Darts Nutrition and Supplements: What Players Eat and What to Avoid

This article contains affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

Wings and fries on the bar table, a pint at every break, a vending-machine dinner at an all-day open. Darts nutrition has a reputation, and honestly, much of it is earned. The good news is that darts doesn’t need a special diet. It’s a low-energy sport, so the goal isn’t fueling hard efforts; it’s steady focus through long nights and good long-term health for a sport people play for 50 years. This page keeps it short: what darts players should eat, what to drink, and the supplements question, including what’s banned.

General information, not medical or dietary advice. For a personal plan, talk to a doctor or registered dietitian. Back to the darts hub.

Everyday eating

We found no nutrition research specific to darts players, so the best guidance is general healthy eating: regular meals built around vegetables, fruit, whole grains and lean protein, and fewer fried and sugary foods. Because standing at the oche burns little energy, darts on its own won’t offset a heavy diet. The CDC recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week plus 2 days of muscle-strengthening work. A brisk walk before practice and some light strength work (including for the shoulders and upper back, see our darts injuries page) does more for a darts player’s health than any supplement.

On match nights and tournament days

• A real meal 1–4 hours before, as the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) suggests for pre-event eating, so you’re not playing hungry or overfull.
• Small snacks through long days: fruit, nuts, yogurt, a sandwich. Pack them; venue food is often fried.
• Water as your main drink, plus an electrolyte drink in hot venues or on all-day events. Our electrolyte guide compares options.
• Alcohol in moderation, if at all. The CDC defines moderate drinking as up to 2 drinks a day for men and 1 for women, and says people under 21 shouldn’t drink. Top-level events keep the playing area alcohol free. More on our match night and tournament day page.

Supplements: what’s useful, what’s banned

No supplement has been shown to improve darts performance. Supplements popular in other sports, such as creatine for strength and power, have little reason to be in a darts player’s bag, and the American Academy of Pediatrics advises against creatine for young athletes and says energy drinks have no place in children’s and teens’ diets. A few situations where a supplement can make sense:

• Electrolytes on long, hot tournament days. Nuun Sport tablets have 300 mg of sodium each; the maker says they’re Informed Choice certified.
• A multivitamin if your diet has real gaps (ask a doctor or dietitian). Klean Multivitamin is NSF Certified for Sport.
• Protein powder only if you’re strength training and struggle to get enough from food. Thorne Whey Protein Isolate has 21 g of protein per serving and is NSF Certified for Sport.

Drug testing: why “third-party tested” matters

Darts has its own twist on anti-doping: beta-blockers are prohibited in darts competition on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s 2026 Prohibited List, because they can steady the hands. They’re also common heart and blood-pressure medicines, so if you take one and play in drug-tested events, talk to your doctor and the anti-doping organization about a Therapeutic Use Exemption rather than stopping it yourself. Supplements are a second risk: in a large international analysis of 634 supplements from 13 countries, about 15% contained prohormones (steroid precursors) that weren’t on the label. If you could be tested, choose products certified by NSF Certified for Sport or Informed Sport, which reduce (but don’t remove) that risk.

Caffeine is allowed, and a coffee can help some people stay alert late at night. It isn’t for everyone (people sensitive to it, with heart conditions, or who are pregnant), too much can make you jittery, and late caffeine hurts sleep. Stay within the label and check with your doctor if unsure. For more, see our guides to the best multivitamins and best protein powders for athletes, and our darts recovery page.

Darts nutrition: FAQs

What should darts players eat?

A normal healthy diet: regular balanced meals, a proper meal 1–4 hours before you play and small snacks during long events. No special darts diet is needed.

Are there supplements that improve darts accuracy?

None with good evidence. Beta-blockers, which can steady the hands, are prohibited in darts competition.

Is caffeine allowed in darts?

Yes. It’s not on the Prohibited List. Some players find it helps alertness late at night; others get jittery. Stay within the label.

Do darts players get drug tested?

Darts is on WADA’s Prohibited List (beta-blockers are banned in darts competition), so events that follow anti-doping rules can test players. If you compete at that level, treat every supplement as a risk and pick third-party certified products; they’re the safer choice for everyone else too.