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1 From the associationPosition of the American Dietetic association ,Dietitians of Canada, and the American College ofSports Medicine: nutrition and athletic PerformanceABSTRACTIt is the position of the American Die-tetic association , Dietitians of Canada,and the American College of SportsMedicine that physical activity, ath-letic performance , and recovery fromexercise are enhanced by optimalnutrition. These organizations rec-ommend appropriate selection offoods and fluids, timing of intake,and supplement choices for optimalhealth and exercise updated position paper couplesa rigorous, systematic, evidence-based analysis of nutrition andperformance-specific literature withcurrent scientific data related toenergy needs, assessment of bodycomposition, strategies for weightchange, nutrient and fluid needs,special nutrient needs during train-ing and competition, the use ofsupplements and ergogenic aids, nu-trition recommendations for vege-tarian athletes.

2 And the roles andresponsibilities of sports and macronutrient needs,especially carbohydrate and protein,must be met during times of highphysical activity to maintain bodyweight, replenish glycogen stores,and provide adequate protein tobuild and repair tissue. Fat intakeshould be sufficient to provide theessential fatty acids and fat-solublevitamins, as well as contributeenergy for weight maintenance. Al-though exercise performance can beaffected by body weight and compo-sition, these physical measuresshould not be a criterion for sportsperformance and daily weigh-insare discouraged. Adequate food andfluid should be consumed before,during, and after exercise to helpmaintain blood glucose concentra-tion during exercise, maximize exer-cise performance , and improve re-covery time.

3 Athletes should be wellhydrated before exercise and drinkenough fluid during and after exer-cise to balance fluid losses. Sportsbeverages containing carbohydratesand electrolytes may be consumedbefore, during, and after exercise tohelp maintain blood glucose concen-tration, provide fuel for muscles,and decrease risk of dehydrationand hyponatremia. Vitamin andmineral supplements are not neededif adequate energy to maintain bodyweight is consumed from a varietyof foods. However, athletes who re-strict energy intake, use severeweight-loss practices, eliminate oneor more food groups from their diet,or consume unbalanced diets withlow micronutrient density, may re-quire supplements.

4 Because regula-tions specific to nutritional ergo-genic aids are poorly enforced, theyshould be used with caution, andonly after careful product evalua-tion for safety, efficacy, potency, andlegality. A qualified sports dietitianand in particular in the UnitedStates, a Board Certified Specialistin Sports Dietetics, should provideindividualized nutrition directionand advice subsequent to a compre-hensive nutrition Am Diet Assoc. 2009;109 STATEMENTIt is the position of the American Die-tetic association , Dietitians of Can-ada, and the American College ofSports Medicine that physical activ-ity, athletic performance , and recoveryfrom exercise are enhanced by optimalnutrition.

5 These organizations recom-mend appropriate selection of foodand fluids, timing of intake, and sup-This American Dietetic association (ADA) position paper uses ADA sEvidence Analysis Process and information from ADA s Evidence AnalysisLibrary. Similar information is also available from Dietitians of Canada sPractice-based Evidence in nutrition . The use of an evidence-based ap-proach provides important added benefits to earlier review methods. Themajor advantage of the approach is the more rigorous standardization ofreview criteria, which minimizes the likelihood of reviewer bias and in-creases the ease with which disparate articles may be compared.

6 For adetailed description of the methods used in the evidence analysis process,access ADA s Evidence Analysis Process Statements are assigned a grade by an expert work groupbased on the systematic analysis and evaluation of the supporting researchevidence. Grade I Good, Grade II Fair, Grade III Limited, Grade IV Expert Opinion Only, and Grade V Grade Is Not Assignable (because thereis no evidence to support or refute the conclusion).Evidence-based information for this and other topics can be found sub-scriptions for non-ADA members are available for purchase Subscriptions for Dietitians ofCanada and non-Dietitians of Canada members are available for Practice-based Evidence in nutrition $ : 2009 by the American Dietetic AssociationJournal of the AMERICAN DIETETIC ASSOCIATION509plement choices for optimal healthand exercise following key points summa-rize the current energy, nutrient,and fluid recommendations foractive adults and competitive ath-letes.

7 These general recommenda-tions can be adjusted by sports nutri-tion experts to accommodate theunique concerns of individual ath-letes regarding health, sports, nutri-ent needs, food preferences, and bodyweight and body composition goals. Athletes need to consume adequateenergy during periods of high-in-tensity and/or long-duration train-ing to maintain body weight andhealth and maximize training ef-fects. Low energy intakes can resultin loss of muscle mass; menstrualdysfunction; loss of or failure togain bone density; an increased riskof fatigue, injury, and illness; and aprolonged recovery process. Body weight and composition shouldnot be the sole criterion for participa-tion in sports; daily weigh-ins are dis-couraged.

8 Optimal body fat levels de-pend upon the sex, age, and heredityof the athlete, and may be sport-spe-cific. Body fat assessment techniqueshave inherent variability and limita-tions. Preferably, weight loss (fatloss) should take place during the off-season or begin before the competi-tive season and involve a qualifiedsports dietitian. Carbohydrate recommendations forathletes range from 6 to 10 g/kg ( g/lb) body weight per maintain blood glu-cose levels during exercise and re-place muscle glycogen. The amountrequired depends upon the athlete stotal daily energy expenditure, typeof sport, sex, and environmentalconditions.

9 Protein recommendations for endur-ance and strength-trained athletesrange from to g/kg ( to ) body weight per day. These rec-ommended protein intakes can gen-erally be met through diet alone,without the use of protein or aminoacid supplements. Energy intake suf-ficient to maintain body weight isnecessary for optimal protein useand performance . Fat intake should range from 20%to 35% of total energy intake. Con-suming 20% of energy from fatdoes not benefit performance . Fat,which is a source of energy, fat-sol-uble vitamins, and essential fattyacids, is important in the diets ofathletes. High-fat diets are not rec-ommended for athletes.

10 Athletes who restrict energy intakeor use severe weight-loss practices,eliminate one or more food groupsfrom their diet, or consume high- orlow-carbohydrate diets of low mi-cronutrient density are at greatestrisk of micronutrient should consume diets thatprovide at least the RecommendedDietary Allowance (RDA) for all mi-cronutrients. Dehydration (water deficit in excessof 2% to 3% body mass) decreasesexercise performance ; thus, ade-quate fluid intake before, during,and after exercise is important forhealth and optimal goal of drinking is to preventdehydration from occurring duringexercise and individuals should notdrink in excess of sweating rate.