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Nutrients
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Dietary Supplements in Exercise and Sports Activities
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Dietary Supplements in Exercise and Sports Activities

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 December 2024) | Viewed by 3634

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Vahur Ööpik

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Sport Sciences and Physiotherapy, University of Tartu, 18 Ülikooli St., 50090 Tartu, Estonia
Interests: physiology of exercise; biochemistry of exercise; sport nutrition; dietary supplements; weight category sports; resistance training; dehydration/rehydration; sports drinks; energy drinks; vitamin D; creatine; caffeine; sodium bicarbonate; sodium citrate; β-alanine
Prof. Dr. Ben Dascombe

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Health Sciences, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW 2560, Australia
Interests: physiology of exeicse; athletic performance; occupation physiology; interdisciplinary science; environmental stressors; ergogenic practices

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The use of dietary supplements is widespread both among athletes and the general population. Athletes use dietary supplements for many purposes, but their ultimate goal is usually to improve athletic performance, through either directly increasing physical working capacity or indirectly by enhancing post-workout recovery processes, improving the tolerability of training loads and reducing the risks of illness and/or injury. Dietary supplements that claim to promote weight loss or prevent weight gain, reduce body fat mass and percentage, or increase muscle mass are also popular among athletes and non-athletes alike. Unfortunately, the use of dietary supplements is not risk-free, because the effects of many supplements have not been sufficiently studied in terms of risk vs. benefit.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to promote high-quality research that focuses on determining the effectiveness of various dietary supplements and possible risks associated with their use by athletes and physically active people. Original research papers, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses focused on this topic are welcome to be submitted to this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Vahur Ööpik
Prof. Dr. Ben Dascombe
Guest Editors

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

  • dietary supplement
  • efficacy of dietary supplements
  • side effects
  • risks associated with use of dietary supplements
  • athletic training
  • recreational physical activity
  • post-workout recovery
  • body weight control
  • female athlete
  • weight category sports athlete

