Personal Trainers Forum

[Personaltrainer]

Food for footballers

Calorific intake. Until relatively recently, football was classed as an endurance sport because of the duration of matches, but recent studies have shown that the energy expenditure of players is not particularly high, largely because time spent training is much less than for, say, a distance runner. In Scandinavia, calorific intake in excess of 4000 kcals per day may be appropriate given their seven-day per week training regime, but not in the UK where players typically train four times weekly.

Carbohydrates and the glycaemic index: the index ranks food according to their immediate effect on blood glucose. Five years ago, the emphasis was on high-carb, low fat foods; any food meeting these requirements was regarded as good for glycogen building, whereas 'emphasis is now placed more on achieving optimum carbohydrate intake prior to matches, and during the recovery period after matches, particularly when some clubs find themselves involves in up to three games per week in the busiest part of the season.'

Supplementation: there may be greater knowledge about reducing fat intake in the sport, but dietary analysis shows consistent low uptake of essential fatty acids (EPA and DHA). Broad comments: 'Despite the appearance of oily fish in the canteens of football clubs, there may be a case for blanket supplementation in this particular group of sportsmen.' He also discusses the use of protein supplementation to promote protein synthesis and adaptation of muscle.

Urine indices: osmometers at many top clubs can now give instant urine analysis readouts to identify dehydrated subjects – a subject returned to by Professor Ron Maughan later in the issue (see Personal Hydration Strategy)

On the more general use of science in football, Broad points out that the facile assumptions about sophisticated foreign teams can be unhelpful. While Real Madrid employ no fewer than nine masseurs, they do not have a specialist nutritionist on staff and he comments that 'players from overseas bring with them their own ideas nearly always related to vitamin intake, but very often lacking in scientific support'. But the biggest change he has seen is the degree to which science is now the servant of the sport in providing answers to pertinent questions – as compared with the time not so long ago when there was plenty of scientific scrutiny (the 'measure everything approach') which was not in response to specific needs.

It is clear there is work still to be done: 'At present there is a fundamental mismatch in what players and practitioners view as important. Players believe in supplements, extra vitamins and minerals: anything that involves increasing muscle mass, and reducing energy intake to achieve "lean" body composition. Scientific research, on the other hand, shows players should concentrate more on appropriate energy intake, and high carbohydrate and fluid intake.'