Sports Nutrition
As an athlete — whether at the collegiate, high school, middle school, or professional level — you have special nutrition needs, which can vary 
depending on peak-performance requirements. The nutritional needs of an athlete, especially for micronutrients, vitamins and minerals, calories, and fluids are greater than those of less active people.
At the UPMC Center for Sports Medicine, experts in nutrition provide a valuable adjunct to the medical specialties available, providing individualized programs for the professional and amateur athlete alike.
We help athletes of all ages understand that proper fueling and hydrating are vitally important pieces of the performance puzzle, whether the goal is:
- getting more out of workouts
- achieving faster recovery times after exertion
- weight management, whether the goal is to gain or lose weight
- injury rehabilitation
- pain alleviation
- sport-specific nutrition
- meeting the nutritional needs of female athletes
Leslie J. Bonci, MPH, RD, is director of the Sports Nutrition Program at the UPMC Center for Sports Medicine and Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, and is the nutrition consultant to the:
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Pittsburgh Penguins
- Pittsburgh Riverhounds professional soccer team
- Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
- University of Pittsburgh Department of Athletics
- Notre Dame Department of Athletics
- University of Texas Department of Athletics
- U.S. Olympic Canoe and Kayak Team