By Sean Henahan, Access Excellence

ATLANTA (7/22/96) Many athletes focus too much on the metaphysical aspects of food and not enough on the physical realities, according to nutrition authority Paul Saltman, Ph.D., Professor of Biology, University of California at San Diego.

Calling the attitudes of many competitive athletes towards nutrition "appalling", Dr. Saltman said nutrition is a very weak, if not missing link in optimal athletic performance. Yet nutrition is important because it supports the optimal functioning of organs, muscles and tissues, he emphasizes.

Speaking at an AMA press briefing, Dr. Saltman outlined six primary facets of scientific nutrition and sport:

• Prudent achievement and upkeep of ideal body mass for the given sport, event or position.

• Maintenance of proper hydration (having adequate amounts of water to maintain proper body temperature) and electrolyte balance (through intake of sodium, potassium and glucose, from water and fortified sports drinks).

• Provision of adequate carbohydrates as sugars (cakes, pastries, candies, soft drinks) and starch (pasta, rice, potatoes) to optimize respiratory metabolism.

• Preservation of lean body mass with essential amino acids from quality proteins (meat, chicken, fish, dairy products, beans, grains).

• Maximization of oxygen delivery systems and oxidative phosphorylation (the process by which nutritional fuels are burned and energy is conserved to do biological work) with iron and other trace elements (from red meat, supplements or fortified breakfast foods).

• Development of a high density skeletal structure with sufficient calcium (milk, dairy products) and other micronutrients (lean red meats, supplements, fluoride, vitamin D).

"There's no one food or 'magic' food athletes can eat to improve their performance, even though that's what everyone wants. They can choose from a wide variety of foods, provided those foods fall under one of the six stated requirements. And if they go outside these guidelines, they need to supplement," said Dr. Saltman.

These principles apply equally to Olympic decathletes and week-end warriors, he notes. All can achieve ideal nutrition by a combination of foods, fortified foods and supplements. "An enormous number of different dietary strategies can provide ideal nutrition for each individual athlete."

Nutrition is a neglected area of competitive sports, notes Dr. Saltman: "High performance demands optimal dietary strategies. There is far too much mysticism and magic, and far too little physics, chemistry and biology that guides choice at the training table."

Saltman says the myths include diets of high carbohydrate/low fat, high protein/low carbohydrate. For some, no meat. Others, no dairy products. Some, mega- vitamin supplements. Others, all-natural bee pollen and macrobiotic diets. The result: improper diet can lead to sub-optimal performances.

"Coaches, trainers and, above all, athletes, must have an understanding of the biochemical and physiological basis of foods and nutrients in order to translate this knowledge into 'real world' training table regimens to provide the competitive edge. They need not be limited by these principles, but liberated by them.

"There is a 'magic' in the belief of the power of a food or a supplement to impart added speed, skill or prowess. However, until these six guiding principles are understood and practiced, nutrition will continue to be the weak link in athletic performance."

Dr. Saltman has an article in a special Olympic issue of JAMA, July 17, 1996.