Good nutrition is just not that simple.
But there is good research and there are reliable recommendations available.
If you’re an endurance athlete, here is a comprehensive article from researchers at UCDavis on Energy Availability, Macronutrient Intake, and Nutritional Supplementation for Improving Exercise Performance in Endurance Athletes.**
It is a detailed look at today’s science for endurance performance.
Topics investigated include:
- Energy Availability
- Carbohydrate
- Fat (ketones/ketosis)
- Protein
- Fluid
- Micronutrients
- Nutritional Supplements
- Beetroot
- Caffeine
It concludes with a summary of recommendations with references supporting all the work done. This is what good science does.
What you eat, how much and when you eat it all make a difference in how your body can perform. If you are an athlete looking for an edge, it’s essential to know the facts and the science behind what helps, what hurts and what’s just a sales pitch.
If you’re serious about your sports, take your nutrition seriously. Do your homework.
** Published as Energy Availability, Macronutrient Intake, and Nutritional Supplementation for Improving Exercise Performance in Endurance Athletes, authored by, Casazza, Gretchen, A., PhD; Tovar, Ashley, P., MS, RD; Richardson, Christine, E., MS; Cortez, Angela, N., MD; Davis, Brian, A., MD, FACSM. Published in Current Sports Medicine Reports: June 2018 – Volume 17 – Issue 6 – p 215–223.