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Nutritional Strategies for Optimizing Skeletal Muscle Function in Health and...
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Nutritional Strategies for Optimizing Skeletal Muscle Function in Health and Disease

A special issue of Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology (ISSN 2411-5142). This special issue belongs to the section "Sports Medicine and Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 1788

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Lucas Guimaraes Ferreira

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Health, Education, Policing and Sciences, Staffordshire University, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 2DF, UK
Interests: physical exercise; sports performance; nutrition; ergogenic aids; skeletal muscle physiology; strength and conditioning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Skeletal muscle is essential not only for movement but also for maintaining metabolic health, supporting immune function, and enhancing overall quality of life. Nutrition and supplementation play critical roles in regulating muscle mass, strength, and performance across various life stages and physiological states. From supporting athletic adaptation and recovery to mitigating age-related muscle loss and managing chronic disease, dietary strategies have far-reaching implications for muscle health. This Special Issue aims to explore the role of nutrition and supplementation in optimizing skeletal muscle function in both health and disease. We invite contributions that examine how dietary interventions influence muscle physiology, performance, and recovery in diverse populations—from athletes to aging individuals and those affected by chronic conditions. By bringing together multidisciplinary perspectives from nutrition science, physiology, clinical medicine, and sports science, this Special Issue seeks to deepen our understanding of how targeted nutritional strategies can preserve, enhance, or restore muscle function. We welcome high-quality original research and reviews that offer new insights into the complex relationship between diet and skeletal muscle health.

Dr. Lucas Guimaraes Ferreira
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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. Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly 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 1800 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

  • sport nutrition
  • skeletal muscle health
  • dietary supplements
  • ergogenic aids
  • skeletal muscle function

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 568 KB  
Article
Effects of Higher Dietary Protein Intake on Isokinetic Muscle Performance in Older Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
by Stavroula Kalyva, Dionysia Argyropoulou, Panagiotis Koulouvaris, Charilaos Tsolakis, Gerasimos Terzis, Tzortzis Nomikos, Nickos D. Geladas, Anastasios A. Theodorou and Vassilis Paschalis
J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol. 2026, 11(1), 125; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk11010125 - 19 Mar 2026
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Abstract
Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is linked to accelerated losses in muscle function. The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the effect of chronic higher-protein intake on isokinetic knee performance in the older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus [...] Read more.
Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is linked to accelerated losses in muscle function. The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the effect of chronic higher-protein intake on isokinetic knee performance in the older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: Thirty adults (15 men and 15 women) aged 60–80 years with non-insulin-treated T2DM and sarcopenia-related deficits were randomized for 12 weeks to a higher-protein diet (1.2–1.5 g·kg−1·day−1) or a recommended protein diet (0.8–1.0 g·kg−1·day−1), with meal plans designed to maintain body mass. Protein was increased mainly through Mediterranean-style protein sources while diet was monitored using repeated 3-day recalls. Isokinetic knee extensors and flexors peak torque (angular velocity 60°/s) was assessed at baseline and at week 6 and at the end of the 12th week of intervention. Fatigability (20 maximal contractions at an angular velocity at 180°/s) and DXA body composition were assessed at baseline and at the end of the 12th week of intervention. Data were analyzed using two-way repeated-measures ANOVA with repeated measures on time (2 groups × 3 time points), followed by post hoc analysis when significant difference was occurred. Results: Thirty participants completed the trial. Energy intake and body mass remained stable in both groups. At the end of week 12, peak torque declined in the control group (p < 0.05) but remained stable in the higher-protein group. The fatigue index worsened over time in controls but was preserved in the higher protein group, resulting in a significant group d7 time interaction at week 12 (p < 0.05) (post hoc between-group difference at week 12, p < 0.05). Fat-free mass and blood pressure did not change. In fat mass, a decrease was observed with higher protein intake, whereas it remained stable in the control group. Conclusions: Higher protein intake for 12 weeks preserved knee muscle performance in older adults with T2DM without weight gain, supporting dietary protein optimization to counter functional decline. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Strategies for Optimizing Skeletal Muscle Function in Health and Disease)
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10 pages, 930 KB  
Article
The Comparative Effect of Acute Moderate- and High-Dose Citrulline Malate on Resistance Exercise Performance in Trained Individuals: A Double-Blind Randomised Controlled Pilot Trial
by Lewis A. Gough, Rachel Tan, Stephen J. Bailey, Craig Perrin, Charlie J. Roberts and Freya Gibbons
J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol. 2026, 11(1), 115; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk11010115 - 10 Mar 2026
Viewed by 1041
Abstract
Background: Citrulline malate (CM) supplementation has been shown to improve resistance exercise performance. However, there is limited research on the dose–response effects of CM ingestion. The aim of this study was to investigate a moderate (8 g; CM-MOD) and high (12 g; CM-HIGH) [...] Read more.
Background: Citrulline malate (CM) supplementation has been shown to improve resistance exercise performance. However, there is limited research on the dose–response effects of CM ingestion. The aim of this study was to investigate a moderate (8 g; CM-MOD) and high (12 g; CM-HIGH) dose of CM on resistance exercise performance. Methods: Twelve resistance-trained individuals (7 females, 5 males, age = 24 ± 2 years; body mass = 70 ± 10 kg; height = 172 ± 7 cm) volunteered for this randomised, double-blind, crossover trial. Following a familiarisation trial that consisted of determining one repetition maximum, participants completed barbell bent-over rows and leg presses following acute ingestion of either 8 g CM (CM-MOD), 12 g CM (CM-HIGH), or a placebo 1 h prior to exercise. Each exercise comprised two sets of 10 repetitions (70% one-repetition maximum (RM)) and a third set to exhaustion at 70% 1 RM. Results: The linear mixed-effect model found no significant differences in the completed repetitions between exercise type but did reveal a significant main effect of CM-HIGH on repetitions completed (p = 0.032), which was not found for CM-MOD, and only increases in leg press repetitions were observed (estimated marginal means: placebo = 17; CM-MOD = 19; CM-HIGH = 20). Conclusions: In conclusion, CM-HIGH resulted in small improvements to total repetitions performed during resistance exercise performance and likely only during leg press activity, though the underlying mechanisms remain unclear and further investigation is warranted. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Strategies for Optimizing Skeletal Muscle Function in Health and Disease)
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