ABSTRACT
Over the last decade the participation of masters athletes in competitive events has increased, particularly in long-distance events [1-3]. For participants in these events, matching energy intake and expenditure is critical to maintain health and performance. The proportions of carbohydrate, fat and protein must be optimised according to recommendations to provide enough calories to sustain the energy requirements of competiton or training and for recovery. In addition, endurance athletes must include adequate vitamins and mineral intakes in their diets to maintain healthy immune function [4,5]. However, vitamin and mineral intakes may be sufficient in the diets of endurance athletes who have a high energy intake [6]. This would make it unnecessary to use vitamin and mineral supplements.
