Most of the myths and misunderstandings in sports and healthy nutrition nowadays are based on a misunderstanding of the basic principles of modern nutrition - in particular, the principle of the sequence between the different levels of human nutrition, which build on each other and have decreasing priority. Surely, you have seen in various internet discussions the recurring questions of whether protein hydrolysate, isolate or concentrate is preferable after fitness training, or thousands of questions whether muscles grow more when taking nitric oxide, BCAA, or HMB.
If you're interested in weight loss, you also couldn't have missed the various advice that to lose weight and burn fat you need to cut out gluten, grains, or all carbohydrates from your diet, or get a "fantastic" fat burner. The common problem with all of these questions, claims, and recommendations is that they are all completely irrelevant unless all of the preceding levels of nutrition that build on each other are also set appropriately for the sport or health goal (and individual nutritional requirements). For example, in fitness training it makes absolutely no sense to decide whether to use a protein concentrate, an isolate or a hydrolysate, unless the intake of a sufficient amount of quality protein for the whole day is ensured.
Similarly, it is completely irrelevant to decide whether to take nitric oxide, BCAA or HMB for muscle mass growth, to buy a fat burner, or to eliminate gluten or cereals from the diet for weight loss, if the diet does not adequately set (and follow!) the appropriate energy intake, the amount of macronutrients and sufficient micronutrients.
In recent years, more and more authors and experts have become aware of this continuity and sequence of priorities in human nutrition. For example, in the official recommendation of the International Society of Sports Nutrition in May 2017 (Aragon et al., 2017), these priorities are likened to the individual tiers of a cake and are even more vividly illustrated by Eric Helms' nutrition pyramid analogy (Helms et al., 2015). This sequence and prioritization of levels in human nutrition applies equally to all nutrition styles (for vegetarians and Paleo dieters alike), to all sports (strength, endurance, and team), to all sport and health goals (weight maintenance, muscle gain and weight loss, and fat burning), and to athletes of all performance levels (beginners and recreational athletes as well as top competitors).
Understanding and respecting these key principles and sequences in human nutrition is essential for anyone interested in sports nutrition and nutritional prevention. It is these priorities and their continuity that we will discuss in today's article.
Energy Balance
The most important and fundamental level in sports and "healthy" nutrition, on which everything else is based, is energy balance, i.e. the ratio of energy intake to energy expenditure. The alpha and omega of any individual diet must first be the appropriate setting of energy (caloric) intake and expenditure in relation to individual (sport and health) goals. If you want to start losing weight, burning fat at an increased rate, toning the figure and losing weight, your total energy intake must be lower than your energy expenditure so that a caloric deficit is reached and the body is forced to compensate for this caloric deficit in the diet by increased fat burning from its energy reserves.
If this basic condition is not met, there is no point at all in talking about the use of fat burners, about "revolutionary" and "trendy" diets based on the elimination of one substance/nutrient/food group, or claiming that "ketosis will take care of everything". In fact, with a positive energy balance, even ketosis won't save you and you will continue to gain storage fat simply because overall lipogenesis in the body outweighs lipolysis and ketogenesis, as we showed in our last article.
Conversely, if your current goal is to gain muscle mass and gain weight, your total energy intake must be higher than your energy expenditure. This is because the body not only needs enough energy to maintain and regenerate existing tissues damaged during training (with a balanced energy balance), but it also legitimately needs an excess of energy above this level (a positive energy balance) to synthesize new tissues and gain weight. If this basic prerequisite is not provided in the diet, again, there is no point in ordering "brutal pre-workout stimulants from America" or asking famous personalities at seminars whether protein isolate or hydrolysate is more suitable for muscle mass growth. And if your goal is to maintain your current body weight while developing athletic performance, or to gradually change your body composition at the same weight, maintaining a balanced energy balance is essential.
Advanced note: The importance of the principle of energy balance is sometimes questioned in discussions on the internet, with the argument that in some cases it is possible to lose fat even with a positive energy balance or, conversely, gain muscle mass even in a caloric deficit. Yes, in some cases this is indeed possible (and even quite common), but the principle of energy balance applies in these cases as well. So, for example, it is absolutely possible to lose fat even with a positive energy balance.
If, for example, a beginner (or an experienced competitor after a training break) starts regular strength training 4 times a week (bodybuilding, CrossFit, strongman, etc.), then with a properly designed diet with enough protein, it is very likely that he will start to gain muscle mass and burn fat to an increased extent even in a positive energy balance. However, the law of energy balance still applies because such an exerciser will go up in positive energy balance with overall weight, although fat stores will desirably be reduced, but, at the same time, muscle volume and mass will be gained.
And the opposite example is quite common - gaining muscle in a caloric deficit. Some bodybuilders mistakenly believe that bodybuilders are the only people who can build new muscle mass even in a caloric deficit during a hard diet. The truth is that virtually any (obese) person who, after years spent in front of the TV and in fast-food restaurants, starts with meaningful training (both strength and aerobic, e.g. a combination of fitness training and Nordic-walking) and a sensible weight-reduction diet with plenty of protein, is capable of this. Such a person will inevitably gain muscle mass, although he or she will also be in a fairly significant caloric deficit. However, the law of energy balance also applies in this case - such a person will gain muscle mass even in a caloric deficit, but the overall weight will decrease.
Macronutrients
Only when the energy balance corresponds to the set sports and health goals, it makes sense to address and analyze the next tier of the pyramid, i.e. the macronutrient triple ratio and the appropriate amount of protein, carbohydrates and fats in the diet. This depends individually on many factors, such as current sport and health goals, the type of physical activity performed, performance level, as well as gender, age and also preferred nutritional style. Due to the large number of these variables, there is no point in addressing the appropriate triple ratio and specific nutrient dosage at this point, as it is very individual.
