Sleep, nutrition, and supplements: Implications for athletes

Sleep has fundamental physiological and cognitive functions that are crucial for athletes. However, athletes are particularly susceptible to sleep inadequacies such a poor quality sleep and short sleep. In recent years, athletes, coaches, and support teams have exponentially increased their knowledge about sleep and recovery and its importance to athletic performance. Evidence supports the positive ergogenic influence of certain supplements on athletic performance such as caffeine and creatine. In addition, different conclusions have been drawn on high, low, and mixed carbohydrate diets. The topic of “train low” and “train high” is also discuss and remains a fundamental point to emphasize to long distance and endurance athletes for optimal training and performances. However, research on nutrition and sleep in athletes remains in its infancy and makes it difficult to draw and formulate specific recommendations. There is a paucity of high-quality, randomized control trials on nutrition and athlete sleep. Several limitations persist, including the type, dosage, and timing of macronutrient intake as well as sleep measurement (subjective and objective). Additionally, different forms and types of supplements are no regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration and may present a safety risk and ultimately be contaminated by a prohibited substances listed for professional athletes. Ultimately, future research may help shed light on the potential benefits of nutrition on sleep in athletes and help clear misconceptions surrounding sport nutrition.