Study Details

This new review highlighted key evidence and provided guidance on nutrition for youth athletes 📚

With specific focus on areas including, appearance pressure, body image and performance 🔍

Here are the 8 key practices for applied nutrition in youth sport ⬇️

Key Findings

Use performance-focused language 🍽️

⚡ Avoid labelling foods as “good” or “bad”

🗣️ Focus on “fuel for performance, recovery and growth” rather than calories or restriction

🍛 Avoid unnecessary comments on portion sizes or food quantity

Establish practical fuelling routines ⏱️

🍌 Ensure access to carbohydrate-rich snacks before training

🥤 Use carbohydrate-rich drinks/snacks during sessions >60 min

🥪 Prioritise simple recovery foods within 30–60 min post-training

📚 Educate athletes on how nutrition supports session quality, adaptation and recovery

🛌 Reinforce the importance of fuelling during rest, illness and injury periods

Coordinate messaging across the support team 🤝

🧑‍⚕️ Include accredited sports dieticians or SENR Nutritionists where possible

📢 Align nutrition messaging across coaches, parents and support staff

🧠 Focus on practical skills that help athletes apply nutritional knowledge

Normalise growth and development 🌱

📈 Reinforce that puberty-related changes in body composition and weight are normal

⏳ Highlight that development timing differs between athletes

💪 Emphasise building physical capacity over changing body size

Avoid appearance-focused communication 🚫

⚠️ Avoid weight- or appearance-focused comments within team environments

🗨️ Challenge body composition-driven conversations among athletes, staff and parents

Foster psychological safety 🧠

💬 Encourage open conversations around nutrition, body image and mental health without judgment

🔍 Approach athlete behaviours with curiosity rather than assumptions

🩺 Address signs of low energy availability with supportive, solution-focused strategies

🤝 Reinforce that athletes will be supported through both short- and long-term challenges

Strengthen media literacy 📱

🎭 Reduce internalisation of unrealistic body and performance ideals

📲 Increase awareness of algorithms and encourage critical evaluation of social media content

Follow best-practice body composition standards 📏

🚫 Avoid body composition testing in athletes <18 years unless medically necessary or sport-mandated

🎯 Prioritise optimising behaviours and performance rather than altering body composition

Reference

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42086216/

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Study Details

This new meta-analysis compiled data from 22 studies investigating the effects of seaweed on exercise performance and physiological recovery outcomes 🔍

Here are the key findings ⬇️

Key Findings

Overall, seaweed (algae) supplementation showed…

🫁 Suggestive improvement in VO2max

⏱️ Significant improvement in time-to-exhaustion

💥 Improvements in maximal power output

🩸 Significantly reduced plasma CK

Greater effects were present for…

💊 Chlorella supplementation

📈 Higher doses (6 g/day)

🚴‍♂️ Taken alongside aerobic training

🏋️‍♂️ Recovery after resistance-training

Conclusion

Seaweed can modestly enhance aerobic exercise performance and attenuate exercise-induced muscle damage under certain conditions ✅

Reference

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42075102/

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Study Details

This new paper recruited 17 healthy adults to a study where they supplemented with either…

☀️ 3,000 IU vitamin D3

💊 Placebo

Supplements were provided daily.

After 12-weeks, participants performed resistance-exercise followed by 22g whey protein 🥤

Key Findings

🩸 Vitamin D supplementation led to a significant 75% increase in blood levels

Placebo remained unchanged.

📈 Muscle protein synthesis (MPS) rates significantly increased from 0 - 240 min post-exercise

But there were no changes between groups ❌

However, vitamin D did lead to significantly greater …

✅ Leucine and essential amino acid concentrations

✅ Muscle protein synthesis rates

…at 0 - 60 min after consuming protein post-exercise ⏰

Conclusion

Chronic vitamin D supplementation may promote an earlier anabolic response after exercise + protein 📈

This may have applications for enhanced recovery, strength and muscle adaptations 💪

Reference

https://www.jnutritionalphysiol.org/article/S3050-6247(26)00018-5/fulltext

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Study Details

This new paper developed an evidence-based scoring system to identify the greatest of all time (GOAT) athlete in running events held at the Olympics and World Championships 🏆

