Thanks to visit codestin.com
Credit goes to link.springer.com

Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

Introduction to Esports Nutrition

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Esports Nutrition

  • 82 Accesses

Abstract

This introductory chapter highlights the emerging importance of nutrition in Esports, an industry rapidly gaining global recognition as a competitive discipline. It explores how optimal nutrition directly influences cognitive functions such as concentration, reaction time, and decision-making, as well as physical factors including stamina, injury prevention, and overall health. The chapter provides an overview of fundamental nutritional concepts necessary for enhancing gaming performance and identifies common nutritional challenges esports athletes face. Practical insights and real-world examples from professional gamers set the stage for subsequent in-depth chapters, offering readers a foundational understanding of esports nutrition as a critical element of competitive success.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+
from £29.99 /Month
  • Starting from 10 chapters or articles per month
  • Access and download chapters and articles from more than 300k books and 2,500 journals
  • Cancel anytime
View plans

Buy Now

Chapter
GBP 19.95
Price includes VAT (United Kingdom)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
GBP 55.99
Price includes VAT (United Kingdom)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
GBP 69.99
Price includes VAT (United Kingdom)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles, books and news in related subjects, suggested using machine learning.

Abbreviations

ADHD:

attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

ATP:

adenosine triphosphate

BCAAs:

branched-chain amino acids

BMI:

body mass index

CHO:

carbohydrate

CNS:

central nervous system

DHA:

docosahexaenoic acid

EPA:

eicosapentaenoic acid

Esports:

electronic sports

FAT:

fat

GI:

glycemic index

GL:

glycemic load

PRO:

protein

PUFA:

polyunsaturated fatty acids

ROS:

reactive oxygen species

References

  1. Mangeloja, E. (2019). Economics of esports. Electronic Journal of Business Ethics and Organization Studies, 24(2), 34–42.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Nguyen, H. (2024). Profitability of key stakeholders in Esports: Esports/gaming [Bachelor’s thesis, Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences]. Theseus. http://www.theseus.fi/handle/10024/870848.

  3. Muniowski, Ł. (2025). Sport and video games. Taylor & Francis.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  4. Samala, A. D., Bojić, L., Vergara-Rodríguez, D., Klimova, B., & Ranuharja, F. (2024). Exploring the impact of gamification on 21st-century skills: Insights from DOTA 2. International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies, 17(18), 33–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Pang, Z., Su, L., & Zhang, Y. (2025). Daily physical activity, coffee and energy drink consumption, and sleep patterns among Chinese elite professional esports athletes: A case study of Zhejiang Regans gaming. Frontiers in Public Health, 13, 1557533.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Chatterjee, M. K., Joshi, M. T., Saha, M. S., Sharma, M. D., Hore, M. T., & Kandpal, M. A. (2024). Digital athletics: The convergence of Esports and traditional sports. OrangeBooks Publication.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Ajjimaporn, A., Buaprapahn, P., Senwandee, P., Sirisoonthorn, N., Chalermthamrong, P., & Ramyarangsi, P. Effects of duration and gender on physiological and cognitive responses to mobile gaming: a study on university students playing ROV. Available at SSRN 4844934.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Ribeiro, F. J. V. (2024). Chess and eSports nutrition: Dietary habits, lifestyles and hydration status.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Ribeiro, F. J., & Poínhos, R. (2024). Paper III: Dietary habits of esports competitors: A scoping. In Chess and eSports Nutrition: Dietary Habits, Lifestyles and Hydration Status Fernando Jorge Vieira Ribeiro.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Long, J. W., Maksi, S. J., Frías, F. J. L., Ireland, R., & Masterson, T. D. (2024). Content analysis of food and beverage marketing in global esports: Sponsorships of the premier events, leagues, teams and players. BMJ Public Health, 2(1), 1–9.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Salum, K. A., Hung, S. H., Hsieh, M. T., & Chang, C. W. (2024). Doping in Esports: A review of nootropics and analytical methods for their detection. Physical Education Journal., 57, 1–21.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Sanz-Matesanz, M., Martínez-Aranda, L. M., & Gea-García, G. M. (2024). Effects of a physical training program on cognitive and physical performance and health-related variables in professional esports players: A pilot study. Applied Sciences, 14(7), 2845.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Szot, M., Karpęcka-Gałka, E., Dróżdż, R., & Frączek, B. (2022, January). Can nutrients and dietary supplements potentially improve cognitive performance also in esports?. In Healthcare (Vol. 10, No. 2, p. 186). MDPI.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Madden, D., & Harteveld, C. (2021, May). “Constant pressure of having to perform”: Exploring player health concerns in esports. In Proceedings of the 2021 CHI conference on human factors in computing systems (pp. 1–14).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Emara, A. K., Ng, M. K., Cruickshank, J. A., Kampert, M. W., Piuzzi, N. S., Schaffer, J. L., & King, D. (2020). Gamer’s health guide: Optimizing performance, recognizing hazards, and promoting wellness in esports. Current Sports Medicine Reports, 19(12), 537–545.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Mondal, R., & Nithish, G. S. (2024). Integrated analysis of health dynamics in esports: Injury profiles, intervention strategies, and health optimization protocols. International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health, 11(6), 2484–2499.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Goulart, J. B., Aitken, L. S., Siddiqui, S., Cuevas, M., Cardenas, J., Beathard, K. M., & Riechman, S. E. (2023). Nutrition, lifestyle, and cognitive performance in esport athletes. Frontiers in Nutrition, 10, 1120303.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  18. Gibson, E. L., & Green, M. W. (2002). Nutritional influences on cognitive function: Mechanisms of susceptibility. Nutrition Research Reviews, 15(1), 169–206.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Turner, J. (2023). Exploring the role of dietary intake and supplementation on performance in video gaming and esports [Doctoral dissertation, Queensland University of Technology].

