A Preliminary Investigation Of The Relationship Between Triathlete Micronutrient Intake And Training Volume During A Competitive Season

PURPOSE: Micronutrients play a crucial role in many physiological processes and may impact athletic performance and health. Therefore, the purpose of this preliminary study was to explore the potential relationship between key micronutrient intake and training volume in triathletes during a competitive season. METHODS: Participants were 12 male (36.6 ±10.7 years old) and 13 female triathletes (31.8 ±6.8 years old). Training volume was determined by exercise duration and intensity over 24 weeks. Micronutrient intake was assessed through a seven-day dietary recall. RESULTS: Total training volume for females was 30934 (+11378). Females (n = 13) reported an average daily intake of 782mg (+322) of calcium, 1266mg (+435) of phosphorous, 3085mg (+638) of sodium, 2701mg (+664) of potassium, 1587mg (+468) of Vitamin A, 103mg (+54) of Vitamin C, and 16mg (+8) of iron. A multiple linear regression analysis indicated that for females the independent variables (calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and iron) explained 91.1% of the variance in total training volume (p = .022). Calcium (β = -3.85; t = -5.70; p = .002), phosphorus (β = 6.09; t = 5.47; p = .003), potassium (β = -2.56; t = -5.79; p = .002), and iron (β = -1.24; t = -2.60; p = .048) were significant predictors of total training volume for females with phosphorus and calcium being the biggest predictors. Total training volume for males was 44948 (+18433). Males (n = 12) reported an average daily intake of 1076mg (+534) of calcium, 1943mg (+667) of phosphorous, 3889mg (+847) of sodium, 3505mg (+1182) of potassium, 1421mg (+739) of Vitamin A, 132mg (+51) of Vitamin C, and 27mg (+14) of iron. For males, the micronutrients were not associated with total training volume (p = 0.24). CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the association between key micronutrient intake (calcium, phosphorous, potassium, iron) and training volume in female triathletes, with phosphorus and calcium emerging as the strongest predictors for female triathletes. There was no association found between micronutrient intake and training volume in male triathletes. These findings emphasize the potential gender-specific influence of micronutrients on training, and offer important insights for the development of tailored nutritional strategies, particularly for female triathletes.