Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
9.1
5.0
Journals
Nutrients
Special Issues
Nutritional Supplements for Endurance Exercise
nutrients-logo
Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Nutrients Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Nutritional Supplements for Endurance Exercise

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 February 2026 | Viewed by 3552

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Heather M. Logan-Sprenger

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Health Science, Ontario Tech University, Oshawa, ON L1G 0C5, Canada
Interests: physiology; exercise; metabolism; environmental physiology; performance

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Endurance exercise places substantial physiological demands on the cardiovascular, metabolic, neuromuscular, and thermoregulatory systems. As a result, athletes frequently seek evidence-based nutritional strategies to optimize performance, delay fatigue, and enhance recovery. Nutritional supplements—including carbohydrate formulations, caffeine, beta-alanine, sodium bicarbonate, nitrates, creatine, and novel ergogenic aids—have been extensively investigated for their potential to support endurance capacity across a range of training and competition scenarios. However, individual responses, sex-based differences, dosing strategies, and environmental contexts (e.g., heat, altitude) complicate their application. This Special Issue of Nutrients aims to explore the current state of evidence on nutritional supplementation for endurance athletes, with a focus on mechanistic insights, performance outcomes, safety, and personalized approaches. We welcome original research, reviews, and meta-analyses addressing acute and chronic supplementation strategies, innovations in nutrient delivery, and emerging biomarkers of efficacy and adaptation.

Dr. Heather M. Logan-Sprenger
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

  • endurance performance
  • nutritional supplementation
  • ergogenic aid
  • female athlete supplementation
  • personalized nutrition