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 1796 KiB  
Article
Role of Ginseng and L-Carnitine in Modulating Exercise Endurance and Oxidative Stress in Rats
by Kakanang Posridee, Sajeera Kupittayanant, Pornthep Rachnavy, Anant Oonsivilai and Ratchadaporn Oonsivilai
Nutrients 2025, 17(3), 568; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17030568 - 3 Feb 2025
Viewed by 201
Abstract
Ginseng and L-carnitine are natural compounds often used as dietary supplements to enhance athletic performance. However, their combined effects on exercise endurance remain unclear. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effects of ginseng extract and L-carnitine supplementation on exercise endurance in [...] Read more.
Ginseng and L-carnitine are natural compounds often used as dietary supplements to enhance athletic performance. However, their combined effects on exercise endurance remain unclear. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effects of ginseng extract and L-carnitine supplementation on exercise endurance in a rat model. Methods: Male Wistar rats were divided into 10 groups (n = 5 per group): control, ginseng extract (250 and 500 mg/kg/day), L-carnitine (250 and 500 mg/kg/day), and combined treatment. Half of the groups underwent a 16-day exercise training program of swimming without loading. Exercise endurance was assessed using a tail-suspended forced swimming test. Relative organ weight, glycogen content, blood biochemistry, and gene expression were analyzed. Results: Both ginseng extract and L-carnitine supplementation significantly increased exercise endurance, particularly in the exercise group. Ginseng extract and L-carnitine also increased liver glycogen content and upregulated the expression of AMPKα1 and PGC-1α genes in the liver and muscle. In addition, both supplements reduced oxidative stress by decreasing MDA levels and increasing SOD activity. Conclusions: Ginseng extract and L-carnitine supplementation may enhance exercise endurance by improving energy metabolism, reducing oxidative stress, and upregulating key genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Supplements in Exercise and Sports Activities)
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19 pages, 1007 KiB  
Article
Acute Alpha-Glycerylphosphorylcholine Supplementation Enhances Cognitive Performance in Healthy Men
by Chad M. Kerksick
Nutrients 2024, 16(23), 4240; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16234240 - 9 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1748
Abstract
Background: Choline is an essential nutrient required for proper cell functioning. Due to its status as a precursor to acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter connected to cognition and neuromuscular function, maintaining or enhancing choline levels is of interest. Supplementation with alpha-glycerylphosphorycholine (A-GPC) can maintain [...] Read more.
Background: Choline is an essential nutrient required for proper cell functioning. Due to its status as a precursor to acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter connected to cognition and neuromuscular function, maintaining or enhancing choline levels is of interest. Supplementation with alpha-glycerylphosphorycholine (A-GPC) can maintain choline levels, but its ability to offer support towards cognition remains an area of ongoing research. Methods: Using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover approach, 20 resistance-trained males (31.3 ± 11.0 years, 178.6 ± 7.3 cm, 84.6 ± 11.4 kg, 15.4 ± 5.6% body fat) consumed either a placebo (PL), 630 mg A-GPC (HD), or 315 mg (LD) A-GPC (GeniusPure®, NNB Nutrition, Nanjing, China). After resting hemodynamic assessments, participants took their assigned dose and had cognitive assessments (Stroop, N-Back, and Flanker), visual analog scales, and hemodynamics evaluated 60 min after ingestion. All participants then warmed up and completed vertical jumps and bench press throws before completing a bout of lower-body resistance exercise (6 × 10 repetitions using the Smith squat at a load of 70% 1RM). Venous blood was collected 5, 15, 30, and 60 min after completion of the squat protocol to evaluate changes in growth hormones, and follow-up visual analog scales and cognitive measurements were evaluated 30 min after completing the exercise bout. Results: When compared to PL, changes in Stroop total score were statistically greater after HD (13.0 ± 8.2 vs. 5.2 ± 9.0, p = 0.013, d = 0.61) and LD (10.8 ± 7.7 vs. 5.2 ± 9.0, p = 0.046, d = 0.48) administration, in addition to significantly faster times to complete the Stroop test in the HD group when compared to PL (−0.12 ± 0.09 s vs. −0.05 ± 0.09 s, p = 0.021, d = 0.56). No significant differences between groups were found for the Flanker and N-Back assessments, while a tendency was observed for HD to have faster reaction times when compared to PL during the Flanker test. No group differences were realized for visual analog scales, physical performance, or growth hormone. Statistically significant changes in heart rate and blood pressure were observed in all groups, with all recorded values aligning with clinically accepted normative values. Conclusions: HD and LD A-GPC supplementation significantly increased cognitive performance in a group of young, healthy males as measured by changes in the Stroop Total Score and completion time of the Stroop test. These results offer unique insight into the potential for A-GPC to acutely increase cognition in a group of young, healthy males. While previous research has indicated potential for A-GPC to acutely improve cognition in clinical populations, extending these outcomes to healthy individuals can be potentially meaningful for a wide variety of populations such as athletes, race car drivers, military operators, and other non-athletic populations who desire and have a need to improve their mental performance. This study was retrospectively registered as NCT06690619 on clinicaltrials.gov. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Supplements in Exercise and Sports Activities)
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14 pages, 300 KiB  
Article
Fitness and Dietary Supplements: A Cross-Sectional Study on Food Practices and Nutrivigilance
by Aziz Galman, Mourad Chikhaoui, Mohamed Bouhrim, Bruno Eto, Abdelaaty A. Shahat, Rashed N. Herqash, Rachid Lotfi, Hind Belamgharia, Daoud Daoudi, Morad Kaddouri, Charaf Dlimi, Hassan Alahyane, Habiba Liba, Mohamed Reda Kachmar and Khalid Boutoial
Nutrients 2024, 16(22), 3928; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16223928 - 18 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1520
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The use of dietary supplements (DSs) has become common among fitness enthusiasts, aiming to enhance performance, recovery, and overall well-being. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the city of Beni Mellal from April to July 2024, assessed dietary practices, motivations [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The use of dietary supplements (DSs) has become common among fitness enthusiasts, aiming to enhance performance, recovery, and overall well-being. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the city of Beni Mellal from April to July 2024, assessed dietary practices, motivations for supplement use, and associated adverse effects among 420 survey participants. Results: The majority of dietary supplement users were aged 25–64 and had higher education levels. Colopathy (67.38%) was the most common eating disorder, followed by digestive (59.46%), inflammatory, and rheumatic diseases (53.50%). Dietary supplementation prevalence was 88.1%, with proteins (60.81%), medicinal plants (45.13%), and vitamins (42.70%) being the most consumed. Key motivations included supporting muscle, bone, and joint strength (musculoskeletal) (83.78%) and enhancing heart and lung function for cardiorespiratory health (82.43%). However, 28% of protein users experienced adverse effects, such as myalgia, gastralgia, palpitations, and insomnia. Multivariate linear regression indicated a significant negative association of creatine with effectiveness (β = −0.485, p = 0.001). Conclusions: Overall, while the benefits of dietary and sports practices are evident, the adverse effects associated with protein supplements highlight the necessity for enhanced nutrivigilance and nutritional education to ensure safe supplements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Supplements in Exercise and Sports Activities)
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