The interactions between exercise physiology and nutrition are more intimately linked than most realize. At its fundamental level, the adaptation to training is a balance between energy expenditure (exercise) and energy intake (nutrition), which ultimately dictates the adaptive response of the individual, whether it be an elite athlete or someone new to exercise. Certainly, exercise stimulus is essential to drive adaptation, but proper nutritional substrates can optimize this response. Furthermore, limits to performance can partially be overcome through informed use of several nutritional supplementation strategies. Thus, over the years sports nutrition has evolved from a niche discipline into a very important element of sport performance. In many ways, some nutritional interventions can now be viewed as potent "triggers" for training adaptation and performance. Coaches and physiologists spend much time deliberating over their training and physiological stimuli. But, very few scientists and coaches think about the substrates (e.g., nutrition/hydration) that optimize the stimuli: how nutritional triggers can optimize the training response and performance of the athlete.
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