Sports nutritionist Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD, says that, because fat is needed to absorb certain vitamins, athletes, particularly in endurance sports, should
include some "healthy fat" (e.g. almonds, peanut butter, olive oil) in their diet.
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) is the world's largest
organization of sports medicine and exercise science professionals. At
ACSM's 2011 annual meeting in Denver, over 6,000 exercise scientists,
sports dietitians, physicians and other health professionals gathered to
share their research. Here are a few of the nutrition highlights.
Among the research findings presented by exercise scientists, sports dietitians, physicians, and health
professionals at the 2010 annual meeting of the
American College of Sports Medicine in Baltimore was that a standard sports drink was preferred by athletes to coconut water to replace fluid lost through sweating because it tastes better.
Hyponatremia occurs where
sodium levels in the blood become dangerously low due to excessive
water consumption. Blood sodium levels that drop too low can lead to
seizures, coma, and even death. To prevent hyponatremia usually occurs in
endurance and ultra-endurance events follow these guidelines.