Tom Coughlin, MSc (Performance Nutritionist)
Shares daily research digests and meta-analyses on sports nutrition, caffeine, ketones, and fueling.
Creatine Outperforms Protein and Omega‑3 for Strength
Protein vs creatine vs omega-3 for trained athletes 🧐 This new meta-analysis compiled data from 35 trials (1211 participants) to establish which supplements… 🥤 Protein 💊 Creatine 🐟 Omega-3 …are best for athletic performance outcomes including muscle strength, endurance performance, and recovery 🔍 Here is what they found ⬇️ 💪 Creatine supplementation demonstrated superior effects for muscle strength (SMD = 0.46)
Ginseng Boosts Mitochondria via AMPK/PGC‑1α Pathway
Ginseng for exercise and injury recovery 🍃 Panax ginseng is a well-known traditional medicine which has been gathering data for it’s ergogenic and antioxidative properties 📚 This new review highlighted it’s primary mechanisms and benefits 🔍 Here are the key takeaways...
Carb Mouth Rinse Boosts Reps by 12% in Combat Athletes
Carbohydrate mouth rinse enhances repeat high-intensity efforts 🥤 This new study recruited 14 combat sports athletes (Judo + BJJ) to complete 3 x judogi grip test separated by 3-mins under two conditions… 1️⃣ Carb mouth rinse (6.4% maltodextrin) 2️⃣ Placebo Interventions were used pre-warm-up...
Personalized Nutrition Boosts Esports Cognitive Performance and Wellbeing
Personalised nutrition for health and performance in esports athletes 🎮 This new review summarised data from 52 studies to establish the best nutrition, lifestyle and supplementation strategies to support… 🧠 Cognitive performance 🫀 Wellbeing …in esports athletes. Here are the key recommendations ⬇️
Over 90% Athletes Experience GI Issues After Concussion
Gastrointestinal symptoms after sport-related concussions 🧠💥 This new study conducted a survey of 106 athletes who retrospectively self-reported… 💥 Concussion history 😮💨 GI symptoms 💩 Bowel function Here is what they found ⬇️ 📝 90.6% reported ≥1 GI symptom post-concussion …with greater severity observed for appetite loss,...
Carnivore Diets Show Little Proven Anti‑Inflammatory Benefit for Athletes
The evidence for carnivore diets in sport 🥩🔍 This new review summarised the available evidence for carnivore and animal-based diets for sport 📚 So, does the evidence match up to the marketing claims? 🤔 Here is the science ⬇️ Reduced systemic inflammation 🛡️ 🧠...
Omega‑3 Cuts Inflammation and Muscle Soreness Post‑exercise
Omega-3 for recovery in sports - meta-analysis 🐟 This new meta-analysis compiled data from 41 studies (over 1800 participants) to establish the effects of omega-3 supplementation of inflammation and recovery after exercise-induced stress 📚 Here is what they found ⬇️ Omega-3 supplementation significantly...
Carbs Boost Exercise Performance in Nearly Half of Studies
The effect of carbohydrate consumption during exercise - new meta-analysis 🥤 This new meta-analysis compiled data from 15 systematic reviews (262 RCTs) to establish the effects of carb consumption during exercise on performance 📚 Here is what they found ⬇️ 📈 A total...
Rehab Focus Fuels Strength Gains and Bench PR Hope
This knee isn’t behaving…rehab taking full focus but also making some good strength gains. A couple of light-ish bikes. Rehab routine everyday, stretching twice, foam rolling daily and everything anti inflammatory under the sun. Could be PB’ing on bench soon,...
Managing Heat, Altitude, and Pollution for World Cup Performance
Environmental Challenges at the 2026 FIFA World Cup 🌍⚽ This review examined how environmental stressors will impact player health and performance during the 2026 FIFA World Cup across the USA, Canada, and Mexico 🏆 🌡️ Heat ⛰️ Altitude 🌫️ Air pollution & allergens ✈️ Travel 🦠...
New Nutrient Score Ranks Top 10 Superfoods
The most nutritious foods for health and disease prevention 🥗 This new study introduces a new way to rank foods based on true nutritional value including factors such as… 👉 Micronutrient density 👉 Protein quality 👉 Bioavailability Establishing a new system called Nutritional Value Score...
Creatine Boosts Performance, Recovery, and Cognitive Function
Creatine supplementation for performance & recovery 💪 This new review examined how creatine supplementation impacts… ⚡️ High-intensity performance 🔁 Recovery & muscle damage 🏃 Endurance & intermittent sport performance 🧠 Cognitive function & resilience …across athletic, endurance, team sport, and tactical populations 📚 Here are the...
Menstrual Phase Influences GI Discomfort During Exercise
How does the menstrual cycle affect gastrointestinal symptoms during exercise? 🩸 This new study recruited 12 eumenorrheic females to complete 2 x 45-min bouts of a simulated football match on a treadmill ⚽️ Simulations were completed in… 1️⃣ Phase 1 (P1, days...
Five Days of 40% Fat Leaves Performance Unchanged
Short-term higher fat intakes do not impair performance 🥑 This new study recruited 20 healthy adults to complete 2 x 5-day diets… 1️⃣ Higher fat diet (40% total energy) 2️⃣ Standard fat diet (30% total energy) Both