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Nutrients
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Nutritional Supports for Sport Performance
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Nutritional Supports for Sport Performance

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 October 2025 | Viewed by 11879

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Sergio L. Jiménez Sáiz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Sport Sciences Research Centre, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Fuenlabrada, 28942 Madrid, Spain
Interests: strength training; sports supplementation; recovery; team sports performance; sports technology; talent development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Helios Pareja-Galeano

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Physical Education, Sport and Human Movement, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
Interests: supplements; exercise physiology; nutrition; health; metabolism; aging; chronic disease; physical performance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue of the Nutrients journal, titled “Nutritional Supports for Sport Performance”, invites the submission of high-quality research papers and reviews that advance our understanding of how nutrition influences sports performance. We aim to gather a comprehensive collection of studies that explore various aspects of sports nutrition, including but not limited to, the impact of macronutrients, micronutrients, supplements, hydration strategies, and timing of nutrient intake on athletic performance, recovery, and overall health. Contributions may also cover dietary strategies for different types of sports, personalized nutrition, the role of gut microbiota in performance, and nutritional challenges faced by athletes. We welcome studies involving athletes of all levels, from amateur to elite, as well as research that addresses specific needs of special populations engaged in sports activities.

This Special Issue seeks to provide insights that can inform practice and policy, and help athletes, coaches, nutritionists, and sports medicine professionals to optimize performance through evidence-based nutritional strategies. Submissions that provide new insights into the mechanisms by which nutrition can affect sport performance, as well as those exploring emerging trends and innovations in sports nutrition, are particularly encouraged.

Dr. Sergio L. Jiménez Sáiz
Dr. Helios Pareja-Galeano
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

  • recovery
  • supplements and performance
  • nutrition before, during, and after practice
  • nutrition before, during, and after competition in sports
  • nutrition in different age groups
  • nutrition during performance under specific conditions, such as extreme cold, extreme heat, altitude training
  • hydration strategies for athletes
  • carbohydrate loading and timing
  • protein requirements for optimal performance
  • individualized dietary approaches based on sport type and athlete characteristics