Here are the results ⬇️

Key Findings

Top 5 Men Overall

1️⃣ Usain Bolt 🇯🇲

2️⃣ Kenenisa Bekele 🇪🇹

3️⃣ Haile Gebrselassie 🇪🇹

4️⃣ Michael Johnson 🇺🇸

5️⃣ Paavo Nurmi 🇫🇮

Top 5 Women Overall

1️⃣ Faith Kipyegon 🇰🇪

2️⃣ Tirunesh Dibaba 🇪🇹

3️⃣ Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce 🇯🇲

4️⃣ Sifan Hassan 🇳🇱

5️⃣ Merlene Ottey

And also provided the GOATs for different categories of running distance ⬇️

Sprints (60m - 400m)

Men: U. Bolt 🇯🇲

Women: S.-A. Fraser-Pryce 🇯🇲

Hurdles (80m - 400m)

Men: E. Moses 🇺🇸

Women: S. McLaughlin 🇺🇸

Middle-distance (800m - 1500m)

Men: H. El Guerrouj 🇲🇦

Women: F. Kipyegon 🇰🇪

Steeplechase (2500m - 4000m)

Men: E. Kemboi 🇰🇪

Women: G. Galkina-Samitova 🇷🇺

Long-distance (3000m - 10,000m)

Men: K. Bekele 🇪🇹

Women: T. Dibaba 🇪🇹

Marathon

Men: A. Bikila 🇪🇹

Women: C. Ndereba 🇰🇪

Cross country

Men: K. Bekele 🇪🇹

Women: G. Waitz 🇳🇴

Indoors (60m - 3000m)

Men: H. Gebrselassie 🇪🇹

Women: M. Mutola 🇲🇿

Conclusion

So there we have it…Usain Bolt is the GOAT.

How cool is this paper? Which sport should be next to establish the science-based GOAT? 🤔

Reference

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42075032/

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Study Details

This new review synthesised evidence from 32 studies to establish the effects of caffeine on sleep-related EEG outcomes 🔍

Rather than subjective sleep quality, this paper investigated outcomes including…

📊 Sleep architecture

⚡️ Sleep EEG brain activity

🧠 Neurophysiological makers of sleep

Here is what they found ⬇️

Key Findings

There were 4 primary caffeine exposure contexts each with specific sleep outcomes

1️⃣ Morning / daytime use

⚠️ May lead to residual bedtime effects despite low caffeine levels

2️⃣ Evening / bedtime dose

⚠️ Classic acute sleep disruption e.g. increased sleep latency

3️⃣ During total sleep deprivation

✅ Improves alertness while awake

⚠️ Blunts later recovery sleep

4️⃣ Repeated daytime use / withdrawal

⚠️ Little macrostructural changes in habitual users, but shifts may remain detectable

When these effects of caffeine were strongest…

🌙 Evening/bedtime caffeine had greater effects than morning intake

📈 Higher doses caused larger effects (400 mg > 200 mg > 100 mg)

😴 Effects were greater during recovery sleep or daytime sleep after sleep deprivation

⚠️ High habitual caffeine intake may worsen recovery-sleep fragmentation in some individuals

🧑 Adolescents and those with higher baseline slow-wave sleep (SWS) may experience larger SWS reductions

🧠 Stress-reactive sleepers and self-reported caffeine-sensitive individuals may experience greater disruption

🧬 ADORA2A genetic variation may influence insomnia-like responses and caffeine effects during sleep loss

Conclusion

Caffeine rarely leaves sleep EEG unchanged, despite individuals not reporting subjective changes in sleep quality or length ⚠️

Although you may not feel effects of caffeine, it will likely produce a lighter, more aroused and more wake-like sleep quality 🚨

Minimise effects of caffeine by using lowest effective dose and avoiding caffeine in the afternoon ✅

Reference

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42075032/

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Healthspan Elite is a science-led sports nutrition range developed in collaboration with leading experts to support athletic performance, recovery, and health.

