Dear Coaches,
Here’s what’s coming up today:
Expert Opinion
Barriers and enablers to implementing the UEFA Consensus Statement on Nutrition
"I've never seen a player eat 8 grams per kilo in eight years."
This stark admission from a Premier League nutritionist reveals the gap between UEFA's evidence-based guidelines and football reality.
Dr. Nessan Costello and team’s research with 12 lead nutritionists exposed uncomfortable truths about implementing nutrition science in elite football.
The carbohydrate guidelines proved challenging to implement.
Practitioners questioned whether research conducted on "university athletes, recreational athletes" applies to elite players who "get nowhere near the work rate, the intensity" of Premier League football.
Even when nutritionists believed in the science, players couldn't practically consume the recommended 6-8g of carbohydrates per kilogram daily. The volume caused "GI discomfort and poor sleep quality."
Management interference undermines professional expertise.
Nutritionists described a "tug of war for control" where managers banned basic foods—"no sauces, no ketchup, no butter, no nothing"—despite evidence-based recommendations.
One practitioner captured the frustration: "I can make everything available, I can educate them on the best protocol, but if they don't want to do it, nope, there's no budging."
The isolation factor compounds everything.
Working 60-70 hour weeks as the sole nutritionist, practitioners lacked time for professional development and peer support. They felt "very isolated, and very lonely" without colleagues to consult.
Even world-class nutritionists struggle with behaviour change when the system works against them.
Resource Roundup
News & Resources
Performance Tech
Beta Fuel + Electrolytes
Endurance exercise beyond 2 hours demands dual-source fueling with electrolyte replacement.
Science in Sport's new BETA Fuel + Electrolyte Gel tackles the dual problem every endurance coach knows: athletes need both sustained energy AND proper hydration.
This isn't another "add electrolytes and call it innovation" play.
The gel delivers 40g of carbohydrate using an optimal 1:0.8 maltodextrin-to-fructose ratio—proven to maximise carbohydrate oxidation rates beyond single-source formulations.
Plus 200mg of sodium per gel helps replace electrolytes lost through sweat during exercise.
The target: 2-3 gels per hour delivers 80-120g carbs/hour while replacing key electrolytes lost through sweat.
Why this matters for your athletes:
Provides both carbohydrate and electrolyte delivery in a single product
Reduces GI distress compared to traditional high-carb fuelling strategies
Specifically formulated for the 2+ hour endurance window where both energy and hydration become limiting factors