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

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 527 KiB  
Article
Pre-Sleep Alpha-Lactalbumin Supplementation Does Not Improve the Habitual Sleep and Performance of Sportspeople with Sleep Difficulties
by Jackson Barnard, Spencer Roberts, Michele Lastella, Brad Aisbett and Dominique Condo
Nutrients 2025, 17(7), 1196; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17071196 - 29 Mar 2025
Viewed by 442
Abstract
Background: Many athletes experience sleep difficulties, and prior research within this cohort suggests that acute supplementation of alpha-lactalbumin (ALAC), a whey protein rich in the amino acid tryptophan, may improve sleep and performance. Therefore, this study investigated whether sub-chronic ALAC supplementation in [...] Read more.
Background: Many athletes experience sleep difficulties, and prior research within this cohort suggests that acute supplementation of alpha-lactalbumin (ALAC), a whey protein rich in the amino acid tryptophan, may improve sleep and performance. Therefore, this study investigated whether sub-chronic ALAC supplementation in the evening would improve sleep and physical performance within a poor-sleeping athletic population. Methods: In total, 24 athletically trained participants with sleep difficulties (Athlete Sleep Screening Questionnaire: 8.6 ± 2.2; Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index: 10.0 ± 3.0) completed this double-blinded, randomised controlled, crossover trial. The participants were supplemented with 40 g of ALAC or control 2 h pre-sleep for seven consecutive nights within habitual settings, with sleep measured via actigraphy. Performance was assessed following the 1-week supplementation period, with the 30 s countermovement jump test, Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1, and reaction time testing performed in a standardised sequence under controlled conditions. Results: During the ALAC condition, the objective number of awakenings increased (CON: 10.25 ± 5.28, ALAC: 11.01 ± 5.79; p = 0.031), the average jump height reduced (CON: 28.58 ± 5.53 cm, ALAC: 27.68 ± 5.14 cm; p = 0.037), the subjective physical and mental performance capabilities declined in the evening (p < 0.001), and evening negative emotional states (p = 0.001) were reduced. Conclusions: Seven days of ALAC supplementation may not improve the sleep and physical performance of an athletically trained population with mild–moderate sleep difficulties. Future research should recruit populations with more severe sleep difficulties and measure sleep architecture over an extended period to fully ascertain the effects, and potential benefits, of ALAC supplementation for athletes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Supports for Sport Performance)
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15 pages, 1128 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Rhodiola Rosea Extract on Strength Performance in Alternative Bench-Press and Bench-Pull Exercises Under Resting and Mental Fatigue Conditions: A Randomized, Triple-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Trial
by Daniel Marcos-Frutos, Žiga Leban, Zhaoqian Li, Xing Zhang, Paula M. Lara, Carlos Alix-Fages, Pablo Jiménez-Martínez, Nadia Zebboudji, Annabelle Caillet, Beatriz Redondo, Jesús Vera, Danica Janicijevic and Amador García-Ramos
Nutrients 2025, 17(6), 940; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17060940 - 7 Mar 2025
Viewed by 5024
Abstract
Objectives: This study aimed to explore the effects of four days of Rhodiola Rosea (RR) supplementation on bench-press and bench-pull exercises under resting or mental fatigue conditions in young healthy individuals. Methods: Eighteen participants (seven women) visited the laboratory on five [...] Read more.
Objectives: This study aimed to explore the effects of four days of Rhodiola Rosea (RR) supplementation on bench-press and bench-pull exercises under resting or mental fatigue conditions in young healthy individuals. Methods: Eighteen participants (seven women) visited the laboratory on five occasions separated by 7 days—one preliminary session and four experimental sessions. In the preliminary session, participants were familiarised with the Stroop and Multiple Object Tracking tests, after which their one-repetition maximum loads for bench presses and bench pulls were determined. The four experimental sessions had the same protocol, differing only in the supplement (RR or placebo) and mental task conditions (Stroop test or control video). Participants were assigned randomly and counterbalanced to each experimental condition: (I) RR and Stroop test, (II) RR and control video, (III) placebo and Stroop test, and (IV) placebo and control video. Results: The main findings indicate that RR supplementation has trivial-to-small effects in terms of mental fatigue, visuo-cognitive processing, or perceived exertion. However, RR was significantly superior to placebo on strength performance in the control video condition during some sets, as it increased the number of repetitions performed in the bench press and the fastest velocity in the bench pull. Out of 52 comparisons, 17 small effect sizes were observed, with 14 favouring RR and 3 favouring placebo, with the remaining differences being trivial. Conclusions: These results suggest that short-term RR supplementation is safe and provides its main ergogenic effects on physical performance rather than in visuo-cognitive or mental outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Supports for Sport Performance)
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14 pages, 1333 KiB  
Article
Implementation of Nutrition Labels at the 2022 European Athletics Championships: An Observational Study of the Use and Perceptions of Athletes and Athlete Support Personnel
by Inês Maldonado, Catarina B. Oliveira, Pedro A. Branco and Mónica Sousa
Nutrients 2024, 16(24), 4375; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16244375 - 19 Dec 2024
Viewed by 759
