University of Physical Education – Center for Sports Nutrition Science

We provide personalized sports-specific nutrition counseling with regard to the training period, the individual aspects and objectives, and the preservation of health. We can help the athletes in a complex way to choose the right, safe, and doping-free dietary supplement: in addition to nutritional counseling, our laboratory uses the most modern equipment to detect substances on the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) list.

Our services from analytical measurements to personalized counseling and diet planning are based on protocols developed in accordance with the highest level of scientific evidence.

Our activities are:

Department of Nutrition Science

• Our colleagues support the preparation of athletes with nutritional counseling, diet planning, reliable measurement and evaluation of body composition, and if necessary, advice safe dietary supplements.
• With on-the-spot practical education programs we introduce the basics of sports nutrition to athletes, their parents and coaches.
• We contribute to product development through the risk assessment of dietary supplements and other food products developed for sports.
• Our main goal is to increase sports performance while maintaining health.

Services:

Measurement and evaluation of body composition

Knowing body composition is important for quality assessment of nutritional status and for monitoring the effectiveness of dietary interventions. In the Center for Sports Nutrition Science, body composition is measured by the InBody770 device, which provides a reliable image of the body's composition, fat, water, muscle mass and bone mineral content.

Food record evaluation

When preparing the food record, the athlete records what kind of foods and beverages they consumed during a given period of time. Usually we examine a 3-day period: two non-consecutive weekdays and one day of the weekend. Keeping a food record helps to get the most accurate picture of the amount of food (macro- and micronutrients) consumed, the nutritional rhythm, and of the raw materials and cooking technologies used. A food record also makes it easier to personalize and later on monitor an athlete's sport-specific diet, and to detect possible dietary mistakes.

Nutrition counseling

With nutrition counseling, it is possible to develop a personalized, sport-specific nutrition plan that fully serves the athlete's goals.

During the first consultation, our dietitians ask the athlete in detail about his/her goals, potential problems, and information about previous injuries, illnesses, dietary habits - including the use of dietary supplements - and physical activity. After setting the goals and the key steps to achieve them together new consultations can be held to help maintaining the dietary changes. The results achieved are regularly evaluated and the athlete receives accurate feedback on his/her progress.

Complex nutritional status survey

The complex nutritional status survey provides the opportunity to determine the athlete's body composition, to evaluate dietary habits, and to develop a personalized, sport-specific nutrition plan. If necessary, a consultation with a sports physician is also included in the complex survey.

Meal planning

Personalized, sport-specific meal plans

Based on the results of anthropometric measurements, age, gender, physical activity, and food records, our dietitians calculate the amount of energy and nutrients needed to meet the athlete's individual requirements, and design a meal plan that serves the athlete's goals.

Meal plans for training camps and sports clubs

Our dietitians provide meal plans for training camps and sports clubs that are appropriate for the athletes' age group.  On request, we provide assistance with the formulation of recipes and nutrient calculations.

Presentations, education

With presentations and courses our experts provide athletes, their coaches and other sports professionals practical knowledge on the basic principles of sports nutrition, sports specific nutrition, performance enhancement, and risk-free dietary supplements.

Consultancy for dietary supplement manufacturers and distributors

Our goal is to help dietary supplement and sports food manufacturers and distributors by providing scientific advice to ensure that products targeting athletes are risk-free, meet the nutritional needs of sport, support performance, and help athletes to maintain their health.

Analytical Laboratory

Our laboratory provides the detection of a wide range of banned substances (34 anabolic steroids, 27 stimulants, 9 potential enhancement agents, caffeine, etc.). New generation analytical instrumentation (UHPLC, GC-MS/MS, UHPLC-MS/MS) allows fast and reliable determination of doping agents from dietary substances with very low (ng) detection limit.

• Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC):
  • excellent separation
  • sensitive detection using DAD (Diode Array Detector)
  • short testing time
  • high sample capacity, fast sample analysis
• Liquid Chromatography coupled to Mass Spectrometry (LC -MS/MS)
  • high sensitivity
  • low detection limit
  • fast spectrum recording (Multiple Reaction Monitoring -MRM)
• Liquid Chromatography coupled to Quadrupol Time-of-flight Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)
  • high-resolution mass spectrum
  • detecting quantities below ng
  • identification and screening of unknown molecules with low detection limits and excellent reproducibility
• Gas Chromatography coupled to Triple Quadrupol Mass Spectometry (GC-MS / MS)
  • outstanding performance with time- and resource-saving features
  • improved mass-specific performance
  • confident trace analysis even in complex matrices with very low detection limits