Track and field athletes suffer a high rate of injuries. It’s said that one in twelve people registered for International Athletics Championships will be hurt. It begs the question, can we reduce the risk of injury and improve recovery with proper nutrition?

The answer is yes. Here are some research-based tips to protect yourself from injury using diet.

• Eating additional protein probably does not prevent or treat injuries as long as you were already taking in enough protein

• If you cut back your training after an injury, be sure to decrease your calorie intake - otherwise, you might gain unintended weight

• High-dose omega-3 fats (fish oil) might be beneficial

• Vitamin D may be helpful for muscle repair. Most athletes are vitamin D deficient, so a supplement of vitamin D would be helpful

• Creatine may reduce muscle loss when you’re recovering and may boost muscle gain once you resume training

• Collagen might decrease knee pain and boost your cartilage

Now, go out there and train -but eat a healthy diet!

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