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Nutrients
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Impact of Nutritional Supplements on Athletic Performance
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Impact of Nutritional Supplements on Athletic Performance

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 January 2025) | Viewed by 15863

Special Issue Editors

Dr. George Panayiotou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Exercise, Health and Human Performance, Applied Sport Science Postgraduate Program, Department of Life Sciences, School of Sciences, European University Cyprus, 1516 Nicosia, Cyprus
Interests: oxidative stress; sports nutrition; sports supplements; body composition; chronic diseases; performance profiling; workload monitoring
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Spyridon Methenitis

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Co-Guest Editor
Sports Performance Laboratory, School of Physical Education and Sports Science, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 57668 Athens, Greece
Interests: strength & conditioning; exercise physiology; biochemistry of exercise; muscle morphology; muscle metabolism; muscle damage; neuromuscular system; training; training adaptations; performance; body functionality; sports nutrition
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Athletes of diverse sports and at competitive levels extensively use nutritional supplements before, during and post-match play/competition or workouts to achieve maximum performance.

Nutritional supplements aim to optimise performance through training adaptations, well-being, micronutrient and macronutrient intake, fast and effective physiological and morphological recovery and reducing the risk of injury and illness after high training/competition strain. However, the effectiveness of nutritional supplements is considerably limited, inconsistent or non-existent. Nutritional interventions in sports show wide variations depending on the athlete’s level, characteristics (e.g., age, gender, genetics, microbiome), sport type requirements, cultural diversities, environmental and emotional factors, dietary considerations, composition, amount, type of supplements and supplementation protocol and athletic performance outcomes. Furthermore, while the rational and evidence-based use of certain nutritional supplements can be beneficial for athletic performance and overall athlete health, irrational and improper use can be detrimental to the health, competitive performance and reputation of athletes in case of a violation of anti-doping code.

This Special Issue of Nutrients welcomes original research articles focused on nutritional supplements’ impact on athletic performance’s physical, mental and cognitive outcomes in different types of sports, taking into consideration competition level, athlete’s age, gender, genetic factors, cultural nutrition-related diversion, dietary considerations, environmental and emotional variations, supplements type, amount and intake timing.

Dr. George Panayiotou
Dr. Spyridon Methenitis
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

  • nutritional supplements
  • ergogenic aids
  • antioxidants
  • performance optimisation
  • performance outcomes
  • fatigue
  • well-being
  • health maintenance
  • injury risk
  • recovery enhancement
  • periodised nutrition

