Surf Nutrition and Supplements: What Surfers Eat

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Boat trip day in the islands: out at first light, two sessions at the reef pass, lunch of rice, fish and fruit on deck, then a third go when the wind drops. Surfers burn a lot of energy without noticing it, sitting in the lineup between sets, and then eat whatever is in the car. This page sorts out nutrition for surfers: what to eat day to day, how to fuel long sessions and contests, and which supplements are worth a look, with the safety rules first. It’s for groms and their parents, high school and college surfers, competitors on the qualifying grind, and adults who surf before work.

General information, not medical or dietary advice. Talk to a doctor or registered dietitian before starting a supplement, especially if you’re under 18, pregnant, have a heart, kidney or other health condition, or take medicines. Prices change often; the prices below are what we saw at the maker or a major retailer in October 2026. Back to the surfing hub.

What the research says about surfers’ nutrition

Honestly: not much yet, compared with running or soccer. What we do know is about the work and the water. In a GPS study of a 2-hour session, surfers spent about 43% of the time paddling and 4% sprint paddling, with an average heart rate of 128. A 2026 scoping review on fluid balance found surfers lose on average about 0.57 liters of fluid an hour, more in wetsuits, with elite surfers in wetsuits reported at 1.68 liters an hour. The authors call the evidence limited. So the best guide is the general sports-nutrition advice from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Dietitians of Canada, adjusted for long, cold or hot days on the water.

Everyday eating for surfers

• Carbohydrate is your paddling fuel. ACSM’s position stand scales it to training: about 3 to 5 g per kilogram of body weight a day for light or skill-based days, 5 to 7 g for about an hour a day of moderate exercise, and 6 to 10 g for 1 to 3 hours a day of moderate to high intensity. A surf trip with two or three sessions a day is a high-fuel day. Rice, potatoes, pasta, bread, oats, fruit and tortillas all count.
• Protein for the shoulders and back. ACSM suggests 1.2 to 2.0 g per kilogram a day for athletes, spread through the day, with about 15 to 25 g after training. A UEFA expert statement suggests 3 to 4 meals with about 0.4 g per kg each. For a 70 kg surfer, that’s roughly 85 to 140 g a day: eggs, fish, chicken, beans, yogurt, milk and tofu get you there.
• Colorful plants and healthy fats: fruit, vegetables, nuts, olive oil, avocado and oily fish for vitamins, minerals and long-lasting energy.
• Fluids and salt. Drink before you go and after you come in; in heat or on long sessions, add sodium from food or a sports drink. The Session Day page covers the timing.

Groms and teens need enough total food to grow and surf. The UEFA statement on young athletes says the general use of supplements should be restricted; food comes first, with any supplement decided by a doctor or sports dietitian. The American Academy of Pediatrics says energy drinks have no place in the diets of children and adolescents, and recommends against creatine for young athletes.

Female surfers have higher iron needs. The UEFA statement recommends iron checks (more often for women) and warns that routine iron supplements without a test can do more harm than good. Ask your doctor for a blood test before taking iron.

Supplements: the safety rules first

• Food first. The International Olympic Committee’s consensus statement on supplements says only a few have good evidence for performance (caffeine and creatine are among the better studied), and many have none.
• Contamination is real. In one widely cited analysis of 634 supplements from 13 countries, about 15% contained undeclared steroid precursors (prohormones) that could cause a positive test.
• Choose third-party tested products (NSF Certified for Sport, Informed Sport or Informed Choice). They lower the risk but don’t remove it, and they don’t prove a product works.
• Drug testing in surfing. Surfing has been an Olympic sport since Tokyo 2020. In 2019 the World Surf League (WSL) and the International Surfing Association (ISA) agreed an anti-doping program run under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code, with in- and out-of-competition testing for Championship Tour surfers. If you compete anywhere with testing, you are responsible for everything you take.
• Nothing banned, no stimulant stacks. No DMAA, SARMs or prohormones, and no “proprietary blends” that hide doses. Follow the label; don’t exceed it.

Supplements surfers commonly use, compared

Product	In one serving	Certification	About (Oct 2026)	Per serving
Nuun Sport	300 mg sodium, 150 mg potassium, 1 g sugar	Informed Choice (maker)	$7.49 / 10 tablets (maker)	about $0.75
Skratch Labs Hydration	400 mg sodium, about 20 g carbs	NSF Certified for Sport (maker)	$23.95 / 20 servings	about $1.20
Thorne Whey Protein Isolate	21 g protein	NSF Certified for Sport	$65 / 30 scoops	about $2.17
Thorne Creatine	5 g creatine monohydrate	NSF Certified for Sport	$44 / 90 scoops	about $0.49
Klean Multivitamin	2 tablets; 1,000 IU vitamin D; no iron listed	NSF Certified for Sport	about $46 / 30 servings	about $1.53

Electrolytes

The most useful “supplement” for many surfers, on long, hot or wetsuit sessions. Nuun Sport tablets are low in sugar and easy to carry; Skratch Labs Hydration adds carbohydrate for long days. Not needed for a short session. See our best electrolyte powders guide.

Protein powder

Convenient after a dawn session or on a trip where protein is hard to find. Thorne Whey Protein Isolate has 21 g of protein per scoop and is NSF Certified for Sport. Food does the same job. More in our best protein powder guide.

Creatine

One of the most studied supplements in sport. Many adult athletes take it to support strength and repeated short sprints, which fits gym work and sprint paddling, though there’s no surfing-specific research. Some people gain 1 to 2 kg, mostly water. Thorne Creatine is plain creatine monohydrate, 5 g per scoop, NSF Certified for Sport. Not for under-18s per the AAP. Our best creatine guide compares more.

Multivitamin and vitamin D

A multivitamin is a safety net for a busy or limited diet, not a performance aid. Surfers get a lot of sun, but heavy sunscreen use, wetsuits and dark winters can still leave some people low in vitamin D; a blood test tells you. Klean Multivitamin is NSF Certified for Sport and lists no iron. See best multivitamins for athletes.

Caffeine

Many adult surfers drink coffee before dawn patrol, and caffeine is one of the better-studied performance supplements. It isn’t for everyone: it can cause jitters, a racing heart, stomach upset and poor sleep, and people with heart conditions, those who are pregnant or sensitive should check with a doctor. Check the caffeine per serving on any pre-workout or energy drink, and skip them entirely for kids and teens.

Recovery meals are on our surf recovery page, and for a team-sport comparison see soccer nutrition. A registered dietitian, ideally a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics (CSSD), can build a plan around your surfing and your body.

Surf nutrition: FAQs

What should surfers eat every day?

Regular meals built on carbohydrate (rice, potatoes, oats, fruit), a good protein source at each meal, plenty of fruit and vegetables, and fluids. Eat more on big swell days and trips with several sessions.

Do surfers need protein powder?

Not if food covers the 1.2 to 2.0 g per kilogram a day that ACSM suggests for athletes. A powder is handy after early sessions or while traveling. Pick one that is third-party certified for sport.

Are pro surfers drug tested?

Yes. Since 2019 the WSL and ISA have run an anti-doping program under the WADA Code, with in- and out-of-competition testing for Championship Tour surfers, and Olympic surfers are tested like any Olympic athletes.

Is creatine safe for teenage surfers?

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against creatine and other performance-enhancing supplements for young athletes. Teens should focus on food, sleep and training, and talk to a doctor before any supplement.

Should I take electrolytes when I surf?

For short sessions, water and normal meals are enough. On long, hot sessions, in a wetsuit, or with several sessions a day, an electrolyte drink helps replace the salt you sweat out.