The latest in safe and effective nutrition products that will help you ACE your matches!
By Page Love, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD, USPTA, and Skylar Raine Smith, Graduate Nutrition Student, UGA
WHAT IS THE LATEST IN SPORT BEVERAGES?
As players sweat, they are losing electrolytes and fluids. The latest research shows that many players have high sodium losses in sweat. So, using a sport beverage during match play allows you to rehydrate and replace the electrolytes and can ward off heat illness. The latest trend in this sport food category is high sodium sport beverages such as Powerade, LMNT, Liquid IV, Pedialyte Sport, or Body Armour Flash IV, which are composed of water, higher sodium levels and other electrolytes, and contain energy (labeled in the form of sucrose, fructose, and glucose). Additionally, during a tennis match, we use our body’s energy or glucose stores for energy to compete. Sport beverages contain a quickly available form of energy which is easily digestible and can be used to spare stored energy. So, this energy allows you to maintain a higher power output longer, which means stronger and more accurate stroke precision until the end of your match! It is essential to replenish both electrolytes and energy to make sure you are receiving peak nutrition and ready to go for longer matches — and are better hydrated for the next match if in tournament play.
HOW TO USE
Use a sport beverage along with water to best hydrate before matches by starting to sip the hour before to pre-hydrate, ideally with .5 liter the hour before you start and then once your match starts, aim for .5 liter to 1 liter every hour of play depending on the heat. Plan on sipping both at every changeover to meet your electrolyte and muscle energy needs!
WHAT IS THE LATEST IN ENERGY GELS OR CHEWS?
Energy gels and chews are portable sources of quick energy in the form of glucose with small amounts of maltodextrin or starch. The latest trend in these sport foods is to contain electrolytes as well to aid in meeting sweat loss needs. Examples of these products are Pro Bar Bolt, Clif Shot, Gu chews or gels, Bonk Breaker chews, Skratch chews and Honey Stinger chews, but there are many brands. These can be alternative forms of energy and electrolytes to what is available in sport beverages but must be consumed with water to help with quicker digestion and transport to the blood stream. These are quick and easy to consume and are great to keep courtside. Because tennis uses quick power output moves, quick carbohydrate energy sources like these are great ways to get that quick muscle energy. Some of these also contain caffeine which can increase sweat and urinary losses of fluid, so ideally, choose those without caffeine, especially when playing in the heat.
HOW TO USE
Both gels and chews are easy to consume as a pre-match snack with water 15-30 minutes before play; or can be used on court, consuming half a gel or 2-3 chews at a changeover 45 minutes to 1 hour into play, or when feeling fatigued or when you split sets and need a quick snack. Follow regular hydration guidelines at the changeover with water intake to facilitate meeting fluid needs.
WHAT IS THE LATEST IN RECOVERY DRINKS?
It is well proven in sport nutrition research that athletes need protein immediately in recovery. And, we now know that recovery window is smaller than we previously thought. Tennis players should also take in a quickly digestible protein source within 15 to 30 minutes after intense play to aid in muscle recovery. The latest trend in this sport food category is products with plant-based protein sources and also varying levels of protein content. Depending on your body size, you may not need some of these higher protein levels. Excess protein is also not desirable and can lead to more dehydration. Examples of sport food products in this category are recovery shakes such as Orgain, Owyn, Premier Protein, Muscle Milk, Core Power, and Fairlife shakes. All these shakes are lactose-free and some are plant-based. Most players need between 15 to 30 grams of protein in the recovery period, so shakes above this level may be dehydrating and are just extra protein calories the body cannot efficiently utilize.
It is important for a recovery shake to also contain carbohydrates, and many shakes contain artificial sweeteners to bring the carbohydrate content down (these would be the shakes that say zero sugar on the labels). So, low-carb shakes are not always the best recovery choices! Throughout a tennis match, the body uses glucose from muscle glycogen breakdown for energy. Since carbohydrates are broken down in the body into glucose, these are the primary source to replenish glucose stores after exercise so you can go out the next day and play again with high energy levels!
HOW TO USE
Bring your shake to the court and plan on starting to drink within 15 minutes of finishing play and you continue to hydrate after playing — especially if you are with your ALTA team and watching matches after yours is finished. Sip on the shake or have a well-balanced meal like a sandwich with lean meat, and drink adequate fluids. A carton of chocolate milk can also meet these needs!
Page Love, MS, RDN, CSSD, USPTA is an avid ALTA participant and on the USTA Sport Science Commission and is a nutrition consultant to both the ATP and WTA professional tennis tours. She runs a private practice in Sandy Springs can be reached at nutrifitga.com. Skylar Raine Smith is a graduate student in nutrition and dietetics at the University of Georgia and interned with Page and looks forward to working with athletes as future sport dietitian!
