Sports Nutrition

MUSCLE MASS

I have been working within the health and fitness industry since I was 20 years old! It's been a long time and I feel thankful that I can still do this and that it complements my newer work as a Nutritional Therapist.

I wanted to focus a few tips on sports nutrition, particularly for those wanting to build muscle. Obviously this is very individual and protocols would need to be personalised and monitored throughout.

However, speaking generally in order to increase muscle mass, caloric intake should come from foods that contribute to muscle growth, such as lean protein, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, fruits and vegetables.

PROTEIN SYNTHESIS

Research has shown that in order to build muscle you should enjoy unrefined carbohydrates alongside lean protein - this will maximise protein synthesis (build muscle).

If building muscle is your goal, check that there is a carbohydrate content in your protein powder. If not you could add oats / fruit etc. to your smoothies. When having a meal make sure there is an unrefined / complex carbohydrate source (potato, pasta, rice etc.) as well as a protein source.

Other good protein/carb snacks include:

* Sliced apple with nut butter
* Poached egg on toast
* Chia seed pudding and blueberries
* Hard boiled egg and a piece of fruit
* Homemade fruit and nut bar
* Plain Greek yoghurt with berries
* Hummus and veggie sticks

OMEGA 3 HELPS TO BUILD MUSCLE

Omega 3 stimulates protein synthesis (building of muscle) - the more omega-3s you have the better your chances are in building and maintaining muscle – fatty fish is the best, chia seeds, algae, hemp, flaxseed and walnuts are also good to include.

From a health perspective it is a good idea to try and eat fatty fish 3 x per week for their EPA and DHA content (more on these next week) as well as other omegas throughout the week. You can easily add chia, hemp, flax, nuts to your smoothies, cereal of salads.

ELECTROLYTES FOR MUSCLE RECOVERY

Adequate electrolytes are important for muscle recovery. We are talking about potassium, magnesium, calcium and sodium.

Electrolytes are chemicals that conduct electricity when mixed with water. They regulate nerve and muscle function, hydrate the body, balance blood acidity and pressure, and help rebuild damaged tissue.

For your muscles to fully recover, proper hydration using natural minerals and electrolytes is required for for fluid absorption and protein synthesis.

Coconut water is a great source of electrolytes and easy to add to your daily nutrition. Other sources include the following but focus on the last three:

• Sodium: Pickled foods, cheese and table salt (only small amounts needed)

• Chloride: Table salt. (we usually have plenty of this already)

• Potassium: Fruits and vegetables like bananas, avocado and sweet potato.

• Magnesium: Seeds and nuts.

• Calcium: Dairy products and green leafy vegetables

PROTEIN AND TIMING

Research has shown that in order to enhance training adaptation (e.g. building muscle) we should eat within 30-45mins of exercise that has lasted more than an hour but benefits can still be gained up to 24hrs post exercise.

Studies have also shown that diets that include meat resulted in greater gains in lean body mass compared to subjects on a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet. High animal protein diets have also been shown to cause a significantly greater net protein synthesis than a high vegetable protein diet.

When obtaining protein from a non-animal source, they should be varied in order to enjoy the full spectrum of amino acids – try combining plant proteins such as nuts, nut butter, seeds, grains and legumes etc.