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Nutrients
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Effects of Nutrient Intake on Exercise Recovery and Adaptation
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Effects of Nutrient Intake on Exercise Recovery and Adaptation

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 April 2025) | Viewed by 7062

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Matthew Barnes

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Sport, Exercise & Nutrition, Massey University, Palmerston North 4472, New Zealand
Interests: exercise; sports performance; dietary; nutrition; muscle damage; resistance training
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Optimising adaptation to exercise is primarily determined by the stimulus being placed on the body’s various physiological systems. However, nutrition plays an essential role in facilitating recovery and adaptation through the provision of energy substrates and macro- and micro-nutrients. While many studies focus on acute responses, such as inflammation and functional recovery, an understanding of how longer-term dietary interventions can influence chronic adaptation to exercise, and subsequent physical performance, is essential. Therefore, this special issue aims to advance our understanding of how nutrition interacts with exercise to influence recovery, physiological adaptation, and performance. This may include, but is not limited to, studies investigating the effects of nutrient timing, optimal nutrient intake, and common and novel foods and supplements on recovery and/or adaptation to all forms of exercise, in any population.

Dr. Matthew Barnes
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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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

  • exercise
  • recovery
  • delayed onset muscle soreness
  • eccentric exercise
  • fatigue
  • resistance training
  • endurance training
  • sport performance
  • adaptation
  • nutrition
  • nutrient intake
  • metabolism
  • skeletal muscle

