Meeting carbohydrate and fluid needs in soccer.

If a hard game of soccer is played under warm conditions, there are conflicting demands for carbohydrate and for fluid replenishment, with both variables having a potential influence upon competitive performance. The present review examines evidence concerning the extent of carbohydrate depletion during soccer play, its potential impact upon play, and the optimum choice of beverage for minimizing physiological problems. Players should be prepared for competition by eating a good mixed diet; this should assure a daily intake of at least 8 g of carbohydrate per kilogram of body mass. Although theoretical arguments favour the use of glucose/polymer drinks, in practice, these do not offer any great advantage relative to water or a dilute glucose solution. Some 500 mL of water or a low-concentration carbohydrate preparation can usefully be drunk in the thirty minutes immediately prior to a game, with a further 500 mL drink of the same fluid being taken at half time. During the recovery period following a soccer match, it is useful to increase the salt content of meals, and again to provide a good mixed diet with an emphasis upon carbohydrates.