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Study Details

This new review from the UCI Sports Nutrition Project outlined advancements in technology within pro cycling which have relevance for nutrition 📱

Here are the 7 key technologies, including their Pros (✅) and Cons (⚠️) ⬇️

Key Findings

Power meters ⚡

✅ Reasonable ability to estimate net exercise energy expenditure (EE)

✅ Useful practical metric for athletes and support staff

⚠️ Efficiency varies by context

⚠️ Additional measures needed to estimate total EE

Continuous glucose monitors 🩸

✅ Reasonable ability to estimate blood glucose concentrations

✅ Potential practical insights for sports nutrition

⚠️ Does not reflect muscle glycogen stores or glucose flux

⚠️ Time lag and weak links to performance remain problematic

Portable sweat & lactate analysers 💧

✅ Reasonable ability to assess sweat electrolytes and lactate concentrations

⚠️ Limited practical application currently

⚠️ Unclear direct performance benefits

Noninvasive muscle fiber typing 🧬

✅ Sufficient validity for estimating muscle fiber type

✅ Potential value for talent ID and training prescription

⚠️ Requires specialist MRI spectroscopy equipment

⚠️ Limited portability and high cost

Ultrasound for muscle glycogen & skinfolds 📡

✅ Potential ability to estimate muscle glycogen and skinfold thickness

✅ Skinfold validity may be sufficient for practical use

⚠️ Muscle glycogen validity remains highly questionable

Core body temperature sensors 🌡️

✅ Potentially useful for heat acclimation and performance monitoring

⚠️ More validation data needed before widespread practical use

Portable substrate metabolism devices 🔥

✅ Some devices can reasonably estimate carbohydrate and fat oxidation during moderate exercise

⚠️ Limited validity at very high and low ventilation rates

⚠️ Practical utility remains unclear compared with tissue-specific measures

Reference

https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijsnem/36/3/article-p369.xml

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Study Details

Whether or not low carb impairs endurance performance has been debated in the scientific literate and online for years 📚

Recently, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition invited two heavy hitting academics Professor Louise Burke and Professor Tim Noakes to debate this topic across two scientific papers 📝

Here are the key outcomes including…

🤝 Points of agreement

⚖️ Continued controversies

Key Findings

Points of agreement 🤝

🍚 CHO ingestion during prolonged exercise can improve performance by maintaining euglycemia

🥑 Adaptation to a LCHF diet substantially increases fat oxidation during exercise

⏱️ Adaptation to LCHF can occur rapidly in elite athletes (≈5–7 days)

🔥 High fat oxidation rates can occur at intensities ≥65% VO₂max in LCHF-adapted athletes

🫁 LCHF adaptation increases oxygen cost during exercise due to greater reliance on fat oxidation

📊 Respiratory gas analysis is not ideal for assessing substrate oxidation during non-steady-state or high-intensity exercise

Continuing controversies ⚖️

🍚 Whether CHO availability before and during exercise independently influences performance remains debated

⚡ Whether CHO oxidation is superior to fat oxidation due to lower oxygen cost and greater ATP production remains controversial

🏃 Whether prolonged high-intensity performance is primarily limited by muscle glycogen depletion is still unclear

🦵 Whether localised muscle glycogen depletion directly causes fatigue and reduced performance remains debated

🩸 Whether exercise-induced hypoglycemia is the key determinant of prolonged exercise performance is uncertain

🧠 Whether athletes require highly personalised nutrition strategies or whether “one size fits all” approaches are sufficient remains controversial

Reference

https://ajcn.nutrition.org/article/S0002-9165(26)00077-8/fulltext

https://ajcn.nutrition.org/article/S0002-9165(26)00078-X/fulltext

https://ajcn.nutrition.org/article/S0002-9165(26)00080-8/fulltext

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Study Details

This new review from the UCI Sports Nutrition Project outlined the current evidence on and practices of elite cyclists regarding nutrition for illness and injury 🔍

Here are the key strategies ⬇️

Key Findings

Skin Injuries / Wound Healing 🩹

🍗 Adequate protein (≥1.5 g/kg/day)

