Nutritionists tell athletes milk ‘can help you stay top of your game’

DAIRY products play an important role within a balanced diet to keep sports enthusiasts at the top of their game, say leading nutritionists.

Dr Catherine Logan, nutrition manager for the National Dairy Council (NDC), said a recent study by the University of Loughborough in England, has shown that skimmed milk is highly effective in rehydrating people following sports activity.

Speaking to a gathering of more than 100 coaches and physiotherapists at an NDC event in Thomond Park, Limerick, she also cited other British scientific research showing that milk provides protein, helping the body adapt to exercise. Milk also has a role to play in muscle recovery after certain exercises.

Dr Logan said: “The research shows that there is a very clear link between sports performance and diet. A lot of factors influence sports performance, but diet is certainly one of those factors.”

The Thomond Park seminar also featured talks from prominent nutritionists Emma McCrudden and Ruth Wood-Martin, the IRFU’s performance nutritionist, which also focused on the link between a balanced diet and sports performance.

These talks were part of the NDC’s series Milk It For All It’s Worth. Emma McCrudden told coaches at the workshop that the core concepts of performance nutrition are relatively easy for anyone from any sport or age group to grasp.

Ms McCrudden said: “The true professional athlete understands why nutrition can optimise performance which allows them to control this aspect of performance.”

Ruth Wood-Martin added: “Food is the fuel used to support growth in young players as well as providing for the extra energy demand of exercise. The main fuels used during exercise are fat and carbohydrate, and both of these fuels are stored in the muscles that allow them to work during exercise. Without sufficient amounts of the right type of fuel, every athlete’s ability to perform in sport will suffer.”

She added: “The aim before exercise is to top-up energy stores [called glycogen in muscle and liver] and maintain steady blood sugar levels. After exercise, the key is to re-fuel the energy stores that have been used up during the exercise session, and provide the right mix of nutrients to support physical adaptations that happen as a result of the exercise.”

The role of fluids in achieving hydration was also explored.

Ms McCrudden said: “Exercise increases heat production in the body. Good hydration helps to maintain an efficient cooling system, allowing players to sweat effectively to keep body temperature under control.”