of more than 90mins
Improves muscle contractility
Believed to have glycogen sparing effect = more fat used as fuel and reducing/postponing muscular
fatigue
Side effects: insomnia, increased BP and HR, dehydration


Creatine Supplementation:
Creatine: amino acid, occurs naturally in meat, eggs and fish
Mainly taken by athletes relying on speed, power, and explosive muscle contractions. (throwing and
jumping events). Therefore delays PC depletion and decreases reliance on anaerobic glycolysis for
resynthesis of ATP, delaying onset of fatigue.
Side effects: kidney problems, muscle cramps, gastric upsets.

Protein Supplementation:
Enhances 20 amino acids needed for immune system and hormone production system.
Used to construct and repair muscles, and prevent sports anemia by promoting increased synthesis of
haemoglobin.
Generally provide very high levels of protein, but have not been proven to provide athletes with any
benefits to performance.























Chapter 13: Physiological Strategies to Enhance Recovery
Recovery:
Aims to physiologically and psychologically restore performer to pre-exercise levels in the shortest possible
time.
Recovery process improved = training adaptations will occur fully and quicker.
Hydrotherapy: broadly defined as external application of water (any form or temp) for healing and recovery
purposes.
Contrast water therapy (hot and cold)
Cryotherapy (cold)
Thermotherapy (hot)
Pool and beach sessions
Mineral baths

Contrast Water Therapy:
Alternating submersion of the body into hot and cold water.
Can use hot/cold water in showers
Science: Vasoconstriction (cold), Vasodilation (hot). = muscle pump and blood flow = increased oxygen to
muscles and decrease by-products. Increases hydrostatic pressure (compression) = increased blood flow
effect.
Benefits: removal of waste products, increased supply of O
2
} circulation
Decrease severity of DOMS (delayed onset of muscle soreness)
Decrease inflammation/swelling

Cryotherapy:
Therapeutic use of COLD to cool the body
Ice packs used for localised soft tissue injuries to decrease leakage of blood into muscle tissue (swelling),
therefore decrease swelling and pain
Cold water immersion involves dunking whole or part of body in ice baths.
Benefits: decreased inflammation (swelling) via decreased blood flow (vasoconstriction)
Can decrease perception of pain
Decrease core body temperature, therefore maintain homeostasis.
Decrease impact of dehydration
Can reduce muscle spasms








Thermotherapy:
Only to be used 48-72 hours after to assist in recovery of soft tissue injury
Should be supervised (danger of increased core body temp)
- Should be avoided in hot environments (increased body temp and dehydration)
- Increased blood flow, therefore dangerous immediately following soft tissue injury
Very important to rehydrate after
Psychological recovery benefit - can help athlete feel relaxed.
Benefits: increased blood flow (increased removal waste and increased Oxygen)
Decreased muscle spasms
Increased ROM around a joint and muscle elasticity
Increased feelings of relaxation

Pool and Beach Session:
Salt water is denser that pool water and has greater compressive effects
Basically it increases buoyancy, which is thought to enable and increase relaxation of muscles.
Stretching is often performed concurrently with water immersion to further increase blood flow and
decrease DOMS.
Benefits: decreased swelling normalising oxygen delivery the increased blood flow
Decreased impact of Doms
Increased ROM (range of motion) and allows the muscles to relax

Compression Garments:
Used for treating soft tissue in injury (RICE) - Restrict blood flow
Worn by sports people/ everyday people - increase blood flow
- Creates a controlled compression gradient between the body and skin
Benefits: increased blood flow (decrease waste and increase oxygen)
Decrease venous pooling
Decrease DOMS

Spas and Mineral Springs:
Known as Balneotherapy: promotes recovery and also facilitates healing from injury and illness.
Benefits: increases hydrostatic pressure on the body = increasing blood circulation and cell oxygenation.
Bathing in thermal water increases metabolism

HBOT: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Chambers that are pressurized with 100% pure O
2

Under this pressure, much larger amount of O
2
is dissolved into blood.
Benefits: enhances removal of waste products by detoxifying blood
Stimulates immune system
Lessens muscle stiffness


Sleep and Rest:
Rest important contributor to cell repair and overall recovery process
Recommended 7-9 hours sleep each night
Insufficient sleep = increases chance of injury from overtraining
Sleep allows total physiological and psychological rest
Benefits: allows for growth and rejuvenation of immune, nervous and muscular systems
Promotes alertness and concentration
Maintains mental, emotional and physical health

Massage:
Manipulation of bodys soft tissue (mainly muscles) by applying pressure with hands.
Benefits: Assist with stimulation of blood flow to areas of the body that have been stressed during training
Decrease muscle tension and stiffness
Reduced impact of DOMS