The Paralympic Games represent an international multi-sport competition for athletes with disabilities and reflect the highest standards of athletic excellence and diversity.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) conducts a four-year review of which sports and athletic disciplines are included in the Paralympic Games. Each sport and discipline that requires inclusion must meet specific minimum eligibility conditions, and must have a sufficient level of organizational infrastructure and professionalism to manage and support its sport.

From a practical point of view, sports should clearly identify which types of disabilities are admissible and define them according to the ICF (International Classification of Functioning) codes. To date, only 10 types of impairment have been eligible for Paralympic sport, in particular, these concern:

  • impaired strength and ability to move;
  • shortage of limbs;
  • leg length difference;
  • ipertonia;
  • ataxia;
  • athetosis (disease of the extrapyramidal system, which manifests itself with involuntary movements of the limbs - especially of the extreme segments -, of the face and tongue);
  • short;
  • intellectual impairment.

The impairments, in turn, are not to be confused with health conditions - cerebral palsy, spina bifida, retinitis pigmentosa -.

The spectrum of impairments can be divided into two main categories:

  • those that are innate or present at a very early age;
  • those that have been acquired.

Individuals who have acquired their impairment often have been prone to trauma or health problems such as cancer. A growing number of Paralympic athletes also come from a military background, having acquired their impairment while on "active duty".

Individuals who have acquired their impairment and have undergone a period of inpatient care most likely have already had information on education and nutritional support in this circumstance, as nutritional needs are high immediately after the trauma (for healing optimal wounds), while at other times they can be restricted due to periods of inactivity.

Part of the challenge for a sports nutritionist who works with Paralympic athletes may be to change their mentality , the famous " mindset " that is often talked about, because it is essential to have high sports performance . This can be a substantial shift in nutritional focus in terms of the volume, type and timing of food and liquid intake and, in fact, the whole reason for consuming food.

Research over the past three decades has yielded a wealth of information, which can now be used on a personalized level to maximize adaptations to chronic exercise (i.e. training) and to optimize performance on a specific occasion (i.e. competition).

The evolution of sports nutrition science and practice now allows athletes to develop dietary practices specific to the needs of their sport and to achieve a fit physique, reduce the risk of disease and injury, and support training and recovery needs.

Although the demands of Paralympic sports may be unique, most of the principles of sports nutrition that have been developed from studies of able-bodied athletes also apply to these special populations.

Regarding the use of supplements , as we know, there is an increasing prevalence of supplement use in the elite sports community, not only in Olympic sports but also in Paralympic sports. There are many studies that have concerned the analysis on the use of supplements in Paralympic sports, and in the more recent ones it was found that athletes use various supplements from 58 to 91% of the interviewed subjects. In general, the reasons athletes take supplements include:

  • performance improvement ;
  • support for exercise recovery ;
  • the supply of energy ;
  • improving the immune system and general health;
  • the possible treatment of an injury .

Although supplements are already widely applied in Paralympic sports, there is a lack of information tailored to the special needs of this sporting population, unique with regards to the correct and specific application, risks and benefits of using supplements.

Common supplements used by Paralympic athletes include:

  • multivitaminici;
  • sports drinks ;
  • Protein and carbohydrates ;

or a similar integration quite similar to that adopted by able-bodied athletes.

The distinction between "improved performance" and "improved physiological capacity" was presented as an important concept for elite athletes, a distinction to be understood also with respect to the effectiveness of dietary supplements. There are some supplements that are more useful for improving training capacity and adaptations (such as creatine), while there are others for which research has been limited to specific competing use.(such as mineral salts for endurance performance). Additionally, situations should be considered where repeated use of certain supplements may result in a loss of efficacy or adverse effects, such as the balance between the potential benefits of caffeine use and the impact of interrupted sleep throughout the day. duration of a swim or an athletics match.

Paralympic athletes have unique physiologies, influenced mainly by the individual phenotype but also by drugs, nature and degree of impairment. This means that any dietary supplement ingested for the purpose of enhancing performance must be tailored to the athlete, manipulating the dose, timing and form to optimize its potential ergogenic effects.

The new challenge will be to formulate specific supplements with respect to sports performance models and the unique characteristics of Paralympic athletes.

 

 

 

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