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Recent Advances in Nutrition for Disease Prevention and Sports Performance Enhancement

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 January 2023) | Viewed by 62806

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Pedro L. Valenzuela

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Sports Sciences, European University of Madrid, 28670 Madrid, Spain
Interests: exercise physiology; sports science; sports nutrition; physical performance; aging; sarcopenia; cardiometabolic health

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Growing evidence supports the important role of nutrition for health and performance. Nutritional interventions – alone or in combination with physical exercise – have proven effective for reducing the incidence of different chronic diseases and their associated risk factors (e.g., obesity, diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia). A healthy diet also seems to prevent many of the detrimental consequences of aging, notably sarcopenia and frailty. On the other hand, diet has been reported to influence physical performance, with nutrition – including nutritional supplements – being a cornersone in the armamentarium of athletes. The role of nutrition seems therefore wide but, although research is rapidly growing, controversy still exists as to the optimal nutritional strategies for disease prevention and sports performance enhancement. The present special issue aims to report recent findings in the role of nutrition for disease prevention and sports performance enhancement, as well as to summarize current evidence on these topics.

Dr. Pedro L. Valenzuela
Guest Editor

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Keywords

cardiovascular health
cardiovascular disease
aging
physical performance
sports
exercise physiology
ergogenic.

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Editorial

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2 pages, 196 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Recent Advances in Nutrition for Disease Prevention and Sports Performance Enhancement

by Pedro L. Valenzuela

Nutrients 2023, 15(5), 1170; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15051170 - 26 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1362

Abstract

The important role of nutrition on both health and sports performance, and particularly its joint association with physical exercise, is becoming increasingly clear in recent years [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Nutrition for Disease Prevention and Sports Performance Enhancement)

Research

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16 pages, 3753 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Resveratrol on Muscle Inflammation, Energy Utilisation, and Exercise Performance in an Eccentric Contraction Exercise Mouse Model

by Liang-Yu Su, Wen-Ching Huang, Nai-Wen Kan, Te-Hsuan Tung, Linh Ba Phuong Huynh and Shih-Yi Huang

Nutrients 2023, 15(1), 249; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15010249 - 03 Jan 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3325

Abstract

Eccentric contraction can easily cause muscle damage and an inflammatory response, which reduces the efficiency of muscle contraction. Resveratrol causes anti-inflammatory effects in muscles, accelerates muscle repair, and promotes exercise performance after contusion recovery. However, whether resveratrol provides the same benefits for sports injuries caused by eccentric contraction is unknown. Thus, we explored the effects of resveratrol on inflammation and energy metabolism. In this study, mice were divided into four groups: a control group, an exercise group (EX), an exercise with low-dose resveratrol group (EX + RES25), and an exercise with high-dose resveratrol group (EX + RES150). The results of an exhaustion test showed that the time before exhaustion of the EX + RES150 group was greater than that of the EX group. Tumour necrosis factor-α (Tnfα) mRNA expression was lower in the EX + RES150 group than in the EX group. The energy utilisation of the EX + RES150 group was greater than that of the EX + RES25 group in different muscles. High-dose resveratrol intervention decreased Tnfα mRNA expression and enhanced the mRNA expressions of sirtuin 1, glucose transporter 4, AMP-activated protein kinase α1, and AMP-activated protein kinase α2 in muscles. These results revealed that high-dose resveratrol supplementation can reduce inflammation and oxidation and improve energy utilisation during short-duration high-intensity exercise. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Nutrition for Disease Prevention and Sports Performance Enhancement)

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12 pages, 1414 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Plasma Levels of Omega-3 and Omega-6 Derived Oxylipins Are Associated with Fecal Microbiota Composition in Young Adults

by Huiwen Xu, Lucas Jurado-Fasoli, Lourdes Ortiz-Alvarez, Francisco J. Osuna-Prieto, Isabelle Kohler, Xinyu Di, Ramiro Vilchez-Vargas, Alexander Link, Julio Plaza-Díaz, Angel Gil, Patrick C. N. Rensen, Jonatan R. Ruiz and Borja Martinez-Tellez

Nutrients 2022, 14(23), 4991; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14234991 - 24 Nov 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1889