To illustrate, let's just note that for the general public, the still recommended nutrient triple ratio of protein, carbohydrate and fat is 15% (P) : 55% (C) : 30% (F), whereas in the world of sports nutrition, the usual ratio today is 20-35% (P) : 30-60% (C) : 15-35% (F). The more athletic performance depends on glycogen stores and muscle volume, the higher the carbohydrate ratio. In general, however, the most important thing of all is to ensure the necessary protein intake in the diet, which will provide the body with enough essential amino acids for the regeneration of all tissues in the body, when gaining muscle mass enough "building bricks" for the synthesis of new muscle tissue, and conversely, when losing weight, protein will provide a decisive feeling of satiety.
Equally important is a sufficient intake of good quality fats, which are a source of essential fatty acids for the body, precursors for the synthesis of hormones and cell membranes, and also allow sufficient absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (and of course a whole range of other functions in the body). Carbohydrate and fat intake and their ratio is then most variable depending on the chosen dietary style (vegetarianism, paleo diet, low-carb, low-fat, etc.). Thus, even at this point in the food pyramid, it is not worthwhile to address the timing of free amino acid intake upon waking or the appropriate distribution of meals throughout the day in a given person's diet unless the entire diet contains the necessary amount of energy (calories) and the appropriate amount and ratio of protein, carbohydrate and fat from quality sources.
Micronutrients
If the two preceding levels of the pyramid are set (and followed) appropriately in relation to individual goals and nutritional requirements, it is appropriate to check and ensure sufficient intake of micronutrients, i.e. vitamins, minerals and trace elements from sources well suited for human nutrition. Micronutrients in the diet are, by definition, essential for the human body because they play a vital role in the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, they are involved in the production of energy from nutrients, in the synthesis of many substances (e.g. haemoglobin, hormones, etc.), and some act as important antioxidants in the body.
Although sporting activities increase the need for vitamins, minerals, and trace elements, their increased intake does not increase sporting performance. Therefore, the use of various multivitamins, antioxidants, zinc, or chromium cannot be expected to improve recovery, increase testosterone production, increase fat burning, or suppress fatigue and hunger unless the energy and macronutrient intake, the two preceding tiers of the pyramid, are matched to the individual nutritional requirements.
Nutritional timing
If the diet ensures adequate energy intake, adequate macronutrient intake and sufficient micronutrients, only then does it make sense to address nutritional timing, i.e. the timing and distribution of energy and nutrient intake throughout the day. This relates to all the much discussed issues such as the importance of breakfast, carbohydrate and energy intake in the evening or the well-known debate over the appropriate frequency of meals, i.e. whether to eat multiple small meals or only 1-2 large meals per day on a low-frequency diet.
But all these questions and endless discussions have a very simple answer when looking at this food pyramid. As long as a person can get enough energy, macronutrients and micronutrients into their dietary style - and is able to digest and absorb them well - they can stick to whatever type of high or low frequency eating suits them best in accordance with their lifestyle and health. In fact, nutritional timing is only really relevant in elite sport, where it is necessary to ensure sufficient energy and nutrient intake (and sufficient digestibility and absorption of their sources) between multiphase training sessions. Therefore, in this case it is really irrelevant to address the issue of carbohydrate intake in the evening in a person who does not have an appropriate dietary intake of energy and individual nutrients for the whole day.
Supplements
Finally, only the last level of the nutrition pyramid is the much talked about issue of taking supplements. Most nutritional supplements do work, but as the name of the whole group of these products suggests, their effect is conditional on whether they complement a diet that is appropriately designed to meet the desired individual goals.
Supplements can be a good way for the public and recreational and performance athletes to ensure their daily energy needs and intake of macronutrients and micronutrients in the context of their lifestyle (work, family, study, etc.) in addition to solid foods. Equally, they can be a good tool for those seeking to burn fat, as they can help stimulate a tired body into training in a reduction diet, or use a greater proportion of energy from fat stores.
However, there is no nutritional supplement that by itself will cause fat burning and physique transformation in a person who is in a caloric surplus and eating a fast-food diet. Likewise, there is no supplement designed for gaining muscle mass and strength that will cause visible transformation and physique bulking in a person who is far from meeting adequate dietary protein intake or the basic premise of an overall positive energy balance.
By the way, have you ever seen the long discussions about whether top athletes and competitors in bodybuilding, CrossFit, strongman, track and field, ironman or tennis are just promoting supplements or actually taking them? The use of nutritional supplements is of the greatest importance for advancing athletic performance, especially in performance and elite sports, precisely because all of these top athletes have their diets designed and planned down to the last "dot" and follow all of the previous tiers of the nutritional pyramid every day. This is why the use of supplements is much more important for them than for beginners who have no idea how much protein and calories they take in per day, but believe in some "miraculous" effects of nutritional supplements for athletes.
Summary
The most important thing for achieving individual sport and health goals through nutrition is to set (and stick to!) an appropriate energy balance, i.e. the ratio of caloric intake to expenditure. Another priority is the appropriate amount and relative triple ratio of the individual macronutrients in the diet (protein, carbohydrate and fat), as well as sufficient intake of all micronutrients (vitamins, minerals and trace elements). Only then is it relevant to address the different options for timing nutrient intake and frequency of meals throughout the day. Nutritional supplements are the icing on the cake and their use makes the most sense when all the previous levels of the food pyramid are appropriately set and followed in the diet.
Literature
· Aragon, Alan A., et al. „International society of sports nutrition position stand: diets and body composition.“ Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 14.1 (2017): 16.
· Helms, E., Valdez, A. and Morgan, A. The Muscle and Strength Nutrition Pyramid, 2015, ISBN 2:00345785.
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