Put some muscle behind meals

SINCE the days when ancient Olympians ate honey and dried figs, food has been an important part of the elite athlete’s regimen. These days, the link between diet and athletics is a major industry, spawning hype, hucksterism and an explosion of drinks, bars and shakes. But so too has come research -- and some solid advice on how best to fuel athletic performance.

Elite athletes have teams of nutritionists to help them. But amateur athletes who run, bike and swim for the joy of it must sift through conflicting tips on carbs and protein, power bars and drinks, and supplements, supplements, supplements.

Turn up your iPod when the guy who hands out gym towels starts to hand out advice. Flee from those websites touting “natural” performance-enhancing compounds. The new science of sports nutrition has just a few points to take to the track.

The truth is, eating for optimal athletic performance is pretty close to the government’s dietary guidelines for non-athletes. If you’re a weekend peddler, or jog a mile or two every day, the tips at www.MyPyramid.gov (fruits, vegetables, healthy fats) is all you need to know, nutritionists say. (Make sure to drink lots of water.)

The rules are different for athletes seeking to climb to another level, who want to boost endurance, muscle, agility or explosive power. They can reap benefits with three dietary manipulations: slightly shifting the mix of carbohydrates, protein and fat; carefully timing their eating; and considering a few well-researched supplements.

“I try to convey to our athletes that nutrition has to be thought of as part of their training ... that can help make them optimal in their sport,” says Felice Kurtzman, a registered dietitian at UCLA’s School of Medicine.

Apportioning calories between carbs, proteins and fat depends on where one’s sport sits on the continuum between strength and endurance. Nutritionists still quibble over proportions, but they agree on one thing: Some athletes -- especially in strength sports such as weight lifting -- simply eat too many carbs. If you’re not engaging in hours of sustained activity such as running, these may end up on your torso as fat.

* Carbohydrates. These are the readiest source of glycogen, the main muscle fuel for athletes working above a moderate level of intensity. When glycogen is depleted, fat or protein gets burned instead; fatigue, tired limbs and poor performance are the result.

Nearly a dozen studies have showed that high levels of carbs, taken before and after workouts, increased the time and intensity with which athletes could push themselves to the max. For this reason, sports nutritionists recommend lots of carbohydrates -- as much as 60% of daily calories -- for endurance sports such as long-distance biking, running and swimming; slightly less (50% to 55%) for in-between sports such as skiing, tennis and sprinting; and the least (40% to 50%) for sports depending on strength, such as weight lifting.

Although healthy whole grains are encouraged, studies show that refined carbs may actually replenish glycogen in the muscles more quickly. Also, the sheer volume of carbs that athletes can require means that some must usually come from energy drinks, white pasta, cereals and rice, says Melvin H. Williams, founder of the Human Performance Lab at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va.

* Protein. For years, protein was eclipsed by carbs -- and athletic performance may have suffered. Protein is important because our muscles (which are constantly being refashioned) are made of it. Some protein is also burned as fuel. Athletes need protein to build muscle and to repair damage from physical exertion. Protein may also help replenish the muscle’s glycogen after exercise.

Though debate still roils, nutritionists recommend that protein make up 20% to 35% of an athlete’s calories, with strength-focused athletes at the upper end of that range, and endurance athletes near the bottom.

* Fat. This is needed by the human body to provide fatty acids that it can’t produce on its own. But as athletic fuel, fat is relatively inefficient, and even athletes who are careful about their diets often get too much.

Sports nutritionists agree that 15% to 30% of daily calories from fat is plenty. Endurance athletes (who consume more of their calories as carbs) should be at the bottom of that range.

* Timing. For serious athletes, getting enough calories, especially protein, can be challenging. Small, frequent meals (each with protein) are best, says Jose Antonio of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. Sports drinks, bars and shakes can help -- and aid with getting the right macronutrient mix.

Nutritionists are pretty easy on what athletes should eat before a game, match or a race: Eat one to three hours before the event, and make it easily digestible; no megadoses of fat or fiber. Simple carbs (a bagel with jelly) and protein (skim milk or turkey) will nicely fuel muscles.

After the race or run comes the important “recovery meal” needed to replenish energy and mend or build the muscles. About 70% of this meal’s calories should be carbohydrates and 30% protein. “Timing is important,” says John Ivy, chairman of the University of Texas’ department of kinesiology and health education: Eat within an hour or so after exertion. (Try a peanut butter sandwich, some low-fat chocolate milk, a protein shake or energy bar.)

* Supplements. No area of sports nutrition has generated as much hype or scientific debate: “There are a lot of people out there pushing products and making a lot of money,” Ivy says. Take all those specialized sports drinks, protein shakes and energy bars. “Not until you start engaging in activity -- intense activity -- for over an hour” do you need these, says Kurtzman.

As for dietary supplements, sports nutritionists give a thumbs-up only to three: creatine, calcium and caffeine.

Creatine may help build muscle, but the issue of its safety continues to spark debate. Creatine “allows you to work harder during training and helps you recover faster so you can get more quality workouts,” Ivy says. Kurtzman says that UCLA no longer gives creatine to its athletes because of the lack of long-term safety studies.

Caffeine, as scores of studies show, will get you running, kicking, jumping and rowing more efficiently. In fact, the International Olympic Committee disqualifies those with overly high urine levels. However, a 1995 study found that drinking coffee doesn’t seem to have the same effect on athletic performance as taking caffeine tablets.

Calcium, especially for women, is important, because shortfalls could lead to stress fractures after workouts. Athletes’ bones are thought to need an extra 200 milligrams for every hour of exercise they do per day after the first one. Fewer than 22% of U.S. women, and 45% of men, get enough calcium from food, so a supplement -- especially for females -- will protect against stress fractures now and maybe osteoporosis later in life.