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Athletes with strong sports nutrition knowledge are believed to have sound nutritional practices and better performance. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a dual-method personalized nutrition education program in improving sports nutrition knowledge (SNK) among Sri Lankan track and field athletes. This parallel-group, randomized controlled trial recruited national-level track and field athletes aged 18 and above. The intervention group (IG) received personalized sports nutrition consultations at 0, 4 , and 8 weeks, along with online educational materials via WhatsApp from weeks 10 to 16, while the control group (CG) did not receive any intervention. A per-protocol analysis was followed, and t-tests were used to compare the means. Of the 30 participants enrolled, 13 from IG and 14 from CG completed the study. Following the 16-week intervention, the IG demonstrated significant improvements in total nutrition knowledge (TNK) relative to the CG (IG: 34.41 ± 4.15 vs. CG: 20.96 ± 4.38;  = 0.01), with significant increases in general nutrition knowledge (GNK) (IG:24.54 ± 3.66 vs. CG:15.64 ± 2.33;  = 0.004) and SNK (9.87 ± 3.87 vs. 5.32 ± 4.07;  = 0.006). Changes in TNK were also significantly greater in the IG compared to the CG; (IG:9.45 ± 0.10 vs. CG: -2.63 ± 0.37;  < 0.0001), GNK (IG:4.47 ± 0.08 vs. CG: -1.28 ± 0.09;  < 0.0001), and SNK (IG:4.99 ± 0.72 vs. CG: -1.25 ± 0.74;  < 0.0001). The 16-week dual-method nutrition education intervention was effective in improving TNK, GNK, and SNK among track and field athletes in Sri Lanka. This trial is registered at the Sri Lanka Clinical Trials Registry (SLCTR/2024/013), Universal Trial Number (UTN): U1111-1304-8890 on 10 April 2024.

Background/Objectives: Research has shown that athletes often have poor nutritional knowledge, particularly regarding dietary supplements. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of an online nutrition education program in improving nutritional and dietary supplement knowledge among varsity athletes at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. Methods: A total of 30 varsity athletes at the University of Guelph were randomized into experimental [n = 18] and control [n = 12] groups. A randomized wait-list controlled intervention was used, where participants in the experimental group were granted access to an online, 4-week nutrition education program, while no program was provided to the control group within the duration of the study. The program covered nutrition topics and focused on sports nutrition and dietary supplementation. Both groups were administered a validated online nutrition and dietary supplement questionnaire at baseline and post-intervention. Results: Mean baseline knowledge scores for the experimental and control groups were 13.78 ± 2.76 and 13.92 ± 2.39, respectively, and were not significantly different [p = 0.888]. Post-intervention scores were 16.28 ± 1.49 and 14.5 ± 1.88 for the experimental and control groups, respectively, [p < 0.05]. There was a significant interaction between the intervention and time on knowledge. Conclusions: These results indicate that this nutrition education program was successful in significantly improving nutritional and dietary supplement knowledge in varsity athletes.

Background/Objectives: Dietary supplement use among varsity athletes is influenced by various psychological and social factors, yet there is limited evidence on the effectiveness of educational interventions in influencing these determinants. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of an online nutrition education program on improvements in intentions and related determinants towards the use of dietary supplements in varsity athletes at the University of Guelph in Canada. The theory of planned behavior served as the theoretical framework for examining these determinants as predictors of behavior change. Methods: A randomized wait-list controlled trial was conducted on a total of 30 varsity athletes, randomized into experimental (n = 18) and control (n = 12) groups. The experimental group received access to an online nutrition education program focused on sports nutrition and dietary supplements, while the control group did not have access during the study. Results: There was a significant (p < 0.05) intervention effect on varsity athletes’ attitudes (Mean1(control) = 13.17; Mean1(experimental) = 13.56; Mean2(control) = 13.92; Mean2(experimental) = 12.11), perceived behavioral control (Mean1(control) = 15.92; Mean1(experimental) = 16.11; Mean2(control) = 16.33; Mean2(experimental) = 18.39), and intentions (Mean1(control) = 12.5; Mean1(experimental) = 12.89; Mean2(control) = 11.58; Mean2(experimental) = 9.44) towards dietary supplement use. No significant changes were made to descriptive and injunctive norms. Conclusions: These findings suggest that this nutrition education program significantly improved intentions and related determinants towards dietary supplement use in varsity athletes. The absence of a successful change in subjective norm should be a focus for similar future interventions.

