Preventing nutritional disorders in athletes: focus on the basics.

The prevention of nutritional disorders in athletes is often a controversial topic. The answer centers on the practitioners ability to assess each participant's individual needs, ensuring that basic nutrient requirements are met. The cornerstone to any athlete's nutritional program is to ensure an adequate energy intake correctly proportioned with macronutrients. Inherent to this goal is the understanding that exposure to chronic stress alters energy depots: musculoskeletal structure and immune/inflammatory responses that either facilitate or hinder training based on recovery. Essential to the athlete's health is the understanding that each is a unique individual who will never fit neatly into a predefined, cookbook approach to nutrition. Failure to meet these objectives will only impair recovery. Although quality training and adequate rest is important to training, so too is adequate energy balance. This article focuses on better understanding the benefits of adequate energy balance, further enhanced by a better understanding of macronutrient use.