We all have a general idea of what we should be eating, but which foods are the best to keep us diving safely? Special report by Dr Claire Wade
SCUBASAFETY
Dietary dilemmas: Graphic generated by AI
Eat, live, dive
We all have a general idea of what we should be eating, but which foods are the best to keep us diving safely? Special report by Dr Claire Wade
Scuba diving and freediving place unique demands on the body. Divers are exposed to cold water, increased pressure and varying levels of physical exertion. While training, equipment and dive planning are rightly emphasised, nutrition is another important factor that can influence performance, recovery and overall fitness to dive.
Research into diving nutrition has focused on energy requirements, hydration, cardiovascular health and the effects of certain foods on decompression
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Cigs and booze do not a James Bond make. AI graphic stress. Although nutrition cannot eliminate diving risk, maintaining a healthy lifestyle may help support both general health and diving performance.
Energy Requirements
Diving increases energy expenditure compared with resting on land. Immersion in water increases heat loss, particularly in colder conditions, while breathing compressed gas at depth increases the work of breathing. Additional exertion from swimming, carrying equipment or working underwater further increases energy demands.
For most recreational divers, there is no need for a specialised diving diet. The simplest approach is to eat enough to support activity levels and recovery, while maintaining a healthy body weight. Divers undertaking long, repetitive or occupational dives may require greater energy intake, but the same principles that apply to other physical activities generally apply to diving.
A balanced diet containing carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats remains the best foundation for most divers.
Hydration
Hydration is one of the most frequently discussed topics in diving nutrition. Divers can become mildly dehydrated through immersion-induced diuresis, sweating while wearing exposure protection and insufficient fluid intake.
Some studies suggest that being well hydrated before diving may reduce the number of venous gas bubbles detected after a dive. These bubbles are considered a marker of decompression stress, although reduced bubble formation does not necessarily mean a reduced risk of decompression illness( DCI).