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Lookup NU author(s): Petros Akin-Nibosun, Professor Emma Stevenson, Dr Oliver Shannon
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND).
© 2021 Cambridge University Press. All rights reserved. Nutrition plays a key role in training for, and competing in, competitive sport, and is essential for reducing risk of injury and illness, recovering and adapting between bouts of activity, and enhancing performance. Consumption of a Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) has been demonstrated to reduce risk of various non-communicable diseases and increase longevity. Following the key principles of a MedDiet could also represent a useful framework for good nutrition in competitive athletes under most circumstances, with potential benefits for health and performance parameters. In this review, we discuss the potential effects of a MedDiet, or individual foods and compounds readily available in this dietary pattern, on oxidative stress and inflammation, injury and illness risk, vascular and cognitive function, and exercise performance in competitive athletes. We also highlight potential modifications which could be made to the MedDiet (whilst otherwise adhering to the key principles of this dietary pattern) in accordance with contemporary sports nutrition practices, to maximise health and performance effects. In addition, we discuss potential directions for future research.
Author(s): Griffiths A, Matu J, Whyte E, Akin-Nibosun P, Clifford T, Stevenson E, Shannon OM
Publication type: Review
Publication status: Published
Journal: British Journal of Nutrition
Year: 2022
Volume: 128
Issue: 7
Pages: 1285-1298
Print publication date: 14/10/2022
Online publication date: 23/08/2021
Acceptance date: 17/08/2021
ISSN (print): 0007-1145
ISSN (electronic): 1475-2662
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
URL: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114521003202
DOI: 10.1017/S0007114521003202