🥦 At least RDA/AI for key micronutrients → vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, selenium, copper

🧬 Collagen supplementation (1–12 g/day)

Sports-Related Concussion (SRC) 🧠

🐟 Omega-3 supplementation (2–4 g/day)

💊 Creatine monohydrate

⏱️ Loading: 4 × 5 g/day for 5–6 days

🔁 Maintenance: 2–5 g/day

⚖️ Alternative: 2–3 g/day (if concerned about weight gain)

Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (URTIs) 🫁

🍚 Adequate carbohydrate intake (~5–20 g/kg/day based on training load)

🍗 Adequate protein (≥1.5 g/kg/day)

🌞 Vitamin D + 🩸 iron where deficient/clinically indicated

💊 Zinc lozenges (≥75 mg/day)

🦠 Probiotics (Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium)

🍒 Short-term (1–2 months) high-dose antioxidants → vitamin C + polyphenols

Gut & Immune Interaction 🔁

⚡ Maintain fuelling strategies to support immune resilience

🚫 Avoid chronic low energy availability

Gastrointestinal (GI) Symptoms / Illness 💨

🏋️‍♂️ Train the gut (progressive carb intake strategies)

🥤 Maltodextrin + fructose blends if >60 g/h carbohydrate intake

🌾 Short-term low-FODMAP approach

🧼 Food hygiene + personal hygiene

💥 Sodium bicarbonate strategies

💊 Enteric-coated capsules

🔁 Split dosing

🧪 Hydrogel delivery

GI Support Strategies 🥤

🧪 Carbohydrate hydrogels

🧊 Cold drinks + ice slurries

🦠 Probiotics

Reference

https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijsnem/36/3/article-p352.xml

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Study Details

This new meta-analysis compiled data from 21 studies (351 participants) to establish the effects of acute carb feeding (pre- or during exercise) on resistance exercise performance 🔍

Here is what they found ⬇️

Key Findings

🍞 Carbohydrate intake leads to a small but significant benefit for total training volume

Effects were more prominent for…

⏱️ Sessions lasting > 45 mins

⏰ After fasting durations ≥ 8 hrs

Total sets, carb dose, and load used were not significant moderators of the effect on training volume ❌

Conclusion

Carb intake prior to or during sessions > 45 mins can improve total training volume 💪

If you’re in for short, sharp sessions, there’s no need 👍

Reference

https://sportrxiv.org/index.php/server/preprint/view/696/version/880

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Study Details

This new review from the UCI Sports Nutrition Project highlighted recommended intakes of carbohydrate for training/racing intensity 🥯

Plus, outlined details of a low residue diet that can help to reduce GI symptoms in the few days prior to competition 🌾📉

Here are the key details ⬇️

Key Findings

Recommended Carb Intakes 📝

🚴‍♂️ = Amateur male cyclist (75 kg, 180 cm, 29 yrs)

🚴‍♂️🏆 = Pro male cyclist (67 kg, 180 cm, 29 yrs)

🚴‍♀️ = Amateur female cyclist (61 kg, 165 cm, 25 yrs)

🚴‍♀️🏆 = Pro female cyclist (53 kg, 165 cm, 25 yrs)

1hr easy spin

🎯 0–30 g/hr

🚴‍♂️ Avg power: 170 W (4.4–7.8 g/kg)

🚴‍♂️🏆 Avg power: 190 W (4.6–8.0 g/kg)

🚴‍♀️ Avg power: 130 W (4.4–7.8 g/kg)

🚴‍♀️🏆 Avg power: 150 W (4.5–8.0 g/kg)

3hr endurance training

🎯 60 g/hr

🚴‍♂️ Avg power: 200 W (9.4–13.6 g/kg)

🚴‍♂️🏆 Avg power: 220 W (9.8–14.2 g/kg)

🚴‍♀️ Avg power: 150 W (8.5–12.0 g/kg)

🚴‍♀️🏆 Avg power: 170 W (9.0–12.5 g/kg)

Race intensity (4–5hr)

