Sports Nutrition : The Scientific Facts

Contents: Introduction. 1. A, B, C of nutrition. 2. Physical activity: the inside view. 3. Importance of nutrition for sports persons. 4. Nutrient requirements for sports persons. 5. Sports and dietary supplements. 6. Dietary practices of sports persons. 7. Nutritional deficiency and sports performance. 8. Fighting fatigue with diet. 9. Do's and don'ts for better nutrition. 10. Pre-competition nutrition. 11. Conclusion. Bibliography. Index.

"It is said "Success is sweet but its secret is sweat." This is truly applicable to sports. Sports is no longer a mere entertainment. With emergence of commercial sponsorship and govt. support sports as a profession is gaining popularity. This has led to cut throat competition where milliseconds and millimeters make all the difference. That is why athletes are on a continuous search for supplements which help them to accomplish more than what is attainable through their own efforts alone. Sound nutrition provides the foundation on which each sports person needs to put the bricks and mortar of innate talent, hard training and a strong urge to win. Knowing how to put these together produces a champion.

The book starts with an introduction to the basics of nutrition. The chapter on physical activity tries to address questions like what happens to the body during exercise? What is the relation between physical activity and food? Then it goes on to highlight the importance of nutrition for sports persons and what type of food they have to consume before, during and after the competition to reach their potential. It also contains information about the food habits and dietary supplements used by sports champions. There is a separate chapter on fighting fatigue with diet which provides information on how champions recharge their batteries and reveals the secret of their boundless energy. This book attempts to bring the scientific knowledge regarding sports nutrition to the door steps of sports persons." (jacket)