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 287 KiB  
Article
Early Time-Restricted Eating Improves Weight Loss While Preserving Muscle: An 8-Week Trial in Young Women
by Zifu Yu and Takeshi Ueda
Nutrients 2025, 17(6), 1022; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17061022 - 14 Mar 2025
Viewed by 3210
Abstract
Background: Time-restricted eating (TRE) has gained attention as a novel dietary intervention that restricts the daily eating window, potentially offering improved metabolic health and body composition. Nevertheless, whether early TRE (eTRE) or delayed TRE (dTRE) best enhances resistance training (RT) adaptations remains [...] Read more.
Background: Time-restricted eating (TRE) has gained attention as a novel dietary intervention that restricts the daily eating window, potentially offering improved metabolic health and body composition. Nevertheless, whether early TRE (eTRE) or delayed TRE (dTRE) best enhances resistance training (RT) adaptations remains unclear. Methods: In this 8-week randomized study, 24 healthy young women with limited RT experience were assigned into one of three groups: eTRE (an 8:00 AM–2:00 PM feeding window), dTRE (12:00 PM–6:00 PM), or the control (8:00 AM–8:00 PM). Apart from the timing restrictions, no further dietary guidance was provided. All of the participants performed standardized knee-supported push-ups (4 sets × 10 reps, three sessions/week). The primary outcomes included body weight, the thickness of the triceps brachii long head (measured via ultrasound), and push-up endurance. Results: The eTRE group achieved a significant reduction in body weight (−2.61 ± 1.06 kg; p < 0.001), which surpassed the changes observed in both the dTRE (−1.44 ± 1.12 kg) and control (−0.48 ± 0.64 kg) groups. However, no significant between-group differences emerged for muscle thickness or push-up performance. All groups showed comparable improvements in triceps brachii thickness (a 1.36–1.55 mm increase) and push-up endurance (62–74 additional repetitions). Conclusions: Early TRE (8:00 AM–2:00 PM) appears to be more beneficial than delayed TRE (12:00 PM–6:00 PM) for weight management when combined with RT, yet both TRE regimens result in similar improvements in muscle thickness and endurance. These findings suggest that optimizing meal timing in alignment with circadian rhythms may enhance weight control without hindering muscle adaptations, providing a practical approach for individuals seeking to lose weight while preserving or increasing their muscular fitness. Future research involving larger samples and diverse populations is warranted to confirm these results and clarify the underlying metabolic mechanisms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Nutrient Intake on Exercise Recovery and Adaptation)
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25 pages, 5892 KiB  
Article
Combined Effects of Spirulina Liquid Extract and Endurance Training on Aerobic Performance and Muscle Metabolism Adaptation in Wistar Rats
by Jordi Vignaud, Céline Loiseau, Martine Côme, Isabelle Martin, Rova Rasoanarivo, Josiane Hérault, Claire Mayer, Olivier Lépine and Lionel Ulmann
Nutrients 2025, 17(2), 283; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17020283 - 14 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1583
Abstract
Background: Physical activity, such as running, protects against cardiovascular disease and obesity but can induce oxidative stress. Athletes often consume antioxidants to counteract the overproduction of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species during exercise. Spirulina, particularly its phycocyanin content, activates the Nrf2 pathway, [...] Read more.
Background: Physical activity, such as running, protects against cardiovascular disease and obesity but can induce oxidative stress. Athletes often consume antioxidants to counteract the overproduction of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species during exercise. Spirulina, particularly its phycocyanin content, activates the Nrf2 pathway, stimulating antioxidant responses. Studies show that phycocyanin enhances antioxidant defenses and reduces inflammation, potentially improving muscle adaptation and recovery. This study evaluates a Spirulina liquid extract (SLE) supplementation during endurance training, hypothesizing that phycocyanin improves oxidant status and performance in soleus and extensor digitorum longus muscles. Methods: Three-week-old male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: a sedentary control group (C), a sedentary group supplemented with SLE (SP), an endurance training group (T), and an endurance training group supplemented with SLE (SPT). After 8 weeks of treadmill training, blood and muscle were collected. Biochemical parameters and gene expression analyses were performed to assess the effects of training and supplementation. Results: The maximal aerobic speed improved significantly in the SPT group. Plasma lipid profiles showed a reduction in triglyceridemia, cholesterolemia, and atherogenic index in the trained groups, especially with SLE supplementation. Muscle malondialdehyde levels decreased in the SPT group compared to T. Gene expression analysis revealed upregulation of Nrf2 and mitochondrial biogenesis genes in both muscles, with differences between groups for genes related to glycogen storage and β-oxidation. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that SLE supplementation enhanced exercise performance and promoted muscle molecular adaptations. These findings suggest SLE as a promising functional food supplement for athletes, optimizing recovery and performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Nutrient Intake on Exercise Recovery and Adaptation)
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14 pages, 1764 KiB  
Article
Comparing the Effects of Collagen Hydrolysate and Dairy Protein on Recovery from Eccentric Exercise: A Double Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study
by Rachel Barclay, Jane Coad, Katie Schraders and Matthew J. Barnes
Nutrients 2024, 16(24), 4389; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16244389 - 20 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1771
Abstract
Background: Consuming collagen hydrolysate (CH) may improve symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD); however, its acute effects have not been compared to dairy protein (DP), the most commonly consumed form of protein supplement. Therefore, this study compared the effects of CH and DP [...] Read more.
Background: Consuming collagen hydrolysate (CH) may improve symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD); however, its acute effects have not been compared to dairy protein (DP), the most commonly consumed form of protein supplement. Therefore, this study compared the effects of CH and DP on recovery from EIMD. Methods: Thirty-three males consumed either CH (n = 11) or DP (n = 11), containing 25 g of protein, or an isoenergetic placebo (n = 11) immediately post-exercise and once daily for three days. Indices of EIMD were measured before and 30 min and 24, 48, and 72 h after 30 min of downhill running on a −15% slope at 80% of VO2max speed. Results: Downhill running induced significant EIMD, with time effects (all p < 0.001) for the delayed onset of muscle soreness (visual analogue scale), countermovement jump height, isometric midthigh pull force, maximal voluntary isometric contraction force, running economy, and biomarkers of muscle damage (creatine kinase) and inflammation (interleukin-6, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein). However, no group or interaction effects (all p > 0.05) were observed for any of the outcome measures. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the post-exercise consumption of CH or DP does not improve indices of EIMD during the acute recovery period in recreationally active males. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Nutrient Intake on Exercise Recovery and Adaptation)
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