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Nutrients
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Nutrition and Supplements for Athletic Training and Racing
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Nutrition and Supplements for Athletic Training and Racing

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Sports Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 May 2025 | Viewed by 1601

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Lewis Anthony Gough

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Human Performance and Health Research Group, Birmingham City University, Birmingham B15 3TN, UK
Interests: nutrition; ergogenic aids; physiology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

A ‘food first’ approach is vital for fuelling athlete adaptation, performance, recovery, and overall health. Yet, to push boundaries, a ‘food first, but not food only’ approach is necessary to further support athlete development and maintenance of performance. This is where supplements come into play, providing that extra edge to support development and sustain peak performance. In this Special Issue, we welcome cutting-edge research on nutritional supplementation strategies, offering actionable insights for athletes looking to optimise their adaptation, performance, recovery, and health in both training and competition.

Dr. Lewis Anthony Gough
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • athlete performance
  • nutritional supplementation
  • adaptation
  • recovery
  • training optimization

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 727 KiB  
Article
An Online Nutrition Education Program Targeting Intentions and Related Determinants Towards Dietary Supplement Use: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior
by  Jana Daher, Margo Mountjoy and Dalia El Khoury
Nutrients 2025, 17(3), 557; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17030557 - 31 Jan 2025
Viewed by 342
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Dietary supplement use among varsity athletes is influenced by various psychological and social factors, yet there is limited evidence on the effectiveness of educational interventions in influencing these determinants. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of an online [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Dietary supplement use among varsity athletes is influenced by various psychological and social factors, yet there is limited evidence on the effectiveness of educational interventions in influencing these determinants. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of an online nutrition education program on improvements in intentions and related determinants towards the use of dietary supplements in varsity athletes at the University of Guelph in Canada. The theory of planned behavior served as the theoretical framework for examining these determinants as predictors of behavior change. Methods: A randomized wait-list controlled trial was conducted on a total of 30 varsity athletes, randomized into experimental (n = 18) and control (n = 12) groups. The experimental group received access to an online nutrition education program focused on sports nutrition and dietary supplements, while the control group did not have access during the study. Results: There was a significant (p < 0.05) intervention effect on varsity athletes’ attitudes (Mean1(control) = 13.17; Mean1(experimental) = 13.56; Mean2(control) = 13.92; Mean2(experimental) = 12.11), perceived behavioral control (Mean1(control) = 15.92; Mean1(experimental) = 16.11; Mean2(control) = 16.33; Mean2(experimental) = 18.39), and intentions (Mean1(control) = 12.5; Mean1(experimental) = 12.89; Mean2(control) = 11.58; Mean2(experimental) = 9.44) towards dietary supplement use. No significant changes were made to descriptive and injunctive norms. Conclusions: These findings suggest that this nutrition education program significantly improved intentions and related determinants towards dietary supplement use in varsity athletes. The absence of a successful change in subjective norm should be a focus for similar future interventions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and Supplements for Athletic Training and Racing)
19 pages, 3847 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Ingesting Alginate-Encapsulated Carbohydrates and Branched-Chain Amino Acids During Exercise on Performance, Gastrointestinal Symptoms, and Dental Health in Athletes
by Lotte L. K. Nielsen, Max Norman Tandrup Lambert, Jørgen Jensen and Per Bendix Jeppesen
Nutrients 2024, 16(24), 4412; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16244412 - 23 Dec 2024
Viewed by 970
Abstract
Background: This study aimed to compare the effects of a carbohydrate (CHO) hydrogel with (ALG-CP) or without (ALG-C) branched-chain amino acids, and a CHO-only non-hydrogel (CON), on cycling performance. The hydrogels, encapsulated in an alginate matrix, are designed to control CHO release, potentially [...] Read more.
Background: This study aimed to compare the effects of a carbohydrate (CHO) hydrogel with (ALG-CP) or without (ALG-C) branched-chain amino acids, and a CHO-only non-hydrogel (CON), on cycling performance. The hydrogels, encapsulated in an alginate matrix, are designed to control CHO release, potentially optimising absorption, increasing substrate utilisation, and reducing gastrointestinal distress as well as carious lesions. Methods: In a randomised, double-blinded, crossover trial, 10 trained male cyclists/triathletes completed three experimental days separated by ~6 days. During the experimental days, participants completed a standardised 2 h cycling bout (EX1), followed by a time-to-exhaustion (TTE) performance test at W75%. Supplements were ingested during EX1. Results: Participants cycled ~8.8 (29.6%) and ~5.4 (29.1%) minutes longer during TTE with ALG-CP compared to ALG-C and CON, respectively. TTE was 65.28 ± 2.8 min with ALG-CP, 56.46 ± 10.92 min with ALG-C, and 59.89 ± 11.89 min with CON. Heart rate (HR) was lower during EX1 with ALG-CP (p = 0.03), and insulin levels increased more significantly during the first 45 min with ALG-CP. Plasma glucose and glucagon levels remained consistent across supplements, although glucagon was higher with ALG-CP before TTE. Post-exercise myoglobin levels were lower with ALG-CP compared to ALG-C (p = 0.02), indicating reduced muscle damage. Conclusions: While ALG-CP improved performance duration compared to ALG-C and CON, the difference did not reach statistical significance. Additionally, there was a lower HR during the cycling session, alongside a significantly lower level of myoglobin with ALG-CP. These findings suggest that ALG-CP may offer advantages in cycling performance and recovery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and Supplements for Athletic Training and Racing)
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