We disprove the 4 most important myths that fly over the world of sports nutrition

In recent years, much has been said about the importance of nutrition for people who regularly play sports. The first studies carried out on the sports diet date back to the 1920s and sought to find the relationship between physical resistance and diets based on either carbohydrates or fats. From then until today, things have changed a lot and (luckily) there are more and more specialized plans for each sport as well as for person and complexion. However, there are still some myths and false beliefs that people should be aware of and that Lucía Miyar, a nutritionist at QuirónSalud Hospital in A Coruña , has denied. These are the main ones:

1- "Sports drinks must be isotonic"

False . Some isotonic drinks may contain between 7 and 8% added sugars. The first thing to clarify regarding this issue is that, whenever we feel thirsty, it is because our body is at least 10% dehydrated and therefore, we should not wait to take even 1 or 2 sips of liquid. What liquid? Well, it is advisable, before resorting to juices or isotonic drinks, to resort to water. Once we have fully entered into the exercise, we can start to alternate water with those sugary drinks to compensate for the loss of energy during training. The key: you should drink approximately the same percentage of water as isotonics.

2- "If you play sports, eat whatever you want"

False . Those who practice sports regularly should plan their meals according to the sport they do. In general, they should not be big fans of sauces, bread or fried foods. A poor diet can spoil all our efforts.

3- "The more protein, the more muscle"

False . Athletes while working are also wasting their muscle sometimes even causing tears or tears. These types of injuries are repaired by the body itself through proteins, but not by those ingested but by those that the body develops on its own, which means that not by eating more protein, you will obtain a higher quality of muscle.

4- "Supplements are substitutes for some foods"

False . They would never replace a food ration. The most important thing is always to have a good basic diet and then study the possibility of complementing it adjusting to your needs and objectives. You have to learn to "listen to the body" and identify what it needs.