Fueling and Supplements for Basketball Players

Mark Terrill/AP

Basketball is a demanding sport

If you are a professional athlete already or aspire to be one you have to fuel properly to perform at your best. Professional male basketball players typically play 3 to 4 games per week. Basketball is considered to be an activity consisting of high-intensity intermittent exercise that requires both the anaerobic and aerobic energy systems. It requires short periods of all-out effort, punctuated with periods of less-intense effort and low-intensity effort. So, players are expected to go back and forth between full outs sprints and jumps to jogging to standing still such as when waiting for free-throws to be shot or during time-outs and breaks then back to accelerating and so on.

The energy (fuel) needs for elite basketball players:

Physical activity levels (PAL) are very high for professional basketball players. The PAL usually ranges from 1.42-1.56 as compared to 1.0 for the sedentary individual. Players practice on most non-game days, whether that is participating in team or individual workouts and/or weight training sessions. If a player is in the coach’s regular rotation they can expect to play anywhere from 25 to 42 minutes out of the 48 minutes of game action.

So how much fuel do you need?

The average professional basketball player is 26 years of age, stands 6 ft 7 inches (2m) and weighs 219 (99kg) pounds, with an average PAL factor of 1.49.

Based on these averages this athlete would have an estimated total energy expenditure of 5, 514 kcals/day or 55kcal/kg/day using the equation below:

Total energy expenditure (TEE)=662 - (9.53x age) + PAL x [(15.91 x W) + (539.6 x H)]

The carbohydrate needs for elite basketball players: Professional basketball players often play back to back games and several games over one week period. In order to maintain your muscle and liver glycogen you should aim to eat:

6-8g/kg/day of carbohydrates on practice and rest days.

8-10g/kg/day of carbohydrates on heavy training and competition days.

Good sources of simple carbs-quickly digested: bananas, apples, grapes, pears, oranges or other fruits, > 70% dark chocolate.

Good sources of complex carbs-sustained energy: Quinoa, brown rice, red lentil pasta, sweet potatoes, and oats.

3 Beneficial carbohydrate based supplements

1. Chondroitin Sulfate decreases enzyme activity associated with the breakdown of cartilage and provides substrates for the formation of a healthy joint matrix. Should be taken orally at a therapeutic dosage of 1200 mg/day.

2. Glucosamine helps rebuild cartilage, improve resiliency of joints, and reduce joint pain and swelling. Should be taken orally at a therapeutic dosage of 1500mg/day.

3. Inulin can prevent some common digestive aliments. It is a form of soluble fiber that stimulates the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut. Good sources include herbs such as burdock root, dandelion root, elecampane root, and chicory root or low-fat yogurt fortified with inulin.

Conclusion

Basketball is a high-intensity intermittent activity that requires both the anaerobic and aerobic energy systems. For peak performance a player should fuel properly by eating 55 kcal/kg/day to include 8-10g/kg/day of carbohydrates. Carbohydrate based oral supplements can also be beneficial to support your gut and joint health such as chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine, and inulin. Properly fueling and taking complementary supplements can have a positive impact on your performance and even more the longevity of your career.

References

Case, J. (2019). 13 facts to know from 2019-20 NBA Roster Survey. Retrieved September 03, 2020 from https://www.nba.com/article/2019/11/01/2019-20-nba-roster-survey

Dunford, M., & Doyle, J. A. (2011). Nutrition for sport and exercise. Cengage Learning.

Rosenbloom, C. A. (2012). Sports nutrition: A practice manual for professionals. E. J. Coleman (Ed.). Chicago, IL: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.