This book examines the effects of sustained fasting and food restrictions, including Ramadan observance, upon the metabolism and physical performance in healthy well-trained subjects. The aim throughout is to present these findings simply and clearly, beginning from fundamental principles, so that the material can be understood not only by sports physicians and graduate students in exercise science, but also by coaches, trainers, nutritionists and the athletes themselves.
Features
Evidence based: outlines recent findings, as cited in peer-reviewed literature, as well as original experiments conducted by the editors
Practical: chapters summarise the implications for athletes
Broad coverage: includes religious and non-religious fasting and food deprivation, with detailed sections on Ramadan observance
Accessible: includes clearly stated learning objectives, definitions of key terms, key points summaries, and questions for discussion
Written by experts: the authors have long experience in the supervision of athletes during fasting
Table of Contents
Introduction. The characteristics of fasting. Metabolic responses to fasting. Changes of body mass and energy balance during fasting and dietary restriction. Carbohydrate metabolism and fasting. Mobilisation and utilisation of lipids during dietary restriction. Protein metabolism during dietary restriction. Hydration and fluid restriction in athletes. Effects of fasting on physiology and performance. Changes in circadian rhythm and hormone levels during fasting. Oxidative stress and fasting. Effects of fasting upon physical performance, cognition, and vigilance. Tactics to minimize the effects of fasting. Nutritional recommendations. Tactics to sustain training and competitive performance during fasting. Recovery tactics during fasting. Miscellaneous issues. Conclusions.