Sports Nutrition

Catalog description

Physical exercise, in recreational and competitive sports, influences nutrient requirements, metabolic demands, recovery, and overall health. Evidence-based nutritional strategies before, during, and after exercise can enhance athletic performance, accelerate recovery, and reduce injury and illness risk. This undergraduate-level course introduces students to the fundamental principles of sports nutrition, integrating basic nutrition science, exercise physiology, and applied nutritional strategies for physically active individuals and athletes. The course begins with foundational instruction in nutrition and digestion to ensure a common baseline for all students, followed by applied topics including macronutrient metabolism during exercise, hydration and thermoregulation, supplements and ergogenic aids, energy balance, and nutrition-related health issues such as Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), gastrointestinal distress, and immune function. Emphasis is placed on critical evaluation of scientific evidence, application to real-world athletic scenarios, and effective communication of nutrition recommendations.