[The intake of proteins and essential amino acids in top-competing women athletes].

In a group of 84 sportswomen (19 karatekas, 20 handball and 20 basketball players and 25 middle- and long-distance runners) the intake of protein and essential amino acids was assessed, as well as the urinary excretion of urea and creatinine. Simultaneously, we have studied 82 women who did not underwent physical activity (control group). After a 7-days long recall, by means of the food weighing method, was assessed by a computerized program the daily average intake of: total energy, macronutrients, proteins of animal origin and essential amino acids. The determination of urinary urea and creatinine was made in a 24-hours sample. The protein intake was significantly higher (p < 0.01) in basketball and handball players and in the runners than in the control group. The protein intake related with the body weight (g/kg) was significantly higher in basketball players (p < 0.05) and in the runners (p < 0.01), taking both the sportswomen and the sedentary women quantities higher than 0.8 g/kg/day established as minimum allowances. The amino acids intake related with the body weight (mg/kg), exceeded widely in all the studied groups the minimum recommended for each of them, outstanding the values significantly high (p < 0,01) found for all the amino acids in the runners. Both for the urinary excretion of the urea and the creatinine, the highest values correspond to the runners. All the sportswomen have superior protein and essential amino acids intake in relation with women without physical activity. The higher body losses of nitrogen in the form of urea and creatinine found in the runners are due to their higher protein/kg of body weight intake.