To view food solely as fuel undermines how it impacts the health of our body systems and the ability to thrive as an athlete."
When it comes to sports nutrition, the focus is typically placed on the big players, the macronutrients, often resulting in the crucial micronutrients being overlooked. In this chapter, we have purposefully flipped our thinking towards an emphasis of wholefood nutrition, which provides quality nutrients that are at the heart of athletic performance. Micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) are used as co-factors for biochemical processes, driving everything from metabolic pathways to optimal recovery. This chapter starts with the practitioner in mind, introducing factors to consider when assessing an athlete’s micronutrient needs, with a key focus on their gut health. A framework is then provided to help the practitioner assess and correct potential insufficiencies or deficiencies, if identified. Synergistic and antagonistic micronutrient interactions are briefly mentioned before key vitamins and minerals are reviewed, looking at their roles in a select number of physiological functions that are highly relevant for an athlete, including energy metabolism, thyroid function, immunity, and others. The second part of the chapter introduces polyphenols with regard to how their documented antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties may be relevant for sport performance. Again, with the practitioner in mind, important considerations and strategies involving the increase of overall intake and bioavailability of polyphenols through food and supplementation are discussed, with a primary objective of supporting an athlete’s health-based performance.
This 4-week online course introduces you to the principles of integrative sport and exercise nutrition through case-based learning, making it the perfect starting point before progressing to more advanced programmes
For health & nutrition practitionersFor exercise professionalsDesigned for practitioners seeking advanced training, this 8–9 month certification bridges integrative and sports nutrition through a highly applied, case-based curriculum that translates evidence into practice
Learn MoreBecome a leader in integrative sport and exercise nutrition through this 1-2 year postgraduate-level diploma, which develops advanced practitioner skills and positions you at the forefront of this emerging discipline
Learn MoreSpecialty 4-week modules for CPD/CEU and within the Applied Certification and Advanced Diploma courses

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in Integrative Sport and Exercise Nutrition
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in Integrative Sport and Exercise Nutrition
(1-2 Years)

Integrative Sport and Exercise Nutrition
( ~ 9 Months)
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