Clinical Practice Guidelines for Sports Nutrition: Brazilian Sports Nutrition Association

Abstract

Considering the growth of sports nutrition worldwide and in Brazil, our goal was to develop a clinical practice guideline on nutrition and physical exercise to optimize evidence-based practices. This clinical practice guideline was developed based on the recommendations proposed by the GRADE system. The search was standardized considering adult athletes as the population and physical performance as the outcome of interest. This guideline recommends that carbohydrate intake be adjusted according to energy demand, respecting the total amount, with adjustments made before, during, and after physical exercise as needed. Additionally, protein and lipid intake should be adequate for outcomes such as strength, muscle mass, and inflammatory profile, respectively. The guideline also recommends monitoring and correcting micronutrient deficiencies over time. Ergogenic supplements (e.g., caffeine, creatine, beta-alanine, sodium bicarbonate, and nitrate) are recommended in specific cases, with a fundamental assessment of the athlete's characteristics and the sport practiced. However, the guideline does not recommend the use of dietary supplements with uncertain descriptions of their compounds, primarily due to the risk of doping. Finally, this guideline recommends that for athletes with special needs, nutritional assessment should consider the particularities of this population.