The physiological demands of sports and exercise require ingestion of key nutrients in optimal forms and quantities and that are timed to enhance performance and recovery. A certification in sports nutrition separates the nutrition expert or registered dietitian from the less-qualified when it comes to meeting these requirements. According to the Sports, Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group of the American Dietetic Association, the Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics is the expert in promoting nutrition practices that enhance lifelong health, fitness and sports performance.
Assessment
Your sports dietitian is trained to evaluate nutrition-focused physical findings, such as bone mineral density or symptoms of vitamin and mineral deficiency, that may indicate malnutrition, according to the American Dietetic Association. She will also assess current and past medical history, weight and body composition, exercise and eating habits, and fluid and supplement intake. Laboratory values, such as measures of iron, hemoglobin, electrolytes and protein stores, may reveal insufficiencies that could impede energy and performance.
Nutrition Diagnosis
The American Dietetic Association has developed a comprehensive set of nutrition diagnoses that correspond with sports and physical fitness. Diagnoses such as inadequate energy or fluid intake or imbalance of nutrients may relate to training habits, inappropriate supplementation or lack of awareness about nutrient needs. Your sports dietitian will base his nutrition diagnoses on subjective and objective data obtained from you and your medical record.
Intervention
The nutrition goals of athletes and active individuals include maintaining muscle mass, delaying fatigue, improving recovery and promoting health and wellness, states the American Dietetic Association. Personalized nutrition plans implemented by you and your sports dietitian will help you to meet your objectives. Set and prioritize goals that match your nutrition diagnoses, your schedule and your personal values. Your plan of care may include additional meals and snacks, vitamin and mineral supplementation, or altering the timing of your nutrient intake.
Education
Whether you run, cycle, lift weights or compete in team sports, your dietitian can provide the knowledge and tools to fuel your performance and fitness, using sports nutrition science and evidence-based guidelines. She also has the responsibility of counseling you on the safety and efficacy of supplements and ergogenic aids. Creatine, for example, is touted to build muscle and enhance recovery. A joint position statement of the American Dietetic Association, the Dietitians of Canada and the American College of Sports Medicine states that the supplement is safe for healthy adults and effective for short bursts of high-intensity activity. Sports dietitians are cautioned, however, to carefully screen creatine users for risk of liver and kidney dysfunction.
Monitoring
Ongoing evaluation of your plans will determine whether your nutrition goals have been met or if further intervention is required. You and your sports dietitian will select appropriate outcome measures and identify factors that hinder your progress. You may, for example, find that your muscle mass improves after a few weeks of increased protein intake or that lack of rest between training sessions leaves you with less energy for competing.
References
- Sports, Cardiovascular, and Wellness Nutrition: Sports Dietetics Certification
- "Nutrition Care Manual"; Sports Nutrition and Performance; American Dietetic Association; October 2010
- "Journal of the American Dietetic Association"; Position of the American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance; N. Rodriguez, N. DiMarco, S. Langley; March 2009
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