    Google Scholar 

  20. Biesheuvel, M. I. (2025). Designing a dashboard for Esports health and performance monitoring [Bachelor’s thesis, University of Twente].

    Google Scholar 

  21. Dowdell, B. T. (2020). Cardiovascular stress response while gaming and behavioral and psychometric assessments of gamers and non-gamers. Kent State University.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Riebl, S. K., & Davy, B. M. (2013). The hydration equation: Update on water balance and cognitive performance. ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal, 17(6), 21–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Nicholson, M. (2024). Understanding the physiological demands and the role of exercise in Esports [Doctoral dissertation, Queensland University of Technology].

    Google Scholar 

  24. Beathard, K. M., Georghiades, N., Goulart, J. B., Riviere, A. J., Sullivan, C., Mascarro, M., & Riechman, S. E. (2023). The impact of nutrition on visual cognitive performance in the nutrition, vision, and cognition in sport study. Frontiers in Nutrition, 10, 1208890.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  25. Papakonstantinou, E., Oikonomou, C., Nychas, G., & Dimitriadis, G. D. (2022). Effects of diet, lifestyle, chrononutrition and alternative dietary interventions on postprandial glycemia and insulin resistance. Nutrients, 14(4), 823.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  26. Magesh, P. (2022). Food and mood-the interplay between nutrition, mood, brain, and behavior. IJO-International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research (ISSN 2811-2466), 5(12), 01–12.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Kurniawan, A. A., Darusman, K. R., Chesar, T. I. P., Azalia, X., & Kholinne, E. (2024). Comparing health risks and musculoskeletal issues between professional and casual mobile esports players: A cross-sectional descriptive study in Jakarta. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 6, 1372979.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  28. Saidaiah, P., Banu, Z., Khan, A. A., Geetha, A., & Somraj, B. (2024). A comprehensive review of Omega-3 fatty acids: Sources, industrial applications, and health benefits. Annals of Phytomedicine, 13(1), 209–225.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Leonard, M., Maury, J., Dickerson, B., Gonzalez, D. E., Kendra, J., Jenkins, V., et al. (2023). Effects of dietary supplementation of a microalgae extract containing fucoxanthin combined with guarana on cognitive function and gaming performance. Nutrients, 15(8), 1918.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  30. Menesgere, A., Giridhar, V., Bota, R., & Ravindranath, V. (2022). Role of vitamin D on cognitive performance among healthy volunteers of SANSCOG cohort. Clinical Nutrition Open Science, 44, 1–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Balk, E. M., Raman, G., Tatsioni, A., Chung, M., Lau, J., & Rosenberg, I. H. (2007). Vitamin B6, B12, and folic acid supplementation and cognitive function: A systematic review of randomized trials. Archives of Internal Medicine, 167(1), 21–30.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Petranovic, D., Batinac, T., Petranovic, D., Ruzic, A., & Ruzic, T. (2008). Iron deficiency anaemia influences cognitive functions. Medical Hypotheses, 70(1), 70–72.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Boyle, N. B., Lawton, C., & Dye, L. (2017). The effects of magnesium supplementation on subjective anxiety and stress—A systematic review. Nutrients, 9(5), 429.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  34. Soffner, M., Bickmann, P., Tholl, C., & Froböse, I. (2023). Dietary behavior of video game players and esports players in Germany: A cross-sectional study. Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition, 42(1), 29.