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Nutrition labels are an effective tool for providing nutrition information. Additionally, nutrient composition is one of the most dictating factors for athletes’ food choices; thus, we aimed to evaluate the use and perceptions regarding the nutrition labels implemented for the meals served [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Nutrition labels are an effective tool for providing nutrition information. Additionally, nutrient composition is one of the most dictating factors for athletes’ food choices; thus, we aimed to evaluate the use and perceptions regarding the nutrition labels implemented for the meals served at the 2022 European Athletics Championships (EAC). Methods: During mealtime at the team restaurants, participants completed an online self-administered questionnaire. We collected 280 questionnaires, 53.8% of the participants were male, most were athletes (78.9%), and 21.1% were athlete support personnel. Likert-type scales and open-ended questions were included to measure the labels’ importance, layout, influence on food choices, and participants’ understanding of the labels. Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests were used to compare answers. Results: Almost 40% of the participants used the nutrition labels occasionally (38.8%). Most participants were confident (41.9%) or moderately confident (31.3%) in making food choices because they had labels. Nutrition labels were considered important (41.0%) or very important (28.4%) by most participants, and 91.7% would like to have them in future championships. Athlete support personnel versus athletes (p = 0.037) and participants with dietary restrictions versus participants without (p = 0.028) were more confident in their food choices due to nutrition labels. Conclusions: Our results highlight that nutrition labels were helpful for both athletes and athlete support personnel during this EAC and that they should be maintained in future competitions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Supports for Sport Performance)
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12 pages, 1691 KiB  
Article
The Effects of Carbohydrate Mouth Rinse on Psychophysiological Responses and Kinematic Profiles in Intermittent and Continuous Small-Sided Games in Adolescent Soccer Players: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled, and Crossover Trial
by Yusuf Soylu, Paweł Chmura, Ersan Arslan and Bulent Kilit
Nutrients 2024, 16(22), 3910; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16223910 - 15 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1128
Abstract
Background: Mouth rinsing (MR) with a carbohydrate solution is one of the most popular methods athletes use to improve their game-based performance due to its acute ergogenic effect. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the carbohydrate MR intervention on psychophysiological [...] Read more.
Background: Mouth rinsing (MR) with a carbohydrate solution is one of the most popular methods athletes use to improve their game-based performance due to its acute ergogenic effect. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the carbohydrate MR intervention on psychophysiological responses and kinematic profiles during intermittent (INT) and continuous (CON) 4-a-side small-sided soccer games (SSGs). Methods: Thirty-two adolescent soccer players (age: 16.5 ± 0.5 years) played six bouts of 4-a-side SSGs with MRINT or MRCON at 3-day intervals in a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, and crossover study design. Psychophysiological responses and kinematic profiles were continuously recorded during all games. The rating of perceived exertion (RPE), the rating scale of mental effort (RSME), and the physical enjoyment scores (PES) were also determined at the end of each game. Results: The MRCON induced higher psychophysiological responses such as RPE, internal training load (ITL), and RSME (p ≤ 0.05, d values ranging from 0.50 to 1.04 [small to moderate effect]). Conversely, the MRINT induced higher PES (p ≤ 0.05, d values = 1.44 [large effect]) compared to MRCON. Although the MR intervention led to similar improvements in the performance of 4-a-side MRINT and MRCON, there was no significant difference between the groups. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the MR intervention can be used as an effective ergogenic supplement for acute game performance enhancement, regardless of the game’s structure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Supports for Sport Performance)
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16 pages, 3638 KiB  
Systematic Review
Effect of Caffeine and Nitrates Combination on Exercise Performance, Heart Rate and Oxygen Uptake: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
by Laura Gilsanz, Juan Del Coso, Sergio L. Jiménez-Saiz and Helios Pareja-Galeano
Nutrients 2024, 16(19), 3352; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16193352 - 2 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3828
Abstract
Background: The evidence about the synergy of combining caffeine (CAF) and nitrates on exercise performance has not been summarized, although there is a possibility of additive/synergistic effects of the co-ingestion of these substances given their different mechanisms of action in central (CAF) and [...] Read more.
Background: The evidence about the synergy of combining caffeine (CAF) and nitrates on exercise performance has not been summarized, although there is a possibility of additive/synergistic effects of the co-ingestion of these substances given their different mechanisms of action in central (CAF) and peripheral tissues (nitrates). Objectives: The aim was to analyze the effects of co-supplementation of CAF and nitrates on sports performance in comparison to the isolated ingestion of these substances. Methods: The databases of PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, CiNAHL and SPORTDiscus were used until June 2024 following PRISMA guidelines. Randomized controlled trials, at least one single-blind trial, conducted in adults were considered. A meta-analysis was performed using the random effects model to calculate the standardized mean difference estimated by Hedges’ g and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for studies with four arms. Results: Six studies were included (N = 95). The meta-analysis revealed that caffeine and nitrates supplementation (CAF+nitrates) did not enhance performance in time trials (TTs) over the CAF alone (g = −0.06; 95% CI = −0.46 to 0.35; p = 0.78) or nitrates alone (g = 0.29; 95% CI = −0.12 to 0.70; p = 0.17). CAF+nitrates did not affect heart rate during submaximal exercise trials over CAF alone (g = 0.04; 95% CI = −0.31 to 0.40; p = 0.80) or nitrates alone (g = −0.15; 95% CI = −0.50 to 0.20; p = 0.40). Likewise, CAF+nitrates did not affect oxygen uptake during submaximal exercise trials over CAF alone (g = −0.04; 95% CI = −0.45 to 0.37; p = 0.84) or nitrates alone (g = −0.29; 95% CI = −0.70 to 0.12; p = 0.16). Conclusions: CAF+nitrates did not offer further benefits on exercise performance or physiological variables from the isolated intake of CAF and nitrates. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional Supports for Sport Performance)
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