Sports Nutrition and Recovery: Key Nutrients and Supplements for Effective Regeneration

Recovery after physical exercise is a critically important aspect of achieving athletic performance, enabling the body to adapt to workloads and preventing overtraining. The aim of this study is to summarize and analyze scientific data on sports nutrition. The PRISMA 2020 guidelines (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) were utilized for the systematic review. Literature searches were conducted using the databases PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. The search period covered the years 1990 to 2023. Effective recovery after fitness training involves several physiological processes, including glycogen replenishment, muscle tissue regeneration, hormonal balance normalization, and restoration of electrolyte balance. Nutrition plays a key role in maintaining and accelerating these processes, making it an integral part of recovery programs. Mechanisms contributing to rapid recovery are discussed, including the importance of combining proteins and carbohydrates in a 3 : 1 or 4 : 1 ratio, as well as the significance of hydration and electrolyte replenishment to prevent dehydration. Additionally, supplements such as BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine), EAAs (essential amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, valine, lysine, methionine, threonine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and histidine), and creatine are considered for their roles in enhancing recovery and improving strength performance. Vitamins C and E, with their potent antioxidant properties, protect cells from oxidative stress, further accelerating the recovery process. This review article analyzes current scientific data on sports nutrition, highlighting the role of nutritional components - proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. By integrating various aspects of sports nutrition and supplementation, the article emphasizes their importance in effective post-exercise recovery.