Written by Jennifer Ho, Sports Dietitian. MS, RD, CD.
TECHNICAL SPORTS
Precision and accuracy make technical sports more challenging than they may seem. It takes high levels of focus and concentration to deliver performance. Sports like diving require sharp movements, strong form, and near perfect timing. Golf is built on having a solid swing with the right grip, aim, and control. Even archery involves an immense amount of mental focus for consistent accuracy and precise shots.
CONCENTRATION
These sports require a great amount of concentration throughout the sport. The movements are timed and precise rather than ongoing and fluid. Paired with a solid nutritional foundation, a sachet of 2before blackcurrant powder consumed an hour before training can support focus and keep you feeling locked in to keep performance levels high.
Blackcurrant powder has been shown to improve cognitive function and focus through increases in monoamine neurotransmitters and inhibition of monoamine oxidase-B. Not sure what those are and what that last sentence just said? Let’s break it down a bit.
Monoamine neurotransmitters include serotonin, dopamine, and adrenaline. Those words may sound a bit more familiar. These neurotransmitters are involved in a variety of functions, including psychomotor function and cardiovascular health.1 Enhancing these neurotransmitters may play a role in improving cognitive function.
Monoamine oxidase-B is an enzyme that breaks down the neurotransmitters discussed above. By inhibiting these enzymes, the breakdown of the neurotransmitters will decrease. Putting the two together, blackcurrant has been shown to promote neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, and also minimize their breakdown so that our bodies can utilize them. Pretty neat!
ELEVATED ENERGY
You’ve got the concentration piece down, now what about the energy piece? After all, it’s hard to have concentration without energy. Briefly looking into energy systems, these sports will have a balance of both the anaerobic and aerobic systems. The specific actions of the sports - the swing, the shot, the dive - will be primarily anaerobic because they only last for a few seconds. However, the walking across the green, and the time moving around in between shots and dives will be going into the aerobic system because they’re lower intensity and longer duration. Remember, our bodies don’t go to one energy system and stay there - we are often going through all of them fluidly throughout our workouts.
A mix of healthy fats and carbohydrates will keep you fueled with sustained energy to keep you going over the course of the event day. Easily digestible carbohydrates, like sports drinks, energy chews, and applesauce, are good options 30 min - 1 hour before training. Adding a sachet of blackcurrant powder with caffeine 1 hour before your performance can also elevate your energy levels and help deliver peak performance.
For technical sports that require consistent concentration and being mentally dialed in, supplementing your current regime with blackcurrant powder can help you feel more focused during training and competition. The anthocyanin-rich properties of these berries will also give you a head start on your recovery nutrition. Consider complementing your diet with blackcurrant powder to provide your body with extra nutrients, aid performance, and maximize recovery time.