Background Sports nutrition is a constantly evolving field with hundreds of research papers published annually. In the year 2017 alone, 2082 articles were published under the key words ‘sport nutrition’. Consequently, staying current with the relevant literature is often difficult. Methods This paper is an ongoing update of the sports nutrition review article originally published as the lead paper to launch the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition in 2004 and updated in 2010. It presents a well-referenced overview of the current state of the science related to optimization of training and performance enhancement through exercise training and nutrition. Notably, due to the accelerated pace and size at which the literature base in this research area grows, the topics discussed will focus on muscle hypertrophy and performance enhancement. As such, this paper provides an overview of: 1.) How ergogenic aids and dietary supplements are defined in terms of governmental regulation and oversight; 2.) How dietary supplements are legally regulated in the United States; 3.) How to evaluate the scientific merit of nutritional supplements; 4.) General nutritional strategies to optimize performance and enhance recovery; and, 5.) An overview of our current understanding of nutritional approaches to augment skeletal muscle hypertrophy and the potential ergogenic value of various dietary and supplemental approaches. Conclusions This updated review is to provide ISSN members and individuals interested in sports nutrition with information that can be implemented in educational, research or practical settings and serve as a foundational basis for determining the efficacy and safety of many common sport nutrition products and their ingredients.

Background: Endurance events have experienced a significant increase in growth in the new millennium and are popular activities for participation globally. Sports nutrition recommendations for endurance exercise however remains a complex issue with often opposing views and advice by various health care professionals. Methods: A PubMed/Medline search on the topics of endurance, athletes, nutrition, and performance was undertaken and a review performed summarizing the current evidence concerning macronutrients, hydration, and supplements as it pertains to endurance athletes. Results: Carbohydrate and hydration recommendations have not drastically changed in years, while protein and fat intake have been traditionally underemphasized in endurance athletes. Several supplements are commercially available to athletes, of which, few may be of benefit for endurance activities, including nitrates, antioxidants, caffeine, and probiotics, and are reviewed here. The topic of “train low,” training in a low carbohydrate state is also discussed, and the post-exercise nutritional “recovery window” remains an important point to emphasize to endurance competitors. Conclusions: This review summarizes the key recommendations for macronutrients, hydration, and supplements for endurance athletes, and helps clinicians treating endurance athletes clear up misconceptions in sports nutrition research when counseling the endurance athlete.

Position statement The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) provides an objective and critical review related to the intake of protein for healthy, exercising individuals. Based on the current available literature, the position of the Society is as follows: An acute exercise stimulus, particularly resistance exercise, and protein ingestion both stimulate muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and are synergistic when protein consumption occurs before or after resistance exercise. For building muscle mass and for maintaining muscle mass through a positive muscle protein balance, an overall daily protein intake in the range of 1.4–2.0 g protein/kg body weight/day (g/kg/d) is sufficient for most exercising individuals, a value that falls in line within the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range published by the Institute of Medicine for protein. There is novel evidence that suggests higher protein intakes (>3.0 g/kg/d) may have positive effects on body composition in resistance-trained individuals (i.e., promote loss of fat mass). Recommendations regarding the optimal protein intake per serving for athletes to maximize MPS are mixed and are dependent upon age and recent resistance exercise stimuli. General recommendations are 0.25 g of a high-quality protein per kg of body weight, or an absolute dose of 20–40 g. Acute protein doses should strive to contain 700–3000 mg of leucine and/or a higher relative leucine content, in addition to a balanced array of the essential amino acids (EAAs). These protein doses should ideally be evenly distributed, every 3–4 h, across the day. The optimal time period during which to ingest protein is likely a matter of individual tolerance, since benefits are derived from pre- or post-workout ingestion; however, the anabolic effect of exercise is long-lasting (at least 24 h), but likely diminishes with increasing time post-exercise. While it is possible for physically active individuals to obtain their daily protein requirements through the consumption of whole foods, supplementation is a practical way of ensuring intake of adequate protein quality and quantity, while minimizing caloric intake, particularly for athletes who typically complete high volumes of training. Rapidly digested proteins that contain high proportions of essential amino acids (EAAs) and adequate leucine, are most effective in stimulating MPS. Different types and quality of protein can affect amino acid bioavailability following protein supplementation. Athletes should consider focusing on whole food sources of protein that contain all of the EAAs (i.e., it is the EAAs that are required to stimulate MPS). Endurance athletes should focus on achieving adequate carbohydrate intake to promote optimal performance; the addition of protein may help to offset muscle damage and promote recovery. Pre-sleep casein protein intake (30–40 g) provides increases in overnight MPS and metabolic rate without influencing lipolysis.

