Sports Nutrition Considerations for Firefighters
This article will highlight recent key dietary practices and provide practical applications for implementing these practices for firefighters.
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This article originally appeared in TSAC Report, the NSCA’s quarterly, online-only publication geared toward the training of tactical athletes, operators, and facilitators. It provides research-based articles, performance drills, and conditioning techniques for operational, tactical athletes. The TSAC Report is only available for NSCA Members. Read more articles from TSAC Report
References
- Almeida, AA, Reeve, EH, Dickinson, RL, Carty, M, Gilpin, J, and Feairheller, DL. Civilians have higher adherence and more improvements in health with a Mediterranean diet and circuit training program compared with firefighters. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 64: 488-494, 2022.
- Alvar, BA, Sell K, and Deuster, PA. NSCA’s Essentials of Tactical Strength and Conditioning. Human Kinetics; 2017.
- Angerer, P, Kadlez-Gebhardt, S, Delius, M, Raluca, P, and Nowak, D. Comparison of cardiocirculatory and thermal strain of male firefighters during fire suppression to exercise stress test and aerobic exercise testing. The American Journal of Cardiology 102: 1551-1556, 2008.
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- Chander, H, McAllister, MJ, and Holland AM. Effects of 7-day ketone ingestion and a physiological workload on postural stability, cognitive, and muscular exertion measures in professional firefighters. Safety 5: 15, 2019.
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- Gonzalez, AE, Waldman, HS, Abel, MG, McCurdy, KW, and McAllister, MJ. Impact of time restricted feeding on fitness variables in professional resistance trained firefighters. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 63: 343-349, 2021.
- Gonzalez, DE, Dillard, CC, Johnson, SE, Martin, SE, and McAllister, MJ. Physiological stress responses to a live-fire training evolution in career structural firefighters. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 10: 1097, 2023.
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- Gonzalez, DE, Waldman, HS, and McAllister, MJ. The metabolic and physiological demands of a simulated fire ground test versus a live-fire training evolution in professional firefighters. International Journal of Exercise Science 16: 230, 2023.
- Guest, NS, VanDusseldorp, TA, Nelson, MT, Grgic, J, Schoenfeld, BJ, Jenkins, N, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: Caffeine and exercise performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 18: 1, 2021.
- Hershey, MS, Chang, C-R, and Sotos-Prieto, M. Effect of a nutrition intervention on Mediterranean diet adherence among firefighters: a cluster randomized clinical trial. JAMA Network Open 6: e2329147-e2329147, 2023.
- Intakes SCotSEoDR, Electrolytes PoDRIf, Water. Dietary reference intakes for water, potassium, sodium, chloride, and sulfate. National Academies Press, 2005.
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- Joe, MJ, Hatsu, IE, Tefft, A, Mok, S, and Adetona, O. Dietary behavior and diet interventions among structural firefighters: A narrative review. Nutrients 14, 2022.
- Kales, SN, and Smith, DL. Sudden cardiac death in the fire service. Oxford University Press UK 228-230, 2014.
- Kales, SN, and Smith, DL. Firefighting and the heart: Implications for prevention. American Heart Association 1296-1299, 2017.
- Kales, SN, Soteriades, ES, Christophi, CA, and Christiani,DC. Emergency duties and deaths from heart disease among firefighters in the United States. New England Journal of Medicine 356: 1207-1215, 2007.
- Kales, SN, Soteriades, ES, Christoudias, SG, and Christiani, DC. Firefighters and on-duty deaths from coronary heart disease: A case control study. Environmental Health 2: 1-13, 2003.
- Kerksick, CM, Wilborn, CD, Roberts, MD, Smith-Ryan, A, Kleiner, S, Jäger, R, et al. ISSN exercise and sports nutrition review update: Research and recommendations. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 15: 1-57, 2018.
Available to:
Members only
Members only
Audience:
TSAC Facilitators
TSAC Facilitators
Topics:
Nutrition Exercise Technique Program design Organization and Administration Testing and Evaluation Safety
Nutrition Exercise Technique Program design Organization and Administration Testing and Evaluation Safety
Keywords:
First Responder Fitness Health and Wellness Supplements Dietary Practices Nutrition Firefighters
First Responder Fitness Health and Wellness Supplements Dietary Practices Nutrition Firefighters
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