Effects of nutrition on performance in soccer.

The majority of research on nutrition and physical performance centers around continuous endurance exercise. That appropriate food intake can influence endurance performance is widely recognized. Considering that games in general and soccer in particular enjoy an enormous amount of participation, it should come as no surprise that nutritional influences on soccer performance has been studied. The literature shows that soccer is a glycogen-depleting activity and that work volume and rate are influenced by level of muscle glycogen. The dietary habits of soccer players do not appear to contain optimal carbohydrate intake given the varied, and sometimes minimal, amount of time between games. Nutritional assessment and counseling, if necessary, are suggested to afford the player adequate glycogen stores to work at the rate and volume demanded by the game.