Interview with nutritionist Melf Carstensen | OneFootball

Nutrition is the fuel that powers the body, and Melf Carstensen is the pump attendant. In an interview with ‘51’ magazine, he explains what's important when dealing with our professional players.

Melf Carstensen - the interview

Melf, what contribution can nutrition make to professional football? "One thing is clear: the most important thing in football is what the coach does with the team. Nutrition is a small supporting cog. Our job is to integrate scientific findings into everyday life in a practical way. Not too much, but enough to support the objectives. Nutrition is not a miracle cure – but it is a tool that can be optimised." We want to delay exhaustion as much as possible. You can't prevent it, that's physiology, but you can delay it. After all, you can't drive a Formula 1 car without the right fuel."

How would you describe your work with the players? "A big issue is loading protocols – i.e. which nutrients do we need, when do we need them and in what quantities? Carbohydrates play a central role. I think in terms of grammes per kilogrammme of body weight – but I don't say to the players: 'You need six to eight grammes of carbohydrates per kilogramme of body weight to fill your glycogen reserves, and then 30 grammes of protein for regeneration.' I do tell them: 'Make sure you have a large energy reserve, eat enough carbohydrates and drink this shake after exercise to help with your regeneration.'"

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Do players' nutritional strategies differ? "Definitely. The wingers play in positions that require a lot of running, so carbohydrate nutrition is particularly important. A goalkeeper also puts in five or six kilometres, but the demands are completely different. Individual exertion also plays a role: has someone played 90 minutes or less? Is there a history of injuries? Cramps? So you adjust accordingly. There's no magic formula. We work with people, not machines."

What does the daily diet of a professional player look like? "We work on a full board basis. As a rule, we have at least two meals together per day. On matchdays, we have twice as many meals. Above all, that means twice as many carbohydrates – in other words, twice as much energy. When we're on the road, we eat at the hotel in the evening, plus they get snacks during physio sessions, breakfast, lunch, a pre-match meal and they eat again after the final whistle. This is crucial, especially during intense weeks with two matches. And the matchday buffet with shakes, pancakes and a pasta station always looks the same, no matter where we are – whether it's a home game, an away game or the Club World Cup in America. Familiarity creates security. We try to maintain routines and interrupt them as little as possible so their preparation is optimal."

The interview appeared in the January issue of the members' magazine ‘51’.