Time to 'Power-Up' Esports Performance Nutrition: A Scoping Review

Esports athletes appear to have diets that fall short of recommended standards, and the evidence on whether nutrition and supplements enhance competitive performance remains thin. Across 14 eligible studies published from 2019 onward, encompassing 3,154 participants (92% male), players were commonly found to consume fast food, energy drinks, and too few fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. Their diets generally failed to meet UK EatWell guidelines, and these patterns were linked to potential risks including mood disturbance, cardiovascular disease, and reduced bone mineral density. Notably, players widely believed that diet influences their performance, revealing a gap between perception and practice.

The strongest evidence concerns bone health and cognition. Reduced bone mineral density is prevalent among esports athletes, and poor dietary habits formed in this population may carry lifelong consequences. A single study found that adequate protein intake and higher vegetable consumption were associated with better cognitive test results, while several others reported similar but largely descriptive associations. Barriers to healthier eating, such as irregular mealtimes, limited time, and fatigue, were consistently identified.

Regarding supplements, the findings are cautious. Five of seven studies examined caffeine-containing products, and caffeine at roughly 3 mg/kg body mass improved reaction times and accuracy in some trials, most convincingly in one well-controlled study of professional first-person shooter players. Most combination supplements, including arginine-bonded inositol, showed no consistent benefit over placebo on cognitive or game performance measures. The overall conclusion is that improving basic dietary quality may yield greater benefit than reliance on ergogenic products, with combined dietary and activity-based interventions warranted, particularly to protect bone health.