Abstract

Pre-clinical studies suggest that circulating oxylipins, i.e., the oxidation products of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), modulate gut microbiota composition in mice, but there is no information available in humans. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between omega-3 and omega-6 derived oxylipins plasma levels and fecal microbiota composition in a cohort of young adults. 80 young adults (74% women; 21.9 ± 2.2 years old) were included in this cross-sectional study. Plasma levels of oxylipins were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Fecal microbiota composition was analyzed by V3-V4 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We observed that plasma levels of omega-3 derived oxylipins were positively associated with the relative abundance of Clostridium cluster IV genus (Firmicutes phylum; rho ≥ 0.415, p ≤ 0.009) and negatively associated with the relative abundance of Sutterella genus (Proteobacteria phylum; rho ≥ −0.270, p ≤ 0.041), respectively. Moreover, plasma levels of omega-6 derived oxylipins were negatively associated with the relative abundance of Acidaminococcus and Phascolarctobacterium genera (Firmicutes phylum; all rho ≥ −0.263, p ≤ 0.024), as well as Sutterella, Succinivibrio, and Gemmiger genera (Proteobacteria phylum; all rho ≥ −0.263, p ≤ 0.024). Lastly, the ratio between omega-6 and omega-3 oxylipins plasma levels was negatively associated with the relative abundance of Clostridium cluster IV genus (Firmicutes phylum; rho = −0.334, p = 0.004) and Butyricimonas genus (Bacteroidetes phylum; rho = −0.292, p = 0.014). In conclusion, our results show that the plasma levels of omega-3 and omega-6 derived oxylipins are associated with the relative abundance of specific fecal bacteria genera. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Nutrition for Disease Prevention and Sports Performance Enhancement)

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12 pages, 1202 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Sport Supplement Consumption by Competitive Swimmers According to Sex and Competitive Level

by Berta Moreno, Santiago Veiga, Antonio J. Sánchez-Oliver, Raúl Domínguez and Esther Morencos

Nutrients 2022, 14(15), 3218; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14153218 - 06 Aug 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2454

Abstract

Sports supplements (SS) are commonly used by athletes to improve their performance. SS use by competitive swimmers is reported to be prevalent but there is no evidence of such use by elite swimmers, either male or female. The objective of this research was to study the patterns of SS use by competitive swimmers based on sex and competitive levels (national and international); Methods: Using the categories of the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), a total of 102 competitive swimmers (59 men and 43 women) completed a validated self-administered questionnaire on the use of SS; (3) Results: Overall, 86.9% of swimmers had consumed SSs with no differences observed between males and females (p = 0.247) or between competitive levels (p = 0.597). The SS that were most consumed by swimmers were caffeine (53.5%), sport drinks (52.5%), sport bars (51.5%), and vitamin C (43.4%). SSs categorized as medical supplements were consumed significantly more frequently by international swimmers (p = 0.012), with significant differences also found in the level—sex interaction (p = 0.049); (4) Conclusions: Compared to other sports disciplines, the prevalence of SS consumption is high in competitive swimmers regardless of performance level or gender. However, the consumption of medical supplements was greater in swimmers at a higher performance level. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Nutrition for Disease Prevention and Sports Performance Enhancement)

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12 pages, 943 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effects of Postprandial Walking on the Glucose Response after Meals with Different Characteristics

by Alessio Bellini, Andrea Nicolò, Ilenia Bazzucchi and Massimo Sacchetti

Nutrients 2022, 14(5), 1080; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14051080 - 04 Mar 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 7677

Abstract

We evaluated the effect of postprandial walking on the post-meal glycemic response after meals with different characteristics. Twenty-one healthy young volunteers participated in one of two randomized repeated measures studies. Study 1 (10 participants) assessed the effects of 30 min of brisk walking after meals with different carbohydrate (CHO) content (0.75 or 1.5 g of CHO per kg/body weight). Study 2 (11 participants) evaluated the effects of 30 min of brisk walking after consuming a mixed meal or a CHO drink matched for absolute CHO content (75 g). Postprandial brisk walking substantially reduced (p < 0.009) the glucose peak in both studies, with no significant differences across conditions. When evaluating the glycemic response throughout the two hours post-meal, postprandial walking was more effective after consuming a lower CHO content (Study 1), and similarly effective after a mixed meal or a CHO drink (Study 2), although higher glucose values were observed when consuming the CHO drink. Our findings show that a 30 min postprandial brisk walking session improves the glycemic response after meals with different CHO content and macronutrient composition, with implications for postprandial exercise prescription in daily life scenarios. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Nutrition for Disease Prevention and Sports Performance Enhancement)