🎯 90 g/hr

🚴‍♂️ Avg power: 240 W (18–19 g/kg)

🚴‍♂️🏆 Avg power: 260 W (19–21 g/kg)

🚴‍♀️ Avg power: 170 W (12–16 g/kg)

🚴‍♀️🏆 Avg power: 190 W (12.8–16.8 g/kg)

Grand Tour stage (4.5–5.5hr)

🎯 90–120 g/hr

🚴‍♂️🏆 Avg power: 280 W (24.2–25.4 g/kg)

🚴‍♀️🏆 Avg power: 210 W (17.1–20 g/kg)

Low Reside Diet 🍽️

(✅ = permitted, ❌ = limit or avoid)

Starchy carbs 🍞

✅ White rice, white pasta, rice noodles, refined cereals (e.g. cornflakes, rice krispies), peeled and cooked potatoes, carrots, pumpkin

❌ Brown rice, whole grain pasta, cooked and cooled pasta, whole wheat bread, oats, bran cereals

Fruits 🍌

✅ Ripe bananas, apple sauce, peeled and seedless peaches, pears, melon

❌ Dried fruits, fruits with skin or seeds

Vegetables 🫜

✅ Beetroot, asparagus, tomato sauce (skins removed)

❌ Raw vegetables (e.g. broccoli, cabbage, corn, onions, celery), tomato skins

Protein 🍗

✅ Skinless chicken, turkey, fish, lean beef, eggs, tofu, shellfish, smooth peanut butter

❌ Fatty meats, fried meats, legumes, crunchy peanut butter, high lactose intake (limit milk)

Other carbohydrates 🥞

✅ Plain cakes, pancakes, jelly, custard, sweets/candies

❌ Popcorn, wholemeal biscuits, chocolate with nuts or fruit

Reference

https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijsnem/36/3/article-p215.xml

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Study Details

This new study recruited healthy active females (n = 9) and males (n= 10) to complete 3 x 5-day dietary conditions 🍽️

1️⃣ Adequate energy availability (AEA: 45 kcal/kgFFM/day)

2️⃣ Low energy availability (LEA: 15 kcal/kgFFM/day)

3️⃣ Low energy availability with protein intake matched to AEA (LEA-P: 15 kcal/kgFFM/day)

The difference in protein intake between LEA and LEA-P was 0.45 g/kg and 1.5 g/kg, respectively 🍗

Metabolism, performance and subjective responses were assessed pre- and post-interventions 🔍

Key Findings

🔥 Both the LEA and LEA-P diets induced a shift towards increased fat oxidation at rest, but not during exercise

⚡️ Wingate performance declined only in the LEA-P trial compared to AEA

👉 This was likely due to reduced carbohydrates the LEA-P trial (to accommodate for higher protein)

🧠 During both LEA and LEA-P, participants generally reported negative experiences during both calorie-restricted trials, including hunger, fatigue, weakness and frustration

🙋‍♂️ Symptoms appeared more pronounced in males during the LEA trial

Conclusion

Higher protein intake intake during LEA does not appear to significantly effect symptoms ❌

This study also highlights the importance of carbs for performance even in low energy conditions ‼️

Carbs carry performance, even when calories can’t.

Reference

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41992072/

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Study Details

This new review from the UCI Sports Nutrition Project outlined how to adapt nutritional intake through training weeks to “fuel for the work required” 🚴‍♂️

Here is a theoretical framework for fuelling and refuelling ⬇️

Key Findings

5hr high-intensity intervals (above LT/CP)

🎯 90–120 g/hr + high daily intake

⏱️ Pre: 3 g/kg

🚴 During: 90–120 g/hr

🔁 Post: 3 g/kg

🍽️ Dinner: Low

🥯 Additional Snacks: Low (0.5–1 g/kg)

📝 Maximise glycogen availability for performance and recovery, then reduce carbs to enable “train low” next morning

5hr low-intensity steady-state (below LT1)

🎯 0–60 g/hr (delayed intake)

⏱️ Pre: Low (0–0.5 g/kg)

