Tailored Nutrition Strategies for Paralympic Athletes: Addressing Unique Energy, Nutrients, and Hydration Needs to Enhance Performance and Health

Hadeel Ghazzawi^1*Fajer Al-Aittan²Raghad Al-Aqaili³Batool Khataybeh⁴Tamara Alhalaiqah⁵Saja Hamaideh²Adam Tawfiq AMAWI⁶Khaled Trabelsi⁷Haitham Jahrami^8,9Mahmoud Alhaj Hasan¹⁰

• ¹Department of Nutrition and Food Technology, School of Agriculture, The University of Jordan, Aljubeiha, Jordan
• ²Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan
• ³Independent Researcher, Ontario, Canada
• ⁴Department of Nutrition and Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
• ⁵Jordan Paralympic Committee, Amman, Jordan
• ⁶School of Sport Sciences, Department of Movement Sciences and Sports Training, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
• ⁷High Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
• ⁸Government Hospitals, Manama, Bahrain
• ⁹Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Bahrain
• ¹⁰Hayel Saeed Anam Group, 1fit, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

The achievements of Olympic athletes are often highlighted, whereas the successes of Paralympians are frequently overlooked. Paralympic athletes with disabilities face unique nutritional challenges due to variations in energy expenditure and nutrient requirements associated with their specific disabilities and sports. Hydration is critical, particularly for athletes with spinal cord injuries, who may struggle with body temperature regulation. Despite the importance of nutrition in enhancing athletic performance, there is a lack of research focused on the nutritional requirements of Paralympic athletes. This scholarly review provides a comprehensive overview of the energy, macronutrient, and micronutrient requirements, including those for minerals and vitamins, supplements, and fluid intake, of Paralympic athletes aged 18 and older. This literature search was conducted via the Scopus and Google Scholar databases and focused on English-language original articles published between 1990 and 2024. This review included 56 studies. These findings highlight the necessity for tailored nutritional planning to support the performance and health of Paralympic athletes. Close monitoring of individual intake is essential to adjust for fluctuations in macronutrients, micronutrient supplements, and fluid intake. Ongoing research is vital for developing effective nutritional strategies that accommodate the diverse needs of these athletes.