Investing in personalized nutrition is a sustainable investment in football

Sports , especially high intensity sports like football, always require great physical strength and solid endurance to compensate for the constant physical wear and tear.

Improving the physical foundation and endurance of players with a personalized nutrition regimen is the decisive factor, according to Dr. Dana Ryan, a sports nutrition expert from Herbalife - a leading global nutrition company and a strategic nutrition partner of the Vietnam Football Federation.

Why is personalized nutrition needed in sports?

Each athlete is a unique individual, with different physical characteristics, physiology, energy needs and training goals. Therefore, personalizing nutrition is the key to optimizing sports performance. Providing the right type and amount of nutrients for each individual not only improves strength, endurance and speed but also reduces the risk of injury and increases resistance for players. There are also differences between male and female athletes that affect the choice of appropriate nutrition for each individual.

Specialized nutrition is the key to optimal performance (Source: Herbalife Fanpage)

The importance of personalized nutrition is also the reason why this topic is expected to be a valuable sharing part of Dr. Dana Ryan, sports nutrition expert from Herbalife, at the training session for representatives from 58 clubs nationwide organized by the Vietnam Football Federation, taking place on July 15.

Dr. Dana Ryan, currently the Director of Sports Performance, Nutrition and Education at Herbalife, will decode the three basic principles that make up a scientific nutrition regimen for soccer athletes, including: "building" a physical foundation with protein, "fueling" with carbohydrates and "protecting" with fruits and vegetables. More importantly, this nutrition regimen needs to be specifically built for each player both on and off the field, to ensure their physical foundation is always ready at the highest level, thereby optimizing performance.

Invest in scientific nutrition for each position on the field

According to Dr. Dana Ryan's analysis through many years of in-depth research on optimal sports nutrition, different positions on the field require different energy needs, so the nutritional regimen also becomes different to optimize performance.

Explaining this, Dr. Dana Ryan gives an analysis of the physical strength and endurance of each position, corresponding to each nutritional regimen. For example, for the goalkeeper position, maintaining concentration, blocking ability, mobility and flexibility are top priorities. Weekly creatine supplementation and caffeine intake about 30 minutes before a match or training session will help them increase mental focus. Meanwhile, the blocking power of defenders makes consuming enough protein in this playing position extremely important to increase defense and endurance, as well as ensure muscle recovery and development throughout the competition and training process.

For positions that require speed like strikers, supplementing carbohydrates with low GI will help players have enough energy to accelerate (Source: Herbalife Fanpage)

Similarly, midfielders – who dictate the tempo of the game – will need sports drinks containing high GI carbohydrates to maintain stable energy levels, while also supplementing glutamine to protect the immune system. Conversely, for a striker, consuming enough low GI carbohydrates will help them increase their endurance for sprints. Additionally, daily creatine supplementation is also beneficial for mental focus, increasing sharpness in ball handling situations.

Adjust nutrition according to training needs

Not only does Dr. Dana Ryan share scientific information about personalized nutrition, he also provides more detailed instructions on how to adjust nutrition according to the training needs of athletes. This is truly meaningful for clubs to national teams, in the context of the physical foundation of Vietnamese players, which has always been the top concern of Vietnamese football.

Specifically, according to Dr. Dana Ryan's recommendations, players with higher training intensity need to consume more carbohydrates to fuel their bodies. With lighter training intensity, the body relies more on fat sources to fuel activities. Protein supplementation will help players regain physical balance, supporting muscle growth during the recovery period. Meanwhile, on days off, fruits and vegetables will provide important vitamins and minerals, supporting the health of the player's immune system.

Flexibly adjust protein, carbohydrate and fat content according to exercise intensity (Source: Freepik)

Sports nutrition knowledge from Dr. Dana Ryan during the training session on scientific nutrition for football athletes is part of Herbalife's plan to improve nutrition for Vietnamese sports, as the official sponsor of the Vietnam National Football Teams.

In fact, from 2021 to now, Herbalife has always been associated with the Vietnam Football Federation in maintaining and improving the physical fitness of players. The values of an optimal performance nutrition regimen that the leading global nutrition company brings have clearly demonstrated Herbalife's commitment to long-term companionship with the Vietnam Football Federation to fuel the dream of Vietnamese football.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/dau-tu-cho-dinh-duong-ca-nhan-hoa-la-dau-tu-ben-vung-trong-bong-da-d219970.html