🚴 During: 0 g/hr first 2 hr → then 30–60 g/hr

🔁 Post: 3 g/kg

🍽️ Dinner: High

🥯 Additional Snacks: High

📝 Deliberately train low to enhance adaptation, then refuel to prepare for next session

4hr sustained intervals (moderate-high intensity)

🎯 60–90 g/hr

⏱️ Pre: 3 g/kg

🚴 During: 60–90 g/hr

🔁 Post: 3 g/kg

🍽️ Dinner: Medium

🥯 Additional Snacks: Medium (~1–1.5 g/kg total)

📝 Support training quality while slightly reducing evening carbs ahead of recovery day

1hr recovery ride (low intensity)

🎯 0 g/hr

⏱️ Pre: Low (0–0.5 g/kg)

🚴 During: 0 g/hr

🔁 Post: 3 g/kg

🍽️ Dinner: High

🥯 Additional Snacks: High (~3 g/kg total)

📝 No need to fuel the session, prioritise refuelling for the next high-demand training day

Additional Notes on Recovery vs Blunting Training Adaptations ⬇️

Recovery vs blunting ⚖️

🛠️ Nutraceuticals can accelerate recovery (↓ inflammation, ↓ oxidative stress, ↓ soreness), helping maintain training quality and frequency

📉 These same pathways drive adaptation, so excessive suppression can blunt mitochondrial and endurance adaptations

🚫 The greatest risk occurs with chronic, high-dose use around key training sessions

🧠 Practical approach is to periodise use, prioritising competition and heavy blocks while limiting use around key adaptation-focused sessions

🎯 Support recovery when needed, but don’t dampen the signals required to adapt

Reference

https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijsnem/36/3/article-p279.xml

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Study Details

This new paper from the UCI Sports Nutrition Project outlined considerations and applications of sports foods and supplements to improve cycling performance 📝

Here are the primary supplements including their dose/form (🎯), timing (⏱️), half-life/washout (⏰) and potential side effects (⚠️) ⬇️

Key Findings

CLASS A: Strong Evidence Base

Beta-alanine

🎯 4–6 g/day (slow-release tablets)

⏱️ 4+ weeks

⏰ ~2% decrease per week

⚠️ Paresthesia (tingling)

Caffeine

🎯 3–6 mg/kg BM (drinks, tablets, gum)

⏱️ ~1 hr pre (or staggered for long events)

⏰ ~4–5 hr half-life

⚠️ Jitteriness, anxiety, insomnia, ↑HR/BP

Creatine

🎯 20 g/day (7 days) or 3 g/day (28 days)

⏱️ Daily loading phase

⏰ ~30 days washout

⚠️ Water retention, ↑ body mass

Dietary nitrate

🎯 8–16 mmol (acute) / 4–16 mmol/day (chronic)

⏱️ 1.5–2 hr pre

⏰ ~5–6 hr half-life

⚠️ GI discomfort (occasionally)

Glycerol

🎯 1.0–1.5 g/kg + fluid (15–30 mL/kg)

⏱️ 1–1.5 hr pre

⏰ Acute effect

⚠️ Bloating, nausea, headache, ↑ body mass

Sodium bicarbonate

🎯 0.3 g/kg BM

⏱️ 1–3 hr pre

⏰ ~24 hr return to baseline

⚠️ GI discomfort, high sodium load

CLASS B: Requires further interrogation

Ketones

🎯 ~286–573 mg/kg BM

⏱️ 1–2 hr pre or post

⏰ 1–3 hr (βHB)

⚠️ GI issues, dizziness, hypoglycaemia

Sodium citrate

🎯 0.5 g/kg BM (buffering)

⏱️ 1–3 hr pre

⏰ Variable

⚠️ GI discomfort, high sodium load

Reference

https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijsnem/36/3/article-p187.xml

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Study Details

This new study recruited 100 men and women who regularly experienced fatigue and sleep deprivation 🔍

They were assigned to either…

1️⃣ 1.65g L-histadine

2️⃣ Placebo

…prior to cognitive testing and assessment of mood states 🧠

Key Findings

❌ In the total data set, there were no differences between conditions

However, in the subset of participants with highest baseline fatigue levels, L-histadine led to significant reductions in…