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14 pages, 1168 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Anthropometric Dimensions and Bone Quality in International Male Beach Handball Players: Junior vs. Senior Comparison

by Alejandro Martínez-Rodríguez, Javier Sánchez-Sánchez, Manuel Vicente-Martínez, María Martínez-Olcina, Laura Miralles-Amorós and Juan Antonio Sánchez-Sáez

Nutrients 2021, 13(6), 1817; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13061817 - 27 May 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3404

Abstract

Background: Beach handball is a recent team sport characterized by defensive and offensive actions on a sand surface. Scientific evidence has shown that body composition is fundamental in sports performance. The main objective of this study was to know the body composition, anthropometric characteristics, and bone mineral density of elite beach handball players. Furthermore, another purpose was to analyze the differences between categories (junior and senior) and playing position. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study of 36 male players (18 juniors and 18 seniors) of the Spanish National Beach Handball Team was conducted. Full profile anthropometry and calcaneal ultrasound measurements were used. Results: Significant differences between categories (p < 0.05) were found in: height, body mass, arm span, BMI, muscle mass, fat mass, bone mass, skinfolds, and body perimeters. The somatotype changes depending on the playing position. Bone mineral density of the players was adequate. No significant differences were found by playing position. Conclusions: Senior players had a better body composition due to the presence of less fat mass than junior players. This study provides reference values of elite junior and senior beach handball players and by playing positions. This data is useful for the identification of talents and players who should be trained to improve their body composition. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Nutrition for Disease Prevention and Sports Performance Enhancement)

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34 pages, 9022 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Combined Effects of Exercise and Phytoanabolic Extracts in Castrated Male and Female Mice

by Jerônimo P. Martins, Lucia C. Silva, Matheus S. Nunes, Gabriel Rübensam, Jarbas R. Oliveira, Rodrigo B. M. Silva and Maria M. Campos

Nutrients 2021, 13(4), 1177; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13041177 - 02 Apr 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4273

Abstract

Dry extracts from the Eurasian plants, Ajuga turkestanica, Eurycoma longifolia, and Urtica dioica have been used as anabolic supplements, despite the limited scientific data on these effects. To assess their actions on early sarcopenia signs, male and female castrated mice were supplemented with lyophilized extracts of the three plants, isolated or in association (named TLU), and submitted to resistance exercise. Ovariectomy (OVX) led to body weight increase and non-high-density cholesterol (HDL) cholesterol elevation, which had been restored by exercise plus U. dioica extract, or by exercise and TLU, respectively. Orchiectomy (ORX) caused skeletal muscle weight loss, accompanied by increased adiposity, being the latter parameter reduced by exercise plus E. longifolia or U. dioica extracts. General physical activity was improved by exercise plus herbal extracts in either OVX or ORX animals. Exercise combined with TLU improved resistance to fatigue in OVX animals, though A. turkestanica enhanced the grip strength in ORX mice. E. longifolia or TLU also reduced the ladder climbing time in ORX mice. Resistance exercise plus herbal extracts partly altered gastrocnemius fiber size frequencies in OVX or ORX mice. We provide novel data that tested ergogenic extracts, when combined with resistance exercise, improved early sarcopenia alterations in castrated male and female mice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Nutrition for Disease Prevention and Sports Performance Enhancement)

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Review

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16 pages, 1298 KiB

Open AccessReview

Prevalence of Dietary Supplement Use among Athletes Worldwide: A Scoping Review

by Jana Daher, Moriah Mallick and Dalia El Khoury

Nutrients 2022, 14(19), 4109; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14194109 - 03 Oct 2022

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 4243

Abstract

Athletes represent a major part of dietary supplement users. This scoping review aims to explore the prevalence of dietary supplement use among athletes worldwide, most commonly used supplements, sources of information on dietary supplements and their reasons for use of these supplements. PubMed, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and PsycInfo were searched for original research articles. Studies were included if they involved athletes, identified the prevalence of dietary supplement use, and were published after 2017. A total of 26 articles were reviewed. Prevalence of dietary supplement use varied among articles, but sex-based differences related to the types of used dietary supplements existed. Generally, the findings were consistent in terms of reasons for use and sources of information. Unfortunately, the lack of homogeneity regarding the definition of dietary supplements, definition of use, reporting timeframes, and data collection methods complicates the attempt to compare the findings among studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Nutrition for Disease Prevention and Sports Performance Enhancement)

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19 pages, 377 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Dietary Supplementation for Attenuating Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage and Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness in Humans

by Yoko Tanabe, Naoto Fujii and Katsuhiko Suzuki

Nutrients 2022, 14(1), 70; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14010070 - 24 Dec 2021

