Your body's metabolism involves all the chemical reactions that it takes to provide your cells with energy, and fat is one of the essential elements that your body needs to metabolize this energy. Fats provide your body with twice as many calories as protein or carbohydrates, making fat a concentrated energy source to fuel athletes. Active people can require a much higher caloric intake to provide for additional energy needs.
Oxidation of Fats
When you metabolize fat, the fats that you consume are broken down through a series of processes involving hydrolysis to form glycerol and fatty acids, the formation of citric acid, the generation of carbon dioxide, the formation of water, and the transport of oxygen to electrons. Many organs in your body can't function without the continual supply of oxygen that's provided, partially through the air that you breathe and in part by this process in the foods that you eat.
Cardiovascular Risk on Athletes
A fatty diet is linked to heart disease, but a 1997 study published in "Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise" suggests that increasing fat intake for runners may improve endurance performance. The study followed several runners, both male and female, that increased their fat intake from 16 percent to 30 or 42 percent of their dietary intake. The 42 percent group showed an increase in HDL cholesterol levels, but overall cholesterol, weight, heart rate and blood pressure were unaffected by the additional fat consumed by the athletes.
Intramuscular Fat
Not pertaining to runners or athletes working below 80 percent of maximal aerobic power, intramuscular fats play a large role in metabolism for athletes. Research published in "The American Journal of Sports Medicine" in 1996 suggests that athletes who increase fat intake also increase endurance, allowing them to work longer without fatigue. According to the research, athletes are able to greatly increase fat intake without compromising cardiovascular systems or immune systems. If, however, glycogen or fat stores are compromised, an athlete's ability to perform at high levels would be negatively impacted.
Everyday Diet
The diet of athletes must provide the essential nutrients required for optimal performance. Include all required nutrients for a balanced diet, including proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, water and roughage, in addition to fats. According to athletic coach Brian MacKenzie, the athlete's diet should consist of 57 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent fats and 13 percent protein. It's also important to choose nutrient-rich foods. Athletes may also benefit from eating carbohydrate-rich meals or snacks that include protein for post-workout recovery phases.
References
- The American Journal of Sports Medicine: The Role of Dietary Fat on Performance, Metabolism, and Health
- Journal of Sports Medicine: Carbohydrates and Fat for Training and Recovery
- Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise: Effect of High or Low Fat Diet on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Male and Female Runners
- Clackamas Community College: Metabolism of Fats
- Elmhurst College: Overview of Metabolism
- Elmhurst College: Energy for the Human Body
- Nuffield Division of Anaesthetics: The Physiology of Oxygen Delivery
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