Sports-Specific Nutrition
Fuel by the Demand

Macros, timing windows, hydration and evidence-graded supplements — tailored to the energy system you train.

4 Athletic Profiles
ISSN / ACSM Aligned
Pre / Intra / Post Timing
Supplement Grades

How to Read This Page

Recommendations follow the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) position stands and ACSM joint guidance. Protein and carbs are given in g/kg body weight — multiply by your weight in kg. Performance nutrition is highly individual; coordinate with your coach, sports dietitian or medical team.

Endurance Athletes

Running, cycling, swimming, triathlon, rowing — events > 30 minutes. Glycogen depletion is your enemy; carbohydrate periodization is your toolkit.

Daily Macros

5–10
g/kg
Carbohydrates / day
1.2–1.6
g/kg
Protein / day
1.0–1.5
g/kg
Fat / day
35–70
kcal/kg
Total energy / day

Low-end carbs (5 g/kg) on rest / light days. High-end (10 g/kg) the day before a marathon or stage race.

Pre / Intra / Post Workout

1–4g/kg
carbs
Pre: 1–4h before
30–90g
carbs/h
Intra: events >60min
1.0g/kg
carbs
Post: within 30 min
20–40g
protein
Post: with carbs

Train the Gut

The 90 g/h carb ceiling requires gut training — start at 30 g/h and build by 10 g/h per long session. Glucose + fructose blends (2:1 ratio) absorb faster than glucose alone via separate transporters.

Hydration & Electrolytes

Sweat losses: 0.5–2.5 L/h. Sodium losses: 200–2000 mg/L of sweat (huge individual variation). Replace 150% of weight lost during exercise in the 4 hours after.

🧂Sodium300–700mg/LLong efforts
🍌Potassium~150mg/LCramp prevention
💧Water500mL/h coolBaseline replacement
🥥Coconut Water240mLK 600mg natural

Evidence-Graded Supplements

Caffeine 3–6 mg/kg, 30–60 min pre — A-grade evidence
Beta-alanine 4–6 g/day for high-intensity events 1–4 min
Nitrates (beetroot) 500 mg, 2–3h pre — 1–2% performance gain
Sodium bicarbonate 0.3 g/kg — high-intensity buffering
"Fat burners", BCAAs alone, ketones — weak / no evidence for performance

Strength & Power Athletes

Powerlifters, Olympic lifters, throwers, sprinters. Protein and creatine are your highest-leverage interventions. Carbs fuel ATP-PCr and glycolysis between sets.

Daily Macros

1.6–2.2
g/kg
Protein / day
4–7
g/kg
Carbohydrates / day
0.8–1.2
g/kg
Fat / day
35–45
kcal/kg
Total energy / day

No additional benefit above ~2.2 g/kg protein in most studies. Distribute across 4 meals (0.4 g/kg per meal) for maximum MPS.

Pre / Intra / Post Workout

30g
carbs+protein
Pre: 1–2h before
water
only
Intra: usually adequate
0.4g/kg
protein
Post: within 2h
1.0g/kg
carbs
Post: replete glycogen

Evidence-Graded Supplements

Creatine monohydrate 3–5 g/day — most-studied legal performance enhancer
Caffeine 3–6 mg/kg pre-training
Whey / casein protein when whole-food protein is insufficient
Vit D if deficient (50–100 nmol/L target)
Testosterone boosters, HMB (in trained lifters), arginine — minimal evidence

Combat Sport Athletes

Boxing, MMA, wrestling, judo, BJJ, Muay Thai. Energy systems are mixed (ATP-PCr, glycolytic, oxidative). Weight-cutting demands disciplined off-season nutrition.

Daily Macros (Off-Season)

1.6–2.0
g/kg
Protein / day
5–7
g/kg
Carbohydrates / day
1.0–1.4
g/kg
Fat / day
40–50
kcal/kg
Total energy / day

Weight Cutting — Do It Safely

Acute cuts > 5% body mass impair performance and health. The evidence-based approach: gradual fat loss in camp (0.5–0.75% BW/week) + a small (2–4%) water/glycogen cut in the final 24–48h.

Sodium taper (1500 → 500 mg/day) over 3 days, then rebound
Water-load (≈ 100 mL/kg) 5 days out, drop sharply 24h before
Carb taper to deplete glycogen (1 day)
Sauna for >2% BW (dehydration drops performance hard)
Diuretics — banned and dangerous

Use a Pro

Weight cutting carries real cardiovascular, renal and cognitive risk. Work with a credentialed sports dietitian and your federation's medical team — not an internet protocol.

Evidence-Graded Supplements

Creatine 3–5 g/day (helps repeated high-intensity efforts)
Caffeine 3–6 mg/kg (pre-bout)
Beta-alanine 4–6 g/day (round 3–5 buffering)
Sodium bicarbonate 0.3 g/kg pre-bout (some athletes only — GI tolerance varies)

Hypertrophy / Bodybuilding

Goal is muscle mass and definition. Caloric surplus during bulks, deficit during cuts, protein high throughout, training volume matters more than supplements.

Daily Macros — Bulk vs Cut

+200–500
kcal
Bulk surplus
−300–500
kcal
Cut deficit
1.6–2.2
g/kg
Protein (cut: up to 2.7)
3–5
g/kg
Carbs (varies by goal)

Ideal lean gain rate: 0.25–0.5% BW/week for trained lifters. Faster = more fat. Cut at 0.5–1% BW/week; the higher end loses more muscle.

Anchor Foods

🍗Chicken Breast150gProtein 47g
🐟Tilapia / Cod200gLean protein 40g
🥚Whole Eggs4 largeProtein 25g, choline
🌾Brown Rice200g cookedCarbs 45g, Mg
🍠Sweet Potato200gCarbs 40g, K
🥛Cottage Cheese200gCasein 22g (slow)
🌰Almonds30gFat 15g, Vit E
🥦Broccoli200gFiber, micronutrients

Evidence-Graded Supplements

Creatine monohydrate 3–5 g/day — non-negotiable for hypertrophy
Whey + casein protein powders for convenience
Caffeine 3–6 mg/kg pre-workout
Vit D (if deficient), omega-3 (if dietary intake low)
Glutamine, BCAAs in isolation, "test boosters" — research is unsupportive

Energy Availability Matters Most

Across every sport, the single biggest cause of poor recovery, hormonal disruption and stalled progress is chronic low energy availability (LEA). If you train hard but eat too little, no supplement compensates. Aim for ≥ 45 kcal/kg fat-free mass per day from food unless on a structured cut. See disclaimer.