Nutrition and Hydration in Ultra Endurance Sports: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Purpose: Recently, the increasing interest in ultra-endurance sports has led to a better understanding of the importance of nutrition and fluid intake as well as training programs. Since such activities require the ability to exert long-term physical and mental effort, it is very important for training and race performance to meet the energy required by the body in sufficient quantities from nutrients and to replace the lost amount of fluid without wasting time. For this reason, athletes need to consume nutrients in sufficient amounts and continuously throughout training or competition The purpose of this review is to guide athletes interested in ultra-endurance sports on the necessary nutrients, energy requirements, hydration and nutrition recommendations. Method: The research was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. To obtain data on nutrition and hydration in endurance sports, Pubmed, Scopus, Science Direct, Sportdiscus and Ulakbim databases were examined between January 2010 and February 2024. As a result of the literature review, 497 studies were found and a total of 64 studies on nutrition and hydration in ultra-endurance sports were included in the research. Results: Contrary to general belief, it is seen that inadequate energy and fluid intake as a result of incorrect nutritional strategies, which are very common in athletes, brings with it problems such as injury, leaving the race early or not being able to perform to one's potential. Energy expenditure in endurance sports may vary depending on the duration and intensity of the activity, gender, age, body weight and body composition of the athlete. Especially during ultra-endurance activities, situations such as exercise intensity, duration, mental focus and unsuitable seasonal conditions may cause inadequacies in meeting the energy needs of athletes. Therefore, ultra-endurance athletes can perform long-term strenuous physical effort on single or consecutive days and maintain their cognitive functions while performing this effort at an optimal level, by optimally managing their nutrition and hydration needs. Conclusion: It is extremely important for ultra-endurance athletes to act consciously about nutrition and hydration and to seek support from experts when necessary, in order to prevent the risk of not being able to complete the activity or race they are participating in or possible performance losses.

Keywords

• Ultra endurance
• Ultramarathon
• Nutrition
• Fluid intake
• Hydration

Ultra Dayanıklılık Sporlarında Beslenme ve Hidrasyon

Abstract

Amaç: Son zamanlarda ultra-dayanıklılık sporlarına gösterilen ilginin giderek artması antrenman programları kadar beslenme ve sıvı alımının öneminin daha iyi anlaşılmasına neden olmuştur. Bu tür aktiviteler fiziksel ve zihinsel olarak uzun süreli efor sergileme becerisi gerektirdiğinden, vücudun gereksinimi olan enerjinin besin maddelerinden yeterli miktarda karşılanması ve kaybedilen sıvı miktarının zaman kaybedilmeden yerine konulması antrenman ve yarış performansı açısından oldukça önemlidir. Bu nedenle sporcuların antrenman veya yarış boyunca besin maddelerini yeterli miktarlarda ve sürekli olarak tüketmeleri gerekmektedir. Bu derlemenin amacı ultra-dayanıklılık sporlarıyla ilgilenen sporculara kullanmaları gereken besin maddeleri, enerji gereksinimi, hidrasyon ve beslenme önerileri konusunda yol göstermektir. Yöntem: Araştırma Sistematik Derlemeler ve Meta-Analizler için Tercih Edilen Raporlama Öğeleri (PRISMA) yönergelerine uygun olarak gerçekleştirilmiş, ultra-dayanıklılık sporlarında beslenme ve hidrasyon ile ilgili verilere ulaşmak için 2010 yılı ocak ayı ile 2024 yılı şubat ayları arasında Pubmed, Scopus, Science Direct, Sportdiscus ve Ulakbim veri tabanları incelenmiştir. Alanyazın taraması sonucunda 497 araştırmaya ulaşılmış, ultra-dayanıklılık sporlarında beslenme ve hidrasyon ile ilgili toplam 64 çalışma araştırmaya dahil edilmiştir. Bulgular: Genel inanışın aksine sporcularda çok sık karşılaşılan yanlış beslenme stratejileri sonucunda yetersiz enerji ve sıvı alımının sakatlık, yarışı erken terk etme veya potansiyelini sergileyememe gibi sorunları beraberinde getirdiği görülmektedir. Dayanıklılık sporlarında enerji harcaması, yapılan aktivitenin süresi, şiddeti, sporcunun cinsiyeti, yaşı, vücut ağırlığı ve vücut kompozisyonuna göre değişebilmektedir. Özellikle ultra-dayanıklık aktiviteleri esnasında egzersizin şiddeti, süresi, mental odaklanma ve mevsim koşullarının uygun olmayışı gibi durumlar sporcuların enerji ihtiyacını karşılamada yetersizliklere neden olabilmektedir. Dolayısıyla ultra-dayanıklılık sporcularının tek veya ardışık günlerde uzun süreli yorucu bir fiziksel efor sarf etmesi ve bu çabayı optimal seviyede yerine getirirken bilişsel fonksiyonlarını da koruyabilmesi beslenme ve hidrasyon ihtiyaçlarını en ideal şekilde yönetmeleri ile mümkün olabilmektedir. Sonuç: Ultra-dayanıklılık sporcularının katıldıkları aktivite veya yarışı tamamlayamama riskini veya olası performans kayıplarını önlemek amacıyla beslenme ve hidrasyon konusunda bilinçli hareket etmeleri ve gerektiğinde uzmanlara danışarak destek almaları son derece önemlidir.

Keywords

• ultra-dayanıklılık
• ultramaraton
• beslenme
• sıvı tüketimi

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