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 4278 KiB  
Article
Effects of Kefir Consumption on Gut Microbiota and Athletic Performance in Professional Female Soccer Players: A Randomized Controlled Trial
by Ece Öneş, Mutlucan Zavotçu, Nida Nisan, Murat Baş and Duygu Sağlam
Nutrients 2025, 17(3), 512; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17030512 - 30 Jan 2025
Viewed by 2922
Abstract
Background/Objectives: This study aimed to determine the impact of the daily consumption of kefir on the gut microbiome, body composition, and athletic performance of professional female soccer players. Methods: The participants encompassed 21 females aged 18–29 years who were assigned to one of [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: This study aimed to determine the impact of the daily consumption of kefir on the gut microbiome, body composition, and athletic performance of professional female soccer players. Methods: The participants encompassed 21 females aged 18–29 years who were assigned to one of the two groups: the experimental group, which comprised females who consumed 200 mL of kefir daily for 28 days, and the control group, which comprised females who continued with their normal diet. Anthropometric measurements, dietary intake, the composition of the gut microbiome through 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and an athletic performance test known as the 30-15 Intermittent Fitness Test were performed before and after the intervention. Results: The results of this study revealed that the consumption of kefir increased the microbial diversity (Shannon and Chao1 indices), wherein a significant increase was noted in the abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, microorganisms that regulate energy metabolism and have anti-inflammatory effects. Furthermore, the athletic performance variables, including VO2max (mL.kg−1.min−1) and finishing speed (km/h), were strongly related to the abundance of these short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria. A link between the microbiota profile and the dietary intake of fiber and protein as well as the body composition measurements was also established. Conclusions: This study indicated that kefir consumption can positively affect the gut microbiota, which could in turn affect the athletes’ performance. Therefore, to determine the effects of kefir as a functional food in sports nutrition over a longer period, more research should be conducted. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Nutritional Supplements on Athletic Performance)
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18 pages, 1716 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Influence of Acid-Base Status on Athletic Performance during Simulated Three-Day 400 m Race
by François Chiron, Mégane Erblang, Bora Gulören, Federica Bredariol, Imad Hamri, Damien Leger, Christine Hanon, Eve Tiollier and Claire Thomas
Nutrients 2024, 16(13), 1987; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16131987 - 21 Jun 2024
Viewed by 3363
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the ability of highly trained athletes to consistently perform at their highest level during a simulated three-day 400 m race and to examine the impact of an alkaline diet associated with chronic consumption of bicarbonate-rich water or placebo [...] Read more.
This study aimed to investigate the ability of highly trained athletes to consistently perform at their highest level during a simulated three-day 400 m race and to examine the impact of an alkaline diet associated with chronic consumption of bicarbonate-rich water or placebo on their blood metabolic responses before and after the three races. Twenty-two highly trained athletes, divided into two groups—one with an alkalizing diet and placebo water (PLA) and the other with an alkalizing diet and bicarbonate-rich water (BIC)—performed a 400 m race for three consecutive days. Performance metrics, urine and blood samples assessing acid-base balance, and indirect markers of neuro-muscular fatigue were measured before and after each 400 m race. The evolution of the Potential Renal Acid Load (PRAL) index and urinary pH highlights the combination of an alkalizing diet and bicarbonate-rich hydration, modifying the acid-base state (p < 0.05). Athletes in the PLA group replicated the same level of performance during three consecutive daily races without an increase in fatigue-associated markers. Athletes experienced similar levels of metabolic perturbations during the three 400 m races, with improved lactate clearance 20 min after the third race compared to the first two (p < 0.05). This optimization of the buffering capacity through ecological alkaline nutrition and hydration allowed athletes in the BIC group to improve their performance during the third 400 m race (p < 0.01). This study highlights athletes’ ability to replicate high-level performances over three consecutive days with the same extreme level of metabolic disturbances, and an alkaline diet combined with bicarbonate-rich water consumption appears to enhance performance in a 400 m race. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Nutritional Supplements on Athletic Performance)
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20 pages, 1715 KiB  
Article
Optimizing Short-Term Maximal Exercise Performance: The Superior Efficacy of a 6 mg/kg Caffeine Dose over 3 or 9 mg/kg in Young Female Team-Sports Athletes
by Houda Bougrine, Achraf Ammar, Atef Salem, Khaled Trabelsi, Haitham Jahrami, Hamdi Chtourou and Nizar Souissi
Nutrients 2024, 16(5), 640; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16050640 - 25 Feb 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4561
Abstract
Caffeine (CAF) is among the most extensively researched dietary supplements worldwide. However, little is known about the relationship between dosage and performance enhancement, particularly in female athletes. This study aimed to explore the effects of three different CAF dosages (3 mg·kg−1, [...] Read more.
Caffeine (CAF) is among the most extensively researched dietary supplements worldwide. However, little is known about the relationship between dosage and performance enhancement, particularly in female athletes. This study aimed to explore the effects of three different CAF dosages (3 mg·kg−1, 6 mg·kg−1, and 9 mg·kg−1) on high-intensity exercise and the prevalence of undesirable side effects related to these doses among female team-sports athletes. All participants (n = 16; age: 16.9 ± 0.6 y; height: 1.64 ± 0.1 m; BMI: 21.6 ± 1.5 kg·m−2) were mild CAF consumers. This study had a randomized, crossover, double-blind design in which each athlete performed four experimental sessions after ingesting either a placebo (PLAC), 3 mg·kg−1 CAF (CAF-3), 6 mg·kg−1 CAF (CAF-6), or 9 mg·kg−1 of CAF (CAF-9), with an in-between washout period of at least 72 h. In each experimental session, 60 min after ingesting the capsules, participants underwent a countermovement jumps test (CMJ), modified agility t-test (MATT), repeated sprint ability (RSA) test, and a rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and completed the CAF side effects questionnaire. Our findings revealed that in comparison to the PLAC condition, the MATT, RSAmean, and RSAbest performances were significantly greater only under the CAF-6 and CAF-9 conditions. Although the RPE scores remained unchanged, CMJ performance improved under all CAF conditions. All the performance outcomes were better for the CAF-6 and CAF-9 conditions than for the CAF-3 condition. Notably, no significant difference between the CAF-6 and CAF-9 conditions was observed for any of these parameters despite the highest incidence of side effects being noted for the CAF-9 condition. In summary, our findings highlight the recommendation for a moderate CAF dosage of 6 mg·kg−1 rather than 3 or 9 mg·kg−1 to enhance various aspects of short-term maximal performance in mild-CAF-consumer female team-sports athletes while mitigating the occurrence of adverse CAF side effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Nutritional Supplements on Athletic Performance)
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Review

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19 pages, 847 KiB  
Review
The Improvement and Related Mechanism of Microecologics on the Sports Performance and Post-Exercise Recovery of Athletes: A Narrative Review
by Keer Yang, Yonglin Chen, Minghan Wang, Yishuo Zhang, Yu Yuan, Haoyang Hou and Yu-Heng Mao
Nutrients 2024, 16(11), 1602; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16111602 - 24 May 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3692
Abstract
The diversity and functionality of gut microbiota may play a crucial role in the function of human motor-related systems. In addition to traditional nutritional supplements, there is growing interest in microecologics due to their potential to enhance sports performance and facilitate post-exercise recovery [...] Read more.
The diversity and functionality of gut microbiota may play a crucial role in the function of human motor-related systems. In addition to traditional nutritional supplements, there is growing interest in microecologics due to their potential to enhance sports performance and facilitate post-exercise recovery by modulating the gut microecological environment. However, there is a lack of relevant reviews on this topic. This review provides a comprehensive overview of studies investigating the effects of various types of microecologics, such as probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, and postbiotics, on enhancing sports performance and facilitating post-exercise recovery by regulating energy metabolism, mitigating oxidative-stress-induced damage, modulating immune responses, and attenuating bone loss. Although further investigations are warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms through which microecologics exert their effects. In summary, this study aims to provide scientific evidence for the future development of microecologics in athletics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Nutritional Supplements on Athletic Performance)
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