Position statement The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) provides an objective and critical review regarding the timing of macronutrients in reference to healthy, exercising adults and in particular highly trained individuals on exercise performance and body composition. The following points summarize the position of the ISSN: Nutrient timing incorporates the use of methodical planning and eating of whole foods, fortified foods and dietary supplements. The timing of energy intake and the ratio of certain ingested macronutrients may enhance recovery and tissue repair, augment muscle protein synthesis (MPS), and improve mood states following high-volume or intense exercise. Endogenous glycogen stores are maximized by following a high-carbohydrate diet (8–12 g of carbohydrate/kg/day [g/kg/day]); moreover, these stores are depleted most by high volume exercise. If rapid restoration of glycogen is required (< 4 h of recovery time) then the following strategies should be considered: aggressive carbohydrate refeeding (1.2 g/kg/h) with a preference towards carbohydrate sources that have a high (> 70) glycemic index the addition of caffeine (3–8 mg/kg) combining carbohydrates (0.8 g/kg/h) with protein (0.2–0.4 g/kg/h) Extended (> 60 min) bouts of high intensity (> 70% VO 2 max) exercise challenge fuel supply and fluid regulation, thus carbohydrate should be consumed at a rate of ~30–60 g of carbohydrate/h in a 6–8% carbohydrate-electrolyte solution (6–12 fluid ounces) every 10–15 min throughout the entire exercise bout, particularly in those exercise bouts that span beyond 70 min. When carbohydrate delivery is inadequate, adding protein may help increase performance, ameliorate muscle damage, promote euglycemia and facilitate glycogen re-synthesis. Carbohydrate ingestion throughout resistance exercise (e.g., 3–6 sets of 8–12 repetition maximum [RM] using multiple exercises targeting all major muscle groups) has been shown to promote euglycemia and higher glycogen stores. Consuming carbohydrate solely or in combination with protein during resistance exercise increases muscle glycogen stores, ameliorates muscle damage, and facilitates greater acute and chronic training adaptations. Meeting the total daily intake of protein, preferably with evenly spaced protein feedings (approximately every 3 h during the day), should be viewed as a primary area of emphasis for exercising individuals. Ingestion of essential amino acids (EAA; approximately 10 g)either in free form or as part of a protein bolus of approximately 20–40 g has been shown to maximally stimulate muscle protein synthesis (MPS). Pre- and/or post-exercise nutritional interventions (carbohydrate + protein or protein alone) may operate as an effective strategy to support increases in strength and improvements in body composition. However, the size and timing of a pre-exercise meal may impact the extent to which post-exercise protein feeding is required. Post-exercise ingestion (immediately to 2-h post) of high-quality protein sources stimulates robust increases in MPS. In non-exercising scenarios, changing the frequency of meals has shown limited impact on weight loss and body composition, with stronger evidence to indicate meal frequency can favorably improve appetite and satiety. More research is needed to determine the influence of combining an exercise program with altered meal frequencies on weight loss and body composition with preliminary research indicating a potential benefit. Ingesting a 20–40 g protein dose (0.25–0.40 g/kg body mass/dose) of a high-quality source every three to 4 h appears to most favorably affect MPS rates when compared to other dietary patterns and is associated with improved body composition and performance outcomes. Consuming casein protein (~ 30–40 g) prior to sleep can acutely increase MPS and metabolic rate throughout the night without influencing lipolysis.

Creatine is one of the most popular nutritional ergogenic aids for athletes. Studies have consistently shown that creatine supplementation increases intramuscular creatine concentrations which may help explain the observed improvements in high intensity exercise performance leading to greater training adaptations. In addition to athletic and exercise improvement, research has shown that creatine supplementation may enhance post-exercise recovery, injury prevention, thermoregulation, rehabilitation, and concussion and/or spinal cord neuroprotection. Additionally, a number of clinical applications of creatine supplementation have been studied involving neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., muscular dystrophy, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s disease), diabetes, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, aging, brain and heart ischemia, adolescent depression, and pregnancy. These studies provide a large body of evidence that creatine can not only improve exercise performance, but can play a role in preventing and/or reducing the severity of injury, enhancing rehabilitation from injuries, and helping athletes tolerate heavy training loads. Additionally, researchers have identified a number of potentially beneficial clinical uses of creatine supplementation. These studies show that short and long-term supplementation (up to 30 g/day for 5 years) is safe and well-tolerated in healthy individuals and in a number of patient populations ranging from infants to the elderly. Moreover, significant health benefits may be provided by ensuring habitual low dietary creatine ingestion (e.g., 3 g/day) throughout the lifespan. The purpose of this review is to provide an update to the current literature regarding the role and safety of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine and to update the position stand of International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN).