The World of Sports Nutrition

The World of Sports Nutrition

 By Eddy Sutio

Advancements in medicine and an increase in capitalism in the world as well as other factors all contributed to the development of the field of sports nutrition.

As scientists learned more and more about our bodies and the optimum level of strength and physical fitness they can harbor, businessmen jumped the gun and manufactured products and services that actually help athletes meet these optimum levels. The media joined in the ruckus and published materials leading to the promotion of both the scientific and the commercial side of the field.

Sports nutrition has been changing through the years around the world. It’s not just that the topics are different – the emphasis and approach have also changed.

Peak Performance, a sports magazine carried an article on dehydration in runners on October 1990, its maiden issue. This article compared the benefits of plain water with those of dilute glucose solutions, which are more isotonic and therefore absorbed more rapidly.

Today, go into almost any supermarket, convenience stores and even school cafeterias and you’ll find a ready supply of sports drinks aimed at maintaining hydration just like glucose solutions. 

The difference is that by using soluble long-chain glucose polymers instead of simple glucose, it’s now possible to create an isotonic hydrating drink which also supplies significant amounts of carbohydrate to working muscles. And, the good thing is, sports drinks also taste better.

More than 10 years ago, it was made public that muscle damage brought about by free-radicals may be reduced by having supplements of antioxidant vitamins A, C and E. Years after, antioxidant supplementation became a norm in the world of sports nutrition.

Now, researchers are also beginning to understand that muscle damage is a more complex subject.  It is difficult to assess free radical damage in athletes and it has been found out that large amounts of antioxidant nutrients may actually cause cellular damage and impair performance.

The “Carbo loading” technique has been widely used over the years by athletes all over the world. A carbohydrate-rich diet is important in maintaining muscle glycogen stores thus ensuring high endurance levels.

However, in the 1990’s it became clear that the ‘glycaemic index’ and release rate of different carbohydrates had important influence on when they should best be consumed in relation to physical activity.

The relationship of carbohydrates and proteins were also discovered namely that carbohydrates promote protein-sparing in the body. It was also discovered recently that consuming carbohydrates before and during prolonged bouts of strenuous exercise can help protect the immune system.

One of the most exciting recent developments in sports nutrition has been the rise of creatine supplementation. The use of creatine is now very common. Creatine renews the muscles essential energy source, ATP or adenosine triphosphate. Increased levels in muscles optimizes energy turnover meaning you’ll more energy for high power exercise and faster recovery during and after workouts. Creatine also increases the athlete’s maximum effort, delays fatigue and therefore prolongs endurance.

New wisdom and therefore new products have definitely enabled athletes to fuel themselves better, work harder, train longer and recover more rapidly. However, as in any kind of innovation there will always be downsides.

Nutritional supplements available to most athletes in the 80’s were very straightforward. Some athletes took drugs but the boundaries between nutritional supplements and drugs clear. Today, the race to find new formulas to boost performance has resulted to the availability of sports nutrition supplements which do not really occur naturally. The result is that the distinction between a nutrient and a performance-enhancing substance has become increasingly blurred.

Some of these supplements contain ingredients that can cause athletes to violate the rules and regulations governing their sport because of unintentional contamination by other, ‘exotic’, substances present in the supplement manufacturing environment.

More developments will be created in the world of sports nutrition and these will definitely spawn ethical questions. “Nutrigenomics”—the relationship between genetics and nutrition—will be more researched upon.

As scientists become more skilled at discovering the processes of our genes, it will be possible that rather than adopting a general approach for sports nutrition, athletes around the world will be genetically tested to help them determine precise individual requirements for optimum health.

The next years will predictably be more exciting for the world of sports nutrition.

The Search for the Best Online Dating Service

Criterias for you to Consider

By Eddy Sutio

Welcome to the newest and easiest matchmaking phenomenon of this era—the online dating!

The online dating service is the newest and the easiest way of meeting new individuals from different places for various purposes—whether for dating men and women, friendship, business partners, or partners in life. You do not need to waste your precious time sorting out your phone directory or joining different dating games in television just to find that dream date of yours or look for new friends to talk to and to be with. Simply latch on to the Internet, sit back right in front of your computer, and start browsing profiles of different individuals. 

Because of the sudden boost of popularity of online dating service, you will find out that there are now a plethora of them. Some would probably get confused as to what is the best online dating service that will cater to your purpose. It may also make you give up (if you do not have that enough patience) and return to the old traditional ways of meeting new people. 