✅ Fatigue-inertia

✅ Confusion-bewilderment

✅ Depression-dejection

✅ Total mood disturbance

Plus, significantly better changes in vigor-activity 💪

Conclusion

For people with high fatigue levels, a single dose of L-histadine may help alleviate negative mood states, including fatigue, confusion and depression 🧠📈

It may not be a silver bullet, but it could be a worthwhile consideration 🧐

Reference

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41986440/

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Study Details

This new study investigated whether carb intake during different steady state

exercise intensities improved subsequent time-trial performance 🔍

🚴‍♂️ 12 trained males completed nine separate bouts of cycling exercise

Moderate (120 min at 90% of GET), high-intensity (90 min at Δ20%) and higher-intensity (60 min at Δ80%) maximal metabolic steady state exercise fuelling with either…

1️⃣ Placebo

2️⃣ 40 g/hr

3️⃣ 90 g/hr

Each condition was followed by 4km time-trials to assess performance ⏱️

Key Findings

🏆 Time-trial performance was only improved in the 40 g/hr condition vs placebo at high-intensity

❌ But not at any other exercise intensity (low or higher) or vs 90 g/hr

Conclusion

For recreationally trained individuals, 40 g/hr may suffice to enhance performance during endurance exercise 🥤

This also makes sense from a practical perspective for recreational athletes, you’d likely not need 90 g/hr and it may increase risk of GI issues ✅

Higher isn’t always better. But any sensible individual will tell you that.

Reference

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42018708/

Performance Nutrition Digest is powered by Healthspan Elite ⚡️

Healthspan Elite is a science-led sports nutrition range developed in collaboration with leading experts to support athletic performance, recovery, and health.

Use code: TCDIGEST25 for 25% off at https://www.healthspanelite.co.uk/ 💪

Study Details

This new review outlined key molecular mechanisms and strategies for omega-3 use in clinical settings and sports pe…

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What is Super Digestible?

Every day I post a research breakdown of the latest nutrition science related to human performance, health and the power of food. The daily 1-min reads are a great way to stay on top of the research. But, I want to make actionable summaries even more accessible 📝

Therefore, I started Super Digestible, a monthly newsletter containing a one-to-two sentence summary of each study I’ve reviewed that month. Focusing specifically on how you can apply these findings in your own practice ✅

Each study will be filtered into: DO, CONSIDER, DON’T. Based on the research findings, paired with my professional experience in the world of elite sport 🏆

This is your monthly research cheat sheet, so you can stay at the very pinnacle of science-based performance nutrition 🏔

A huge shoutout to who inspired this format. I highly recommend following Daniel’s Endurance: Ideas & Implementation Substack.

The Super Digestible newsletter is a paid subscriber special. If you’re not a paid subscriber yet but want to know more, check out the January 2025 edition for free!

Each item is linked to the original research breakdown. Just click on the DO, CONSIDER, DON’T 👈

Please note that paid subscribers have access to all previous research breakdowns via the Performance Archive 📚

✅ DO these things…

DO: Supplement with creatine (> 5 g/day), protein (increase daily intake to 1.2 - 2.4 g/kg/day) and omega-3 (1.8 - 4.0 g/day) to support athletic performance and recovery, they all do different jobs so best practice is to combine them 💪

DO: Use tart cherry juice to support recovery from muscle damage in athletes, polyphenols plus additional carbs provide significant benefits 🍒

DO: Aim for maintenance or +250 kcal per day and 2.5 g/kg protein per day to achieve body recomposition (muscle gain, body fat loss) as a resistance-trained individual 💪

Read more

Study Details

This new study recruited 40 healthy active females…

🩸 15 x eumenorrheic (normal cycle)

💊 13 x oral contraceptive users

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Study Details

This new meta-analysis compiled data from 65 studies (over 3000 …

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Study Details

This new study investigated responses of 5 popular AI chatbots…

👉 Gemini

👉 DeepSeek

👉 Meta AI

👉 ChatGPT

👉 Gr…

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