The age-herald., 1900-12-26
THE DIET OF ATHLETES.
Additions to American Experience by
 British Observers.

From the London British Medical Journal
 Not the least interesting of the long se- ries of dietary studies of Prof. Atwater and his feilow-workers are those of uni versity boat crews They are studies of men In good athletic training, brought in- to that condition by carefully and skillfully regulated exercise, ard proper dieting and who at the time of the studies were doing severe athletic work. It is a matter not only of interest but of practical importance to understand the food requirements of such individuals, and the work done by Att water and Bryant goes far beyond supply ing that knowledge. Athletic work essen- tially differs from laborers' work in that it Is very severe, but of short duration. The laborer is adapted for sustained exertion, the athletic for short but severe eXertion. It may be taken that the essential for an athlete is to have very ample energy
 liberating mechanism-muscle-ca of rapidly converting all available energy-pro- ducing material (nutrimenD into work, while on the other hand the essential for the actively worked laborer is not so much highly developed liberating mechanism as a large store of energy-producing mater ial. It is common knowledge that labor CTS are not good athletes. and that athletes are not good laborers. The training of the two classes is essentially different.
 To what extent the good requirements of the two classes differ is well known by the
  en studies were made, four on Harvard University crews, two on Yale University crews and one on the captain of one Of the Harvard crews The observations were made under somewhat unfavorable condl- tions, but the authors, with the assistance of fellow-workers, seem to have overcome all difficulties and have recorded thorough ly trustworthy results. The investigations entailed an unusually large amount of chemical analysis. The results of these seven studies show that the food con sumed by these athletes contained daily average of 155 grams of proteid, 117 of fat and A 0of carbohydrate, and had aver age daily energy value of 4, 0S5 caiories. The prominent characteristic of such dietary is the large amount of proteid. The energy value is equal to that of a diet for fairly severe labor, the proteid is sufficient for more severe labor than that of energy. That this is a normal feature of an ath- lete's diet is shown in the bulletin by com parison with the few trustworthy studies of athletes dietaries previously published.
 Sandow In training has been found to eat PA grams of proteid daily, prize-hghter was found to eat PTS grams, and tine mem bers of two football teams were found to eat on-a an average 1S1 and N0 grams daily. The energy value of the diets of the boat crews Is in excess of that of the average dietaries of similar young men, but is not so largely in excess as the proteid Is. Stu dents residing in college clubs have been found to eat a diet with an energy value of $500 calories, and proteid value of 107 grams. The energy value of the athletes diets is only 10 per cent more than the stu dents diet, but the proteid value of the athletes diet is 45 per cent more than the students diet Atwater, by careful ar- gument, shows that this large use of pro- teid is not a mere coincidence, but is to satisfy an actual physiological need, though he is not able fully to explain this special need for proteid by athlets. It may be an excessive call for repair and develop ment of muscle, or it may be to satisfy the special wants of tine nervous system to compensate for the great nervous strain"