Internet dating, free online dating, Internet singles dating, and dating personals. These are just few of the possible variations of online dating services. 

Take note: These are just few of the possible variations. In other words, there are still many of them and expect that the network will grow as the time pass by. 

Still scratching your head and wondering the best online dating service for you? Please read on the rest of this article and use the criteria that will be discussed to find that best online dating service that will help you find the personalities you are looking for. 

Think about your Expenses

Remember that not all online dating services are free. Sometimes, online dating services that offer membership fees provide the best dating service to its members. If you will prefer dating services that require membership fees, always think of the expenses you might incur. Determine if you are willing to spend for such service and that you can pay your membership dues on time. If you think that you cannot afford to avail of the services of paid online dating services, you might consider free online dating services. 

Always Seek for Invaluable Recommendations

If this is your first time to go dating online, it is wise to ask for some recommendations from your friends or relatives who have already tried different online dating services. You may be able to come up with incredible ideas out of their recommendations. 

Do some Research

Since you are dealing with online dating services, why don’t you use the Internet to search for the best dating services? You may use major search engines to locate them. In addition, you may also base your search on your own interests. There are various online dating services that cater to specific needs such as sexual preferences, religion, inter- or intra-racial affiliations, and others. 

Features of the Best Online Dating Service

To guide you further on your selection, here are some of the features you can consider when choosing for the best online dating service:

•Privacy- some of your personal details will not be divulged to other members of a particular online dating service for security purposes. You may check their privacy terms for additional information about this feature.

•Messaging and chat service- this feature enables you to send instant messages to individuals of the same interests as yours without divulging your email address and other important personal details.

•Statistical reports- this feature enables you to track down the individuals who have sent you messages, viewed your personal profile, or bookmarked your personal page.

•Local dating match- if you want to find matches within your locality, this feature should be included in your criteria for the best online dating service. You do not have to travel abroad or on other parts of the country just to meet and know your match personally. 

Grab a Free Trial

Paid online dating services also offer free trial of their services. You may take the advantage of trying their services and see if it they can actually help you in your quest for some perfect date match. Furthermore, this will also give you an idea of the potential mates that you want to meet before signing on to any dating service.

Always find the best and the right online dating service and start filling your dull love life with lively colors!

The Feminine Side of Sports Nutrition

By EdySutio

Women have an entirely different body system compared to males. That is why your, assuming you are a woman with interest in sports, nutritional needs are different too. And like men, women are also capable of involving themselves in sports.

Sports nutrition for women is also different. Women involved in sports and regular exercise have some special nutritional needs. Although the basic principles of sports nutrition for you and men are similar, you, and the other women, involved in regular sports activities do have some increased needs for certain nutrients.

This is because you are prone and at risk of dietary deficiencies. This does not mean to say that men are completely immune, only that since women have ongoing cycles inside their body, it is highly imperative for them to keep nutrients up to be able to prevent disorders.

The key nutritional issues in sports nutrition for women include calcium and iron. Weight control and eating disorders are also concerns of sports nutrition for women. You need these nutrients for their body to perform properly.

There still has been no scientific explanation for this, but it is in truth that women are very conscious of weight. So having a normal weight will give you a healthy psychological system.

Calcium is a mineral that plays an essential role in growth. In sports, muscle and mind coordination is important. It also helps in muscle contraction and transmission of nerve impulses.

Another area where it is very helpful is in the development and maintenance of strong bones. It will really play a big part in the sports nutrition for women.

Having adequate amounts of calcium during your childhood and adolescence is important for deveoping an optimal peak in bone mass by your mid twenty’s to your early thirty’s. This will then help you reduce your risk of acquiring osteoporosis or the thinning of your bones.

Some women who are into sports are at risk of inadequate calcium intake, while some are at risk of early osteoporosis due to the absence of appropriate amount of calcium, or an irregularity of their menstrual cycle. So conclusively, sports nutrition for women should have higher intakes of calcium.

There is a list of recommended dietary intakes of calcium for sports women according to their ages. For girls with ages twelve to fifteen, they must have at least one thousand milligrams of calcium per day. For teenagers with ages sixteen to eighteen, on the other hand, should have a normal calcium intake per day, which is eight hundred milligrams. For women who are having their menstrual periods, they should also take eight hundred milligrams of calcium a day.

