ABSTRACT
The physiological factors known to influence competitive success and the training paradigms associated with their development form the basis for sport-specific training. Athletes might facilitate their progress through acute or chronic supplementation of dietary compounds that are relevant to the specific goals of training and performance. These include dietary supplements that: provide energy or facilitate its availability; attenuate factors that acutely and chronically lead to fatigue; enhance cognitive performance and/or reduce mental fatigue; and promote muscular development. Athletes who compete in weight restricted sports are required to meet specific body mass standards to enable fair competition. In other sports, an ergogenic benefit may exist from reduced or enhanced body mass. Reductions in body and fat mass may benefit athletes competing in artistic sports, endurance sports and strength/power sports that require repeated effort by lowering the energy cost needed to perform, enhancing thermoregulation and improving the ability to sustain effort.
