The lack of specific recommendations on the use of supplements for sport climbers may be the reason for their misuse by athletes of this discipline. This study aimed to evaluate choices of dietary supplementation, the reasons for taking them, and the source of information on supplementation among sport climbers at different levels. In addition, how climbers subjectively evaluated the impact of their diets in supporting selected aspects of climbing training was evaluated. We enrolled 110 regular sport climbers (40 women and 70 men) from Wroclaw, Poland, who completed a validated questionnaire, assessing their use of dietary supplements, attitudes towards the influence of diet on sports performance, and climbing level. Their anthropometric measurements were also collected. Participants regarded diet as an important element of sports performance. Sport climbers indicated the Internet to be the main source of information on supplements. Health maintenance and improvement of recovery were the most frequently chosen reasons for taking dietary supplements. The most common supplements were isolated protein, vitamin C, vitamin D, magnesium, and amino acid blends. However, participants rarely used supplements suggested as beneficial for sport climbing performance. Therefore, developing recommendations for supplementation in sport climbing and promoting this should be an elementary part of the preparation for climbing training.

Climbing is becoming more and more popular. During 2020 Olympic Games this discipline will be competed for the first time. Individualized diet plays a significant role among representatives of all sport disciplines. The aim of this research was to evaluate the correlation between the level of advancement of sport climbers, selected anthropometric indicators and diet composition. The study involved 36 women and 65 men practicing sport climbing who completed the food record and the survey on the most difficult climbing routes completed. Anthropometric measurements were collected. In the group of men statistically significant, positive correlation between the climbing level and the diet content of fiber, vitamin E, potassium, iron, zinc, and copper, was observed. In the group of women, a statistically significant positive correlation between the climbing level and the participation of vitamin C, potassium, magnesium and copper in the diet was observed. There was a positive correlation of protein, vitamin B2, B6, B12, D, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and copper content, and negative correlation between SFA content per 1,000 kcal of the diet and the climbing level of study participants. No statistical correlation was found between anthropometric parameters and advancement level.

Adolescence is a period between age 10 and 19. Intensive changes associated with the development of the organism influence the nutritional needs during this period. Young swimmers' training is characterized by large volume, so their diet can play an important role in their results and future career. The energy intake of a developing athlete should be determined individually based on gender, anthropometric measurement, character, and number of workouts per day. The frequent presence of drowsiness and fatigue during training may indicate insufficient dietary energy supply. Dehydration exceeding 2% of body weight should be prevented. Isotonic drinks should only be consumed during training longer than 75 minutes. Young swimmers should consume adequate amounts of carbohydrates to restore glycogen reserves before another training unit. Carbohydrates with a high glycemic index of 1-1.2 g/kg b.w./h should be delivered during the post-training period. Immediately following training, a meal containing a complete protein should be consumed to accelerate post-exercise recovery. The total protein supply should be at least 1.2 g/kg b.w./h. The minimum intake of fat in the diet of a young swimmer should be 2 g/kg lean b.w. It is recommended to limit products containing large amounts of saturated fatty acids.

Proper nutrition is the basis for athletes’ performances when competing or training. The increasing training volume accompanying the increase in advancement should go hand in hand with the appropriate supply of energy as well as macro and micronutrients. The diet of climbing representatives due to the desire to achieve a low body weight may be deficient in energy and micronutrients. Our study aimed to evaluate the differences in energy availability and nutrient intake of female and male sport climbers at different climbing levels. Anthropometric parameters and the resting metabolic rate were measured, the questionnaire about climbing grade and training hours was filled, and a 3-day food diary was fulfilled by 106 sport climbers. Based on the collected data, the energy availability as well as the macro- and micronutrient intake was calculated. Low energy availability (EA) was observed among both genders of sport climbing representatives. A significant difference between EA in various levels of advancement was found in the male group (p < 0.001). Differences in carbohydrate intake (g/kg/BW) between sexes were observed (p = 0.01). Differences in nutrients intake between climbing grade were found in both the female and male groups. In the group of female elite athletes, the adequate supply of most of the micronutrients can imply a high-quality diet despite the low calorie content. It is necessary to educate sport climbing representatives about the importance of proper nutrition as well as the consequences of insufficient energy intake.

Resting metabolic rate (RMR) represents the energy required to maintain vital body functions. In dietary practice, RMR is determined by predictive equations on the basis of using body weight or fat-free mass. Our study aimed to assess whether predictive equations used to estimate RMR are reliable tools for estimating the energy requirements of sport climbers. The study included 114 sport climbers whose RMR was measured with a Fitmate WM. Anthropometric measurements were performed with X-CONTACT 356. The resting metabolic rate was measured by indirect calorimetry and was compared with the RMR estimated by 14 predictive equations on the basis of using body weight/fat-free mass. All equations underestimated RMR in male and female climbers, except for De Lorenzo’s equation in the group of women. The De Lorenzo equation demonstrated the highest correlation with RMR in both groups. The results of the Bland–Altman tests revealed an increasing measurement error with increasing metabolism for most of the predictive equations in male and female climbers. All equations had low measurement reliability according to the intraclass correlation coefficient. Compared with the indirect calorimetry measurement results, none of the studied predictive equations demonstrated high reliability. There is a need to develop a highly reliable predictive equation to estimate RMR in sport climbers.