Post menopausal women should have at least one thousand milligrams per day of calcium, while women who are pregnant and who are also breastfeeding should have one thousand two hundred milligrams per day.

And, not to be the least, sportswomen who have an absent or an irregular menstrual cycle, they should have at least one thousand to one thousand five hundred milligrams in a day. It is detrimental for women to meet their required calcium intake for normal functioning.

The mineral iron is used in forming hemoglobin, which is essential in holding the oxygen in the blood as they are being transported to various parts of the body. It is also an essential nutrient for energy production and immunity.

Athletes are more prone to iron deficiencies than anyone else in the world. Women are at a bigger risk because they continually lose blood as they undergo the cyclical process of menstruation. Plus, strenuous exercises contribute to the loss of iron through the destruction of red blood cells. Inadequate iron intake are associated with reduced athletic performance. Sports nutrition for women require iron in big amounts.

Keeping your body’s fat levels low is the aim of many female athletes. Excess fats may be detrimental to performance. However, less fat or no fat at all compromises the energy level of a female athlete. Low energy also affects your performance, so it is really important that you keep the nutrients in your body and follow sports nutrition for women for a performance of a superstar that you have long been searching to experience.

The Best Sports Nutrition

A Day Or Hours Before An Endurance Sports Competition

By Eddy Sutio

What is the best sports nutrition for an athlete? There is no definitive answer to this. No athlete has the same need. It all depends on the physique of an athlete and the kind of sports that he or she is into.

So, if you are contemplating on joining an endurance sports competition, the best sports nutrition for you is the nutritional table fit for an athlete that expects long hours of vigorous physical activity and mental alertness even when tired. 

Endurance sports test the physical and mental fortitude of an athlete; if you are not well fed for this kind of competition, it would be better for you if you would back off from the competition.

Best Sports Nutrition for Endurance Sports Athletes

- Best sports nutrition a day before the event

Do not overwork yourself on the day before the event. It would be wise if you would only do stretching and a few kilometers of jogging, eat protein rich food, hydrate yourself (a lot!) and rest for the rest of the evening because you need to get up early, as early as four hours before the game.  

The best sports nutrition in endurance sports is hydration. You should be hydrating yourself even a week before the game. This is to keep your body cleansed, fueled and watered for the coming event. 

If you only hydrate yourself on the day of the event, you won't hold too much water. Most of the liquid that you intake will only seep out through sweat. So, if you want to go to the game in full tank, drink lots of water beforehand.

Another best sports nutrition tip that you must learn by heart is to eat food rich in protein, to keep your muscles in shape, and carbohydrates so that your glycogen stores would be at their best. You can hydrate yourself well with sports drink that contains minerals to balance your electrolytes level.

- Best sports nutrition hours before the event

Eat a meal before you run. This is the best sports nutrition advice that you should keep in mind. You need glucose to keep your blood sugar in normal levels. Glucose fuels the brain and the muscles during an activity.

If you lack glucose in your body, you cannot think properly because your brain does not have enough fuel that it needs. Worse, you might faint even before the race begins of hypoglycemia. 

Having enough stores of glucose in your body will keep you alert and going even for long hours of physical activity. So, don't forget to eat a light to moderate meal before you race.

Long hours of running, swimming and bicycling will definitely deplete your glycogen stores in your liver. So, a carbohydrate rich meal will be your best choice of pre-race meal. It can quickly restore your reserves of glycogen in your liver and put the fulcrum back to normal. You can bring with you carbohydrates bar which you can munch while running, and drain it down with water or sports drink.

According to health experts, best sports nutrition tip to get the carbohydrate you need is to eat food that you know won't make your stomach upset. Stress can induce diarrhea. Add up food that your digestive system hates and you will see yourself sitting on the throne while your competitors have started running after hearing the gun fire.

When to eat your pre-race meal? The sports nutrition experts recommend one to four hours before the assembly time and then nibble 50 grams of carbohydrate every hour before the game starts. 

Instant oatmeal, bananas, low fat milk and energy bars are good sources of carbohydrates. Always follow a meal with water or sports drink. Never drink soda or caffeinated beverages because they will work of you as diuretics. According to the best sports nutrition magazines in the country, caffeine drains the body of fluid.

Add up salty foods to your meal. Salt will help you retain more water in your body.