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

319 KB  
Article
Feasibility of Sodium Bicarbonate Ingestion in Artistic Swimming Performances
by Heather M. Logan Sprenger, Temisia van Biljouw and David J. Bentley
Nutrients 2025, 17(19), 3029; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17193029 - 23 Sep 2025
Abstract
Purpose: We evaluated the feasibility of individualized sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) supplementation and its physiological effects on simulated artistic swimming duet performance, including blood buffering responses, perceived exertion, gastrointestinal (GI) tolerance, and performance scores. Methods: Seventeen (n = 17) [...] Read more.
Purpose: We evaluated the feasibility of individualized sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) supplementation and its physiological effects on simulated artistic swimming duet performance, including blood buffering responses, perceived exertion, gastrointestinal (GI) tolerance, and performance scores. Methods: Seventeen (n = 17) elite adolescent female artistic swimmers completed an initial trial to determine individual time-to-peak blood bicarbonate concentration (Part 1). Subsequently, a subset (n = 7) completed a randomized, double-blind, crossover intervention (Part 2), performing competition duet routines (4 min) after ingesting either 0.3 g/kg NaHCO3 or a placebo timed to their individual alkalosis peak. Blood gas and lactate samples were taken pre- and post-performance. Performance was scored by blinded FINA adjudicators. GI discomfort was assessed before and after each routine. Results: Peak blood bicarbonate occurred at 52 ± 9 min post-ingestion, with a mean increase of 6.7 ± 1.8 mmol/L (g = 5.03). In Part 2 (n = 7), NaHCO3 significantly elevated pre- and post-performance pH (7.46 ± 0.02 vs. 7.37 ± 0.01; 7.34 ± 0.02 vs. 7.26 ± 0.03), HCO3− (29.5 ± 0.9 vs. 22.4 ± 0.4 mmol/L; 21.5 ± 1.2 vs. 15.7 ± 1.5 mmol/L), and base excess (5.9 ± 0.6 vs. −2.9 ± 0.5 mmol/L; −4.3 ± 0.8 vs. −10.3 ± 1.1 mmol/L) compared to the placebo (all p < 0.05, g = 3.99–14.93). Post-performance lactate was higher (9.3 ± 1.0 vs. 8.4 ± 0.9 mmol/L, g = 0.89), while rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was lower (12.9 ± 0.7 vs. 14.4 ± 0.7, p < 0.05, g = −2.14). Propulsion improved (6.66 ± 0.16 vs. 6.52 ± 0.20, g = 0.85), with no change in execution. Mild gastrointestinal symptoms were transiently elevated with NaHCO3. Conclusions: Individualized NaHCO3 dosing is a feasible and effective ergogenic strategy for artistic swimmers, enhancing systemic alkalosis and perceptual tolerance while preserving technical execution. These findings support the sport-specific integration of NaHCO3 to optimize anaerobic performance elements in high-level artistic swimming. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Supplements for Endurance Exercise)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 1594 KB  
Article
Synergistic Effects of Green Tea Extract and Ginger Supplementation on Endurance Performance and Thermal Perception in Normothermic and Cold Environments: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Crossover Trial
by Abdullah Demirli, Süleyman Ulupınar, Merve Terzi, Serhat Özbay, Abdullah Bora Özkara, Cebrail Gençoğlu, Ibrahim Ouergui and Luca Paolo Ardigò
Nutrients 2025, 17(18), 2949; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17182949 - 13 Sep 2025
Viewed by 933
Abstract
Background/Objectives: This study assessed the individual and combined effects of green tea extract and ginger supplementation on endurance performance, metabolic responses, perceived exertion, thermal sensation, and muscle soreness in normothermic and cold environmental conditions. Methods: In a randomized, double-blind crossover trial, [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: This study assessed the individual and combined effects of green tea extract and ginger supplementation on endurance performance, metabolic responses, perceived exertion, thermal sensation, and muscle soreness in normothermic and cold environmental conditions. Methods: In a randomized, double-blind crossover trial, sixteen recreationally active males (age: 23.4 ± 0.4 years; VO2 max: 46.8 ± 2.8 mL/kg/min) were tested in eight conditions (placebo [maltodextrin], green tea [500 mg], ginger [1000 mg], combined), all in normothermic (21–24 °C) and cold (5–7 °C) environments. All supplements and the placebo were encapsulated in identical capsules to ensure blinding. Participants completed a submaximal time-to-exhaustion (TTE) test at 70% VO2 max on a cycle ergometer. TTE, respiratory exchange ratio (RER), perceived exertion (RPE), thermal sensation (TSS), and muscle soreness via a visual analog scale (VAS), assessed 24 h post-exercise, were measured. Results: In normothermic condition, green tea and combined supplementation significantly increased TTE and reduced RER compared to the placebo (p < 0.05), and that combined supplementation lowered RPE relative to the placebo and ginger (all p < 0.05). In cold conditions, combined supplementation significantly enhanced TTE, reduced RER, and improved TSS compared to the placebo and ginger (p < 0.05), while all supplements decreased VAS relative to the placebo (p < 0.05). Ginger alone showed no significant effect on TTE or RER but improved TSS and VAS in cold compared to the placebo (p < 0.05). Cold placebo conditions exhibited significantly higher RPE and VAS than all normothermic conditions (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Green tea enhances endurance and fat oxidation in normothermic conditions, while its combination with ginger can optimize performance, thermal comfort, and recovery in cold environments. These findings suggest a practical nutritional strategy for mitigating environmental stress during exercise, specific to the acute supplementation in males. Trial Registration: This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT07150533). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Supplements for Endurance Exercise)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 1567 KB  
Article
Substrate Oxidation Does Not Influence Middle Distance Running Performance: A Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial
by Alex Buga, Jeffrey D. Buxton, Emma Plank, James D. Minor, Micah T. Sterrett, Christopher A. Brooks, Tanner R. Niemann, Margaret P. Troxel, Anthony Bryarly, Zachary Furry, Clarra Hannon, Jason Muench, Daniel Stone, Dominic P. D’Agostino, Jeff S. Volek, Andrew P. Koutnik and Philip J. Prins
Nutrients 2025, 17(17), 2771; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17172771 - 27 Aug 2025
Viewed by 2358
Abstract
Objective: Recent work has challenged the notion that preferred substrate oxidation is a key determinant of exercise performance. This investigation tested middle-distance running performance, in the fed state, to control for glycogen and exercise-induced hypoglycemia (EIH) confounders. Methods: In a randomized crossover fashion, [...] Read more.
Objective: Recent work has challenged the notion that preferred substrate oxidation is a key determinant of exercise performance. This investigation tested middle-distance running performance, in the fed state, to control for glycogen and exercise-induced hypoglycemia (EIH) confounders. Methods: In a randomized crossover fashion, all while controlling dietary intake, activity, and body weight, recreational distance runners completed either a 5K (n = 15; VO2max: 58.3 ± 6.2 mL/kg/min) or a 10K (n = 15; VO2max: 54.51 ± 5.9 mL/kg/min) middle-distance run after consuming isocaloric low-carbohydrate high-fat (LCHF) and high-carbohydrate low-fat (HCLF) pre-exercise meals. Time trial (TT) performance (sec), carbohydrate/fat substrate oxidation, blood metabolites, heart rate (HR), ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), and subjective fullness and thirst were measured throughout. Results: LCHF pre-exercise nutrition reliably altered substrate oxidation and metabolite profiles compared to HCLF, evidenced by significant increases in fat oxidation (77% higher) and reductions in RER (5% lower), with corresponding shifts in carbohydrate oxidation. Despite distinct preferred substrate oxidation profiles during exercise, the 5 and 10 km TT performances were similar between conditions (p = 0.646/p = 0.118). RER was significantly lower (p = 0.002) after the LCHF condition compared to HCLF. Capillary R-βHB increased modestly after LCHF, while blood glucose increased after HCLF only. The LCHF meal was 35% more filling than the HCLF meal. Preferred substrate oxidation did not significantly modulate middle-distance running performance. Conclusion: This work supports recent findings that substrate oxidation is not a primary determinant of aerobic performance, as previously conceived. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Supplements for Endurance Exercise)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-3
Back to TopTop