A new sports nutrition range has just hit our shelves that has been designed specifically to meet the needs of athletic females. Vitaco Health, known for leading sports nutrition brand Musashi, have launched ATHENA Sports Nutrition for women, with several well known Aussie athletes on board as ambassadors to the brand.
What is ATHENA Sports Nutrition?
In a move set to disrupt the Australian sports nutrition market, the ATHENA range features protein powders, snacks and supplements that have been designed specifically with athletic women in mind. The ATHENA product range was developed in consultation with elite female athletes and experts such as Advanced Sports Dietitian, Sally Walker. Unlike any other product offering in the sports nutrition space, ATHENA products have been paired with what Vitaco Health refer to as +Factors (iron, collagen, calcium, and electrolytes).
“We knew from our success with Musashi, that there was a huge gap for a specific female sports nutritional product. Female athletes have different nutritional needs to fuel their body, and within the current market, there wasn’t a product dedicated to optimising those needs. For that reason, after many years of research and designed in collaboration with expert sports dieticians and female athletes, who have first-hand experiences on how different formulations impact their training and game day performances, we have developed a product range that has the unique +Factors to support female athletes” explains ATHENA Brand Lead, Cristy Riddell.
“We want to champion and support women in sport that train and play competitively with intensity and purpose, those that are motivated by feeling fit versus looking fit. And we have not compromised on taste, with our range beating competitors in consumer blind taste tests. ATHENA Sports Nutrition is set to redefine the female sports nutrition industry and the entire team at Vitaco Health is beyond excited to bring the range to market and consumers.”
What nutrition does a female athlete need?
There is recent health data that reports 38% of Aussie females between the ages of 19 and 30 years old are not getting enough daily iron intake through their diet. The research also suggests that 20% of women will develop osteoporosis later in life. It’s this data that has motivated the team behind ATHENA to increase the scope of the nutritional benefits in their product range.
“Women have different biological needs for their body. Identifying these specific needs and targeting them through tailored nutrition can support peak performance and health. ATHENA Sports Nutrition is designed for the biological needs of women so they can push their performance. This product range focuses on aligning the biological needs, lifestyle and training demands of female athletes to deliver unique performance nutrition support for females. The ATHENA +Factor emphasises the specific ingredients females need to feel and perform their best including iron, calcium, collagen, electrolytes and protein,” explains ATHENA Sports Nutrition’s Advanced Sports Dietitian Sally Walker.
The core nutrition principles for any athlete are considered to be energy, hydration, and recovery. The ATHENA range has bolstered these ideals by taking into consideration the long term health of athletic females. By factoring in the added demand on the body that female biology presents, ATHENA Sports Nutrition has been developed with the intention to provide athletic females with the added nutritional benefits they require to progress and perform when training.
The Female Athlete Ambassadors Behind the ATHENA Brand
The brand already has three elite female athletes on board as ambassadors. They are:
- Kyra Cooney-Cross, Footballer: One of Australia’s best footballers, representing the Australian Women’s National team, the Matildas. A crucial player in the 2023 Women’s World Cup, Kyra dominates mid-field with focus and lightning speed. Kyra currently plays for Arsenal in the Women’s Super League.
- Kim Ravaillion, Netballer: Boasting an impressive track record of 60 International caps, a Netball World Cup and a World Championship under her belt, Kim Ravaillion is a force to be reckoned with, and is one of the most experienced midcourters in Australia. She is currently leading the way as captain and centre for the Queensland Firebirds within the Suncorp Super Netball League.
Emma Clarke, Basketballer: A versatile sharp-shooter and rising star of Australian basketball, Emma Clarke is a woman on a mission to make an impact on the WNBL. Currently, Emma plays with the Sydney Flames in the prestigious Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL).
If you’re keen to experience the Athena product range for yourself, you can visit Chemist Warehouse or shop online at Athena Nutrition. Select products will be available in Coles from May 2024 onwards.
About Vitaco Health
Established in New Zealand in 1904, Vitaco has been empowering healthier lives in Australia and New Zealand for over 100 years. Vitaco is home to Australia and New Zealand’s most trusted sports nutrition, supplements and health brands – Musashi, Nutralife, Healtheries and now, Athena. Vitaco employs nearly 500 health-passionate people and boasts best-in-class manufacturing capabilities, producing over 1 billion products every year to the highest quality standard, delivering to Australia, New Zealand and to 30 countries worldwide.
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