Diet and Nutraceuticals for Mental and Physical Performance in Athletes

This supplement stresses the importance of diet and selected nutraceuticals that may impact both the physical and mental performance of athletes. The past 2.5 years living with the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic have taxed all of us mentally and possibly to a greater extent in the athletic population. While life in general has returned to some form of normalcy for many, emerging from this pandemic has alerted us to the importance of vaccines and physical-distancing measures, especially as they relate to sport. The return of organized sport at all levels has also underscored the important roles that exercise and sport play in the lives and mental health of everyone, including athletes. The goal of this supplement is to provide recent information that will help athletes achieve optimal physical and mental performance in their chosen sport.

The Gatorade Sports Science Institute has been bringing sports nutrition and sports science researchers together for ~ 37 years to discuss many topics that relate to the nutrition, performance, and well-being of athletes. Since 2012, these meetings have been known as the Gatorade Sports Science Institute Expert Panel. The worldwide coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic necessitated that the latest meeting in October of 2021 was again held in a virtual format. However, the meeting was a great success and following the meeting, the authors summarized the recent work in their topic area, resulting in the papers in this Sports Medicine supplement (the ninth in a series supported by the Gatorade Sports Science Institute).