Athletes and Supplements

Athletes can be defined as anyone that participates in a physical sport. Competition is fierce in most sports and the desire to be bigger and better is always a motivating factor and can prompt some unusual health practices.

Sports can really put a huge amount of wear and tear on the human body. The body is pushed beyond its natural limits, recovery requires extra care through diet and nutrition to fuel the body and provide muscle nutrition.

Diet
Diet is one of the ways that many athletes prepare the boy for strenuous activities. The diet of an athlete is a bit different than the diet of an average person that does not participate in physical intense sport activities. These dietary adjustments include:

- Protein rich foods --sometimes twice the amount that non athletes require
- Carbohydrate rich foods----again up to twice the amount non athletes require

Protein rich foods such as lean red meats, certain fish and eggs assist the bodies natural process of repairing muscles. Muscle nutrition is very important in the healing process of overworked muscles.

Carbohydrate rich foods include, vegetables, whole grain starches and fruit. Carbohydrates keep the athletes body fueled with energy. An athlete can burn up to six times the amount of energy that a non athlete burns. This energy has to be replaced and one of the ways do replace it, is through a diet rich with carbohydrates.

Supplements
Dietary supplements are another tool that athletes use to keep their bodies in prime performance. Supplements are available in many forms and formulars depending on the expected results.

Protein supplements can be used to achieve both weight gain and weight control. Protein supplements come in powder form and liquid form. Protein is a key building block in muscle nutrition.

Carbohydrate supplements come in the form of energy bars and drinks. These can be used as meal replacements or consumed through out a sporting event to keep energy levels at the maximum.
Other supplements include vitamins geared at high performance activities and steroids. Legal steroids can be found through many different sources and are used in many athletic competitions, although most competitions ban the use of steroids.

Exercise
Exercise is used by all athletes regardless of the sport to improve muscle tone, lean muscle mass and stamina. A favored exercise routine of most athletes includes resistance training using. Resistance training typically includes weight training and is used by athletes to improve the overall health of the body and its ability to perform at a higher level.