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Life
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Nutritional Supplementation, Body Composition and Performance in Athletes
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Nutritional Supplementation, Body Composition and Performance in Athletes

A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Physiology and Pathology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 29 August 2025 | Viewed by 6916

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Bojan Knap

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Nephrology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Zaloška 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
2. Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Korytkova ulica 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Interests: optimal macro and micronutrients in exercise; plant-based food in sports nutrition; beetroot as ergogenic aid; body mass composition and nutrition practice; phase angle as VO2 max predictor; RED syndrome low and high energetic availability in sports praxis
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Optimal nutrition is critical for health, prevention of disease and also for optimal performance. High energetic needs could be problematic from the point of view of macronutrients, especially carbohydrate intake. Regeneration from extreme exercise and the development of maximal sports performance are critical and depend on the nutritional regimen before and after physical exercise and also from general nutrition patterns. Macro- and micronutrient needs are also increased but often difficult to achieve without supplements. Ergogenic aids, especially of plant origin, are very popular but are also dangerous from the point of view of doping. Antioxidant activity and the influence of some phytonutrients like  beetroot could also be critically important for regeneration and for maximal oxygen consumption. Nutritional supplementation could be extremely important in many situations for obtaining the optimal fat-free mass of the athletes. Body mass composition with bioimpedance (BIA) and vectometry (BIVA) using resistance, conductance  and phase angle is useful, practical, repeatable  and convenient to observe athlete’s fat-free mass and also their fat mass. The tendency for an ideal body composition could be problematic because it could have a negative influence on the energetic and regenerative points of the body. Low energetic availability and danger of RED syndrome is very common in professional sportspeople.

Dr. Bojan Knap
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • optimal macro and micronutrients in exercise
  • plant-based food in sports nutrition
  • beetroot as ergogenic aid
  • body mass composition and nutrition practice
  • phase angle as VO2 max predictor
  • RED syndrome low and high energetic availability in sports praxis

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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12 pages, 1620 KiB  
Review
Omega-3 and Sports: Focus on Inflammation
by Roberto Cannataro, Diana Marisol Abrego-Guandique, Natascia Straface and Erika Cione
Life 2024, 14(10), 1315; https://doi.org/10.3390/life14101315 - 16 Oct 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 6092
Abstract
Inflammation is expected in sports, especially when practiced at a high level. The human body is pushed toward its limit, and this is perceived as a “stressogenic agent”. Athletes, especially elite ones, desire it because their bodies can react with super-compensation, i.e., improve [...] Read more.
Inflammation is expected in sports, especially when practiced at a high level. The human body is pushed toward its limit, and this is perceived as a “stressogenic agent”. Athletes, especially elite ones, desire it because their bodies can react with super-compensation, i.e., improve muscle mass, strength, speed, resistance, and, therefore, athletic performance. Thus, the inflammatory stimuli should be there during training but also counteracted to have the body placed in the optimal conditions for reacting with super-compensation. In this sense, omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to have anti-inflammatory biochemical activity. In this review, we will present the biochemical mechanisms of action of omega-3 fatty acids through their mediators, specialized pro-resolving mediators, which have anti-inflammatory activity. A focus will be on studies on omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in sports, and we will provide indications for possible practical applications and future studies, which are undoubtedly necessary to clarify the omega-3 fatty acids used in sports practice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Supplementation, Body Composition and Performance in Athletes)
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27 pages, 1430 KiB  
Systematic Review
Applications and Benefits of Dietary Supplements in Taekwondo: A Systematic Review
by Meng-Yuan Shu, Jian Liang, Young-Jin Jo, Seon-Ho Eom and Chul-Hyun Kim
Life 2025, 15(4), 559; https://doi.org/10.3390/life15040559 - 29 Mar 2025
Viewed by 344
Abstract
Dietary supplements are commonly employed to provide additional nutritional support for athletes. In taekwondo, there is a need for evidence-based analyses to evaluate the effects of dietary supplements on training outcomes, competitive performance, and injury recovery. Taekwondo primarily relies on oxidative metabolism, yet [...] Read more.
Dietary supplements are commonly employed to provide additional nutritional support for athletes. In taekwondo, there is a need for evidence-based analyses to evaluate the effects of dietary supplements on training outcomes, competitive performance, and injury recovery. Taekwondo primarily relies on oxidative metabolism, yet decisive lower-limb attacks depend on non-oxidative pathways. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases in November 2024, utilizing keywords including ‘Dietary Supplements’, ‘Supplements’, ‘Food Supplementations’, and ‘Taekwondo’. Of the 203 articles identified, 26 met the inclusion criteria, collectively assessing the impact of 14 different dietary supplements. Among these studies, eight provided strong evidence that acute ingestion of 3–5 mg/kg of caffeine significantly enhanced athletes’ physical performance and psychological well-being. However, the ergogenic effects of the compound Fufang Ejiaojiang, creatine, sodium bicarbonate, beetroot, vitamins, and long beans require further investigation to validate their efficacy. Additionally, dietary supplements, such as amino acids, turmeric powder, ginger, spirulina, octacosanol, nucleotides, and yogurt, can reduce fatigue, supporting injury recovery, and boosting immune function, although current evidence remains insufficient. Future research should pay closer attention to reporting adverse reactions linked to dietary supplements. Doing so would provide coaches and athletes with more reliable safety information, supporting safer choices and reducing potential health risks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Supplementation, Body Composition and Performance in Athletes)
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