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 9317

Abstract

Dietary supplements are widely used as a nutritional strategy to improve and maintain performance and achieve faster recovery in sports and exercise. Exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) is caused by mechanical stress and subsequent inflammatory responses including reactive oxygen species and cytokine production. Therefore, dietary supplements with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties have the potential to prevent and reduce muscle damage and symptoms characterized by loss of muscle strength and delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS). However, only a few supplements are considered to be effective at present. This review focuses on the effects of dietary supplements derived from phytochemicals and listed in the International Olympic Committee consensus statement on muscle damage evaluated by blood myofiber damage markers, muscle soreness, performance, and inflammatory and oxidative stress markers. In this review, the effects of dietary supplements are also discussed in terms of study design (i.e., parallel and crossover studies), exercise model, and such subject characteristics as physical fitness level. Future perspectives and considerations for the use of dietary supplements to alleviate EIMD and DOMS are also discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Nutrition for Disease Prevention and Sports Performance Enhancement)

30 pages, 1604 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Exposome and Immune Health in Times of the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Javier S. Morales, Pedro L. Valenzuela, Adrián Castillo-García, Javier Butragueño, David Jiménez-Pavón, Pedro Carrera-Bastos and Alejandro Lucia

Nutrients 2022, 14(1), 24; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14010024 - 22 Dec 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 15915

Abstract

Growing evidence supports the importance of lifestyle and environmental exposures—collectively referred to as the ‘exposome’—for ensuring immune health. In this narrative review, we summarize and discuss the effects of the different exposome components (physical activity, body weight management, diet, sun exposure, stress, sleep and circadian rhythms, pollution, smoking, and gut microbiome) on immune function and inflammation, particularly in the context of the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We highlight the potential role of ‘exposome improvements’ in the prevention—or amelioration, once established—of this disease as well as their effect on the response to vaccination. In light of the existing evidence, the promotion of a healthy exposome should be a cornerstone in the prevention and management of the COVID-19 pandemic and other eventual pandemics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Nutrition for Disease Prevention and Sports Performance Enhancement)

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25 pages, 2128 KiB

Open AccessReview

Does Acute Caffeine Supplementation Improve Physical Performance in Female Team-Sport Athletes? Evidence from a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

by Alejandro Gomez-Bruton, Jorge Marin-Puyalto, Borja Muñiz-Pardos, Angel Matute-Llorente, Juan Del Coso, Alba Gomez-Cabello, German Vicente-Rodriguez, Jose A. Casajus and Gabriel Lozano-Berges

Nutrients 2021, 13(10), 3663; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13103663 - 19 Oct 2021

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 6870

Abstract

Introduction: Recent original research and meta-analyses suggest that acute caffeine supplementation improves exercise performance in team-sport athletes (TSA). Nonetheless, most of the studies testing the effects of caffeine on TSA included samples of male athletes, and there is no meta-analysis of the performance-enhancing effects of caffeine on female TSA. The aim of the present study was to synthesize the existing literature regarding the effect of caffeine supplementation on physical performance in adult female TSA. Methods: A search was performed in Pubmed/Medline, SPORTDiscus and Scopus. The search was performed from the inception of indexing until 1 September 2021. Crossover randomized controlled trials (RCT) assessing the effects of oral caffeine intake on several aspects of performance in female TSA were selected. The methodological quality and risk of bias were assessed for individual studies using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale (PEDro) and the RoB 2 tool. A random-effects meta-analysis of standardized mean differences (SMD) was performed for several performance variables. Results: The search retrieved 18 articles that fulfilled the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Overall, most of the studies were of excellent quality with a low risk of bias. The meta-analysis results showed that caffeine increased performance in specific team-sport skills (SMD: 0.384, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.077–0.691), countermovement jump (SMD: 0.208, CI: 0.079–0.337), total body impacts (SMD: 0.488; 95% CI: 0.050, 0.927) and handgrip strength (SMD: 0.395, CI: 0.126–0.665). No effects were found on the ratings of perceived exertion, squat jumps, agility, repeated sprint ability or agility tests performed after fatigue. Conclusions: The results of the meta-analysis revealed that acute caffeine intake was effective in increasing some aspects of team-sports performance in women athletes. Hence, caffeine could be considered as a supplementation strategy for female athletes competing in team sports. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Nutrition for Disease Prevention and Sports Performance Enhancement)

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