Istanbul Gelisim University - Low risk of injury for well-fed football players

Low risk of injury for well-fed football players

Stating that athletes’ nutritional habits and their performance are parallel, Quality Life Specialist Haluk Saçaklı said: “A well-fed athlete has a low risk of illness and injury”.

Quality Life Specialist Assist. Prof. Dr. Haluk Saçaklı from Istanbul Gelisim University made a statement about athletes' nutritional habits. Saçaklı emphasized that the athlete needs to drink enough water as well as to get enough energy and nutrients suggested a diet rich in carbohydrates.

FOOTBALL PLAYERS NEED 5500 CALORIES

Saçaklı emphasized the importance of consuming sufficient amounts of protein, vitamins and minerals and continued: “It is necessary to avoid the form of nutrition that contains energy to make fat. Footballers need about 5,500 calories per day, including training or competition. 1 thousand 500 calories are consumed in the competition for 90 minutes. If a player with 70 kilos has about 10 percent fat and that the whole fat is used as an energy source, it can be said that this energy source corresponds to 63,000 calories of potential energy.”

“THEY NEED TO RECEIVE CONSULTANCY”

Assist. Prof. Dr. Haluk Saçaklı pointed out that every athlete needs to receive consultancy service on diet and said: “During the first 30 minutes after training, 100 grams of carbohydrate consumption maximizes muscle glycogen synthesis. 0.4 grams of carbohydrate/kg should be consumed every 15 minutes. In addition, the consumption of 100 grams of carbohydrates and 5-9 grams of protein is effective in increasing the synthesis rate of glycogen.”

Dr. Saçaklı stated that taking sufficient carbohydrate, muscle glycogen stores do not reach saturation and continued: “Consequently, not only their performance decreases but also the risk of injury increases. In studies, 2 g/kg calories carbohydrate is consumed immediately after competition or training, 2 hours after exercises delayed carbohydrate consumption of muscle glycogen synthesis decreases by 66 percent to 5 mmol/kg while muscle glycogen synthesis is 15 mm/kg. This increases the risk of injury to athletes.”

“THEIR PERFORMANCE INCREASES”

Emphasizing that a well-fed athlete's performance will increase, Dr. Saçaklı said: “They also have high concentration. Disease and injury rates are low. Recovery time is short when they get sick. Body weights, body fat and lean body mass are within the recommended limits”