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Fasting and sport: an introduction.
1School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK. r.maughan@lboro.ac.uk
British Journal of Sports Medicine
|May 13, 2010
Summary
Intermittent fasting, or periodic fasting, is common for various reasons. While often assumed to harm exercise performance, evidence is limited, especially for elite athletes in demanding conditions.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science and Nutrition
- Human Physiology
Background:
- Humans naturally engage in daily overnight fasting.
- Periodic fasting is common for cultural, religious, and health purposes.
- Concerns exist regarding the impact of intermittent fasting on athletic performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the assumption that intermittent fasting negatively affects exercise performance.
- To explore the effects of fasting on elite athletes, particularly in challenging environments.
- To identify knowledge gaps regarding fasting and athletic adaptation.
Main Methods:
- Review of available scientific evidence on intermittent fasting and exercise performance.
- Analysis of potential impacts on muscle and tissue adaptation during fasted training.
- Identification of research needs for elite athletes with specific nutritional requirements.
Main Results:
- The assumption of performance decrements due to intermittent fasting is not fully supported by current evidence.
- There is a significant lack of information concerning elite athletes in demanding environments.
- Prolonged training in a fasted state may hinder optimal physiological adaptations.
Conclusions:
- Intermittent fasting's impact on athletic performance requires further investigation, especially for elite athletes.
- More research is needed on athletes with special nutritional needs.
- Strategies to mitigate potential negative effects of fasting on performance should be explored.
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