centration every 10–15 min. In a soccer match,
this will give a total fluid intake of between 1 and
2 l, plus 30–50 g of sugar during the match. This is
sufficient to replace a significant amount of the
water lost through sweat, and to cover some of
the demand for sugar. Although fluid intake
during a match is important, it should not
interfere with the game. The players should
only drink when there is a natural pause in the
game as the drinking may disturb the playing
rhythm. In some team sports, such as basketball
and ice-hockey, the players can drink during
time-outs or when they are on the bench,
whereas in other sports, such as soccer, it is more
difficult. In the latter case, it is convenient to
place small bottles of fluid at different positions
around the field in order to avoid long runs to the
team bench.
After a training session or match
The players should drink plenty of fluid after a
match and training. Several studies have demon-
strated that restoration of fluid balance is a slow
process and that it is not sufficient merely to
increase fluid intake immediately after a match
(see Chapter 19). It is not unusual for players
to be partially dehydrated on the day after a
match. The body can only partially regulate
water balance through the sensation of thirst, as
thirst is quenched before a sufficient amount of
fluid has been drunk. Thus, in order to maintain
fluid balance, more fluid has to be drunk than
just satisfies the sensation of thirst.
The colour of urine is a good indicator of the
fluid balance and the need for water. If the body
is dehydrated, the amount of water in the urine
is reduced and the colour becomes a stronger
yellow.
Recommendations
The following recommendations regarding fluid
intake may be helpful for an athlete in team
sports:
- Drink plenty of fluid the day before a match
and on the day of the match—more than just to
quench thirst.- Drink frequently just before and during a
match as well as at half-time, but only small
amounts at a time—not more than 300 ml of fluid
every 15 min. - Drinks consumed just before and during a
match should have a sugar concentration lower
than 5% and a temperature between 5 and 10 °C. - Drink a lot after a match—even several hours
afterwards. - Use the colour of the urine as an indication of
the need for fluid—the yellower the urine, the
greater the need for fluid intake. - Experiment with drinking habits during train-
ing so that any difficulties in absorbing fluid
during exercise can be overcome.
Conclusion
In most team sports, the players perform high-
intensity intermittent exercise, at times for a
long duration. The intense exercise periods
require a high rate of energy turnover and the
total energy cost of a game can be high. Muscle
glycogen appears to the most important sub-
strate in team sports, and performance may be
limited due to a partial depletion of the muscle
glycogen stores.
Athletes that are taking part in team sports
should have a balanced diet that contains large
amounts of carbohydrate to allow for a high
training efficiency and for optimal preparation
for matches. Therefore, it is important for the
players to be conscious of the nutritive value of
the food that they consume. The highest poten-
tial for storing glycogen in the muscles is imme-
diately after exercise. It is therefore advisable to
consume carbohydrate, either in solid or liquid
form, shortly after a match or training session.
This is particularly important if the players are
training twice on the same day. On the day of
competition, the last meal should be ingested 3–
4 h before the start, and it should mainly consist
of carbohydrates that can be rapidly absorbed.
During the last hour before a match, solid food or