Exercise performance is a major determinant of sporting success and is influenced by nutrition, particularly the composition, amount and timing of food, fluid and supplements consumed in the 24–36 h before competition and during the event itself. In this narrative, framework-based review, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases were reviewed to identify peer-reviewed published original studies, narrative and systematic reviews, meta-analyses and position declarations or expert consensus statements examining the relationship between nutrition strategies, dietary supplements and exercise or sport performance. As an evidence-based framework, a 4Ps approach to optimising exercise performance was identified: (i) Personalise—a tailored diet and supplement plan that provides effective nutrition for a person depending on their phenotype, genotype, sex, age, goals, fitness, body mass (BM), sweat rate, biomarkers, preferences and tolerances; (ii) Periodise—the planned, purposeful, and strategic use of specific nutrition interventions to enhance the adaptations targeted by each exercise session or to obtain other nonacute effects or benefits that will enhance performance in the long term; (iii) Prefuel—sufficient energy and carbohydrate intake (6–10 g/kg BM/day) for 24–36 h to elevate liver and muscle glycogen stores and a high glycaemic index carbohydrate meal containing 1–3 g/kg BM 3–4 h before the event; (iv) Prepare—sufficient fluid intake (~ 7 ml/kg BM) 2–3 h before the event to become fully hydrated at least 1 h before the event; the use of pre-event ergogenic supplements such as nitrate and caffeine to delay declines in power, endurance and/or cognitive function; carbohydrate intake (~ 30 g) just before the start of the event to sustain liver glycogen and maintain plasma glucose if opportunities to provide fuel during competition are limited; and a strategic plan for in-event carbohydrate (30–90 g/h) and fluid intake strategies to delay fatigue and limit dehydration to < 2% BM. Nutritional consultancy based on the 4Ps is important for the wise stewardship of the hydration, feeding, and supplementation strategies used to achieve optimal performance.
Michael Gleeson (Tue,) studied this question.