The effects of functional foods on athletes' performance:A narrative review

Background and aim: Beyond for the genetic background, adequate exercise, motivation and adequate rest, proper hydration and nutrition are essential for optimal athletic performance which is one of the most important characteristics of health in athletes. Improvement of sporty performance through functional foods has become very common recently. Therefore, it is necessary to provide sufficient information to the main audience, i.e. professionals and athletes in this regard.Materials and method: This study searched the foreign databases of PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar between ۱۹۷۵ and ۲۰۲۱. The keywords used for this search included Probiotic, Antioxidant, Sport performance ،Physical activity and Functional beverages and clinical trials were selected for more evaluation.Results: Different studies have indicated the beneficial effects of functional foods on athletic performance. Functional foods such as probiotics increase nutrient uptake by modulating intestine permeability. They also can reduce upper respiratory tract infections, improve intestinal barrier integrity and even improve body composition. Carbohydrate sport drinks delay the reduction of muscle glycogen by supplying glucose. However, in some studies, functional foods did not show a significant effect on improving physical function.Conclusion: Most studies have confirmed the beneficial effects of functional foods in athletes, but due to the incomplete results of some investigations, more controlled human studies are needed in this area.

کلیدواژه ها:

Sport performance ، Functional Foods ، Physical activity ، Sport Beverages