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Thomas, C. J., Rothschild, J., Earnest, C. P., & Blaisdell, A. (2019). The effects of energy drink consumption on cognitive and physical performance in elite league of legends players. Sports, 7(9), 196.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  36. McLellan, T. M., Caldwell, J. A., & Lieberman, H. R. (2016). A review of caffeine’s effects on cognitive, physical and occupational performance. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 71, 294–312.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Chandrasekaran, P., & Weiskirchen, R. (2024). The role of obesity in type 2 diabetes mellitus—An overview. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25(3), 1882.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  38. Trotter, M. G., Coulter, T. J., Davis, P. A., Poulus, D. R., & Polman, R. (2020). The association between esports participation, health and physical activity behaviour. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(19), 7329.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  39. DiFrancisco-Donoghue, J., Werner, W. G., Douris, P. C., & Zwibel, H. (2022). Esports players, got muscle? Competitive video game players’ physical activity, body fat, bone mineral content, and muscle mass in comparison to matched controls. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 11(6), 725–730.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Zhang, N., Du, S. M., Zhang, J. F., & Ma, G. S. (2019). Effects of dehydration and rehydration on cognitive performance and mood among male college students in Cangzhou, China: A self-controlled trial. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(11), 1891.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  41. Team Liquid. (2018, July 25). Winner winner, Manny’s dinner. Team Liquid. https://teamliquid.com/news/2018/07/25/winner-winner-mannys-dinner (Erişim tarihi: 18 Nisan 2025).

  42. Team Liquid. (2023, July 14). A gamer’s guide to health. Team liquid. https://teamliquid.com/news/2023/07/14/a-gamers-guide-to-health (Erişim tarihi: 18 Nisan 2025).

  43. FITGMR. (n.d.). The Cloud9 FITGMR program. Cloud9. https://www.fitgmr.gg (Erişim tarihi: 18 Nisan 2025).

  44. Reddit. (2022, April). Sneaky talks about Cloud9’s mandatory workout sessions. Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/Cloud9/comments/u7d689 (Erişim tarihi: 18 Nisan 2025).

  45. Fnatic. (2020). Fnatic and Jack link’s team up to fuel gamers. Fnatic Newsroom. https://www.fnatic.com/news/fnatic-and-jack-links. (Erişim tarihi: 18 Nisan 2025).

  46. Red Bull. (2021, August). Work from home tips from Faker: LoL legend shares his lifestyle. https://www.redbull.com/us-en/theredbulletin/work-from-home-tips-faker-lol-interview (Erişim tarihi: 18 Nisan 2025).

  47. Reddit. (2024, March). TenZ signs ex-NRG chef Phillip “Phil” Kovalev. Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/ValorantCompetitive/comments/1gi0rqe (Erişim tarihi: 18 Nisan 2025).

Download references

Acknowledgments

This chapter was edited and corrected with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) tools developed by OpenAI, ChatGPT-4o, 2025.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Science, Bandirma Onyedi Eylul University, Balikesir, Turkey

    Sedat Arslan

Authors
  1. Sedat Arslan
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sedat Arslan .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Science, Bandirma Onyedi Eylul University, Balikesir, Türkiye

    Sedat Arslan

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2025 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Arslan, S. (2025). Introduction to Esports Nutrition. In: Arslan, S. (eds) Esports Nutrition. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-99625-2_1

Download citation

Keywords

Publish with us

Policies and ethics