All the recent stories around the World in the press and other forms of media about contaminated vitamin and mineral supplements leading to positive drugs tests have led a number of players and indeed other athletes to abstain from using them, in particular, our tennis playing elite.

You might assume that this should not be a problem as we are constantly being told again and again: a varied diet eaten in the right amounts that meet the energy requirements of an athlete or player should provide him or her with all the necessary nutrients required by the body.

This concept is quite naïve and will actually result in giving our players’ opponents (who do take supplements) an unfair advantage.

Why?

Read on!

Let’s for a minute assume, however unlikely, that you as a tennis player do eat a varied diet in the necessary quantities (whatever that is???)

The food that you eat you will certainly not be as nutritious as stated by the dietary analysis programs used by many to ascertain an individual’s nutrient intake – and here is why!

Our soil has far, far fewer minerals than it once did and the nutrients in our foods diminish with time, temperature, light and processing (all of which play a big part in the modern manufacturing process).

Forget professional players and athletes (whose bodies place large demands on their food and drink intake), with the best will in the world, even a so-called ‘couch potato’ would find it very, very difficult get optimal levels of nutrients eating the food we produce today.

Add to all of that environmental factors such as the stress of exercise, the stress of everyday life and the added effect of our polluted environment, all of which are factors that require even more nutrients for our bodies to function properly and pretty soon you are left with players and athletes who visibly get tired more quickly, get injured more often, recover more slowly, have mood swings, lose mental clarity and alertness and leave the courts and pitches of the World feeling both battered and frustrated.

Recently a large number of studies have shown that antioxidant supplementation protects against free radicals, exercise and pollution-induced damage and those taking vitamin C have shown a lower incidence of upper respiratory tract infections.

Remember - Excessive exercise often results in a weakened immune system.

A 4-year study on probiotics (the ‘good’ bacteria) recently completed might be of help, as it showed a definitive link between probiotics and immunity and as such, the use of probiotics immediately after each tennis match you play, or practise/fitness session you take part in may well prove beneficial.

CONCLUSION

The problem of contamination can therefore be overcome by only using supplements from the supplement manufacturers who definitely do not produce hormones or banned substances on their premises.

However, the proper supplementation geared to each player’s individual needs is best handled by a qualified sport nutritionist.

Isn’t it about time YOU went on court properly fuelled to win?