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The Role of Protein and Carbohydrate Supplementation in Improving Athletic Performance

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 August 2025 | Viewed by 8771

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Beibei Luo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. School of Exercise and Health, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China
2. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Human Performance, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China
Interests: exercise physiology; exercise performance; exercise immunology; sports nutrition; children’s exercise

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nutritional status represents a significant determinant of athletic performance. Research related to sports nutrition has received extensive attention in recent years. The specific strategies of nutritional supplementation vary depending on the sport in which the athlete is engaged. Protein supplementation constitutes an essential component of strength training, whereas carbohydrate supplementation is closely linked to endurance performance. Appropriate carbohydrate and protein supplementation is crucial for promoting athletic performance and recovery from fatigue. Therefore, this Special Issue of Nutrients is focused on investigating the effects of protein and carbohydrate supplementation on athletic performance across various sports, and seeks to explore optimal nutritional interventions to enhance athletic performance. Additionally, studies related (but are not limited) to the effects of protein and carbohydrate supplementation on athletes’ performance and physiological functions are encouraged. Original research articles and reviews are eligible for submission.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Beibei Luo
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

  • sports nutrition
  • performance
  • recovery
  • protein supplementation
  • carbohydrate supplementation

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 3158 KiB  
Article
Comparison of the Acute Effects of Carbohydrate Mouth Rinse and Coach Encouragement on Kinematic Profiles During Small-Sided Games in Young Male Soccer Players
by Yakup Zühtü Birinci, Serkan Pancar and Yusuf Soylu
Nutrients 2025, 17(3), 546; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17030546 - 31 Jan 2025
Viewed by 975
Abstract
Background: Carbohydrate mouth rinsing (CHOmr), a nutritional intervention for delaying fatigue and meeting the energy demands of soccer, and the motivational strategy of coach encouragement (CE) are widely recognized as effective approaches for enhancing athletic performance in soccer. Objectives: This study aimed [...] Read more.
Background: Carbohydrate mouth rinsing (CHOmr), a nutritional intervention for delaying fatigue and meeting the energy demands of soccer, and the motivational strategy of coach encouragement (CE) are widely recognized as effective approaches for enhancing athletic performance in soccer. Objectives: This study aimed to compare the effects of CHOmr + CE, CHOmr, and CE on heart rate (HR) and kinematic profiles during four-a-side small-sided soccer games (SSGs). Methods: Twenty-four young soccer players (age: 17.2 ± 0.8 years) played six bouts of four-a-side SSGs with CHOmr + CE, CHOmr, or CE at 3-day intervals in a randomized, single-blinded, placebo-controlled, or crossover study design. The HR and kinematic responses were continuously recorded during all games. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in peak heart rate (HRpeak) (p ≥ 0.05, F = 0.326, p = 0.723, η2 = 0.014) and mean heart rate (HRmean) (p ≥ 0.05, F = 0.845, p = 0.436, η2 = 0.035). No significant differences were found for distances in Zone 1 (p ≥ 0.05, F = 1.21, p = 0.306, η2 = 0.050), Zone 4 (p ≥ 0.05, F = 0.310, p = 0.735, η2 = 0.013), Zone 5 (p ≥ 0.05, F = 1.02, p = 0.368, η2 = 0.042), or Zone 6 (p ≥ 0.05, F = 0.161, p = 0.211, η2 = 0.055), nor acceleration (p ≥ 0.05, F = 0.208, p = 0.137, η2 = 0.083) and deceleration (p ≥ 0.05, F = 0.790, p = 0.460, η2 = 0.033). Similarly, although no significant differences were observed in the distance in Zone 3 (p ≥ 0.05, F = 3.12, p = 0.054, η2 = 0.119) or repeated sprint distance (p ≥ 0.05, F = 2.96, p = 0.062, η2 = 0.114), the CHOmr +CE group exhibited higher average values for these variables. However, a statistically significant difference was observed in the distance covered in Zone 2 (p ≤ 0.05, F = 3.89, p = 0.028, η2 = 0.145), with the CHOmr +CE group performing better, as confirmed by the post-hoc analyses. Conclusions: Although our findings indicate that CE alone may influence kinematic profiles during SSGs, similar to CHOmr or its combination with CE, further research should explore the underlying mechanisms and potential contextual factors influencing these outcomes. Therefore, we suggest that coaches prefer CE because it is easy to implement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Protein and Carbohydrate Supplementation in Improving Athletic Performance)
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Review

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22 pages, 2619 KiB  
Review
A Review of Carbohydrate Supplementation Approaches and Strategies for Optimizing Performance in Elite Long-Distance Endurance
by Wei Cao, Yong He, Ronghua Fu, Yiru Chen, Jiabei Yu and Zihong He
Nutrients 2025, 17(5), 918; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17050918 - 6 Mar 2025
Viewed by 3358
Abstract
Carbohydrate supplementation is a common practice among endurance athletes participating in long-distance competitions. However, glycogen storage regulation, in-competition blood glucose levels, and their relationship with athletic performance are influenced by multiple factors. This review summarizes the recent research progress on carbohydrate supplementation, addressing [...] Read more.
Carbohydrate supplementation is a common practice among endurance athletes participating in long-distance competitions. However, glycogen storage regulation, in-competition blood glucose levels, and their relationship with athletic performance are influenced by multiple factors. This review summarizes the recent research progress on carbohydrate supplementation, addressing its applications in the pre-, during-, and post-competition phases. It explores variables that influence the effectiveness of carbohydrate supplementation and provides a summary of strategies, based on six key aspects: carbohydrate properties, multi-nutrient interactions, gastrointestinal function, individual differences (such as age and gender), environmental conditions, and psychological factors. The combination of different types, ratios, and concentrations of carbohydrates has been demonstrated to enhance the efficiency of carbohydrate digestion and absorption. The synergistic combination of protein, sodium, and caffeine intake demonstrates enhanced efficacy in carbohydrate supplementation strategies. Gastrointestinal tolerance training for carbohydrate supplementation has been identified as an effective measure to alleviate gastrointestinal discomfort during high-dose carbohydrate intake. The adjustment of the carbohydrate-to-fat ratio and the type of carbohydrate intake has been found to mitigate the impact of gender and menstrual cycles on glycogen storage and substrate utilization. Modifying the timing of glycogen storage and regulating the concentration and temperature of carbohydrate solutions during competition have been demonstrated to facilitate coping with the elevated energy expenditure and metabolic substrate shift from fat to carbohydrates, triggered by a combination of environmental and psychological factors, including special environmental and climatic conditions (e.g., high altitude, high temperature, high humidity, and cold) and emotional states (e.g., pre-competition stress and anxiety during the competition). To achieve precise carbohydrate supplementation for athletes in major events under various competitive environments, it is necessary to quantitatively assess the effects of carbohydrate supplementation, supported by mechanistic studies. This can be achieved by utilizing wearable devices to monitor the entire competition, coupled with data collection technologies, such as high-throughput profiling. Furthermore, emerging data analytics techniques, such as machine learning and causal inference, should be leveraged to refine supplementation strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Protein and Carbohydrate Supplementation in Improving Athletic Performance)
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15 pages, 1516 KiB  
Review
Impact of Alpha-Ketoglutarate on Skeletal Muscle Health and Exercise Performance: A Narrative Review
by Miaomiao Xu, Qiao Zhang, Xiaoguang Liu, Liming Lu and Zhaowei Li
Nutrients 2024, 16(22), 3968; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16223968 - 20 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3761
Abstract
AKG, a central metabolite in the Krebs cycle, plays a vital role in cellular energy production and nitrogen metabolism. This review explores AKG’s potential therapeutic applications in skeletal muscle health and exercise performance, focusing on its mechanisms for promoting muscle regeneration and counteracting [...] Read more.
AKG, a central metabolite in the Krebs cycle, plays a vital role in cellular energy production and nitrogen metabolism. This review explores AKG’s potential therapeutic applications in skeletal muscle health and exercise performance, focusing on its mechanisms for promoting muscle regeneration and counteracting muscle atrophy. A literature search was conducted using the PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases, yielding 945 articles published up to 31 October 2024. Of these, 112 peer-reviewed articles met the inclusion criteria and formed the basis of this review. AKG supports muscle recovery by stimulating muscle satellite cells (MuSCs) and macrophage polarization, aiding muscle repair and reducing fibrosis. Additionally, AKG shows promise in preventing muscle atrophy by enhancing protein synthesis, inhibiting degradation pathways, and modulating inflammatory responses, making it relevant in conditions like sarcopenia, cachexia, and injury recovery. For athletes and active individuals, AKG supplementation has enhanced endurance, reduced fatigue, and supported faster post-exercise recovery. Despite promising preliminary findings, research gaps remain in understanding AKG’s long-term effects, optimal dosage, and specific pathways, particularly across diverse populations. Further research, including large-scale clinical trials, is essential to clarify AKG’s role in muscle health and to optimize its application as a therapeutic agent for skeletal muscle diseases and an enhancer of physical performance. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of AKG’s benefits and identify future directions for research in both clinical and sports settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Protein and Carbohydrate Supplementation in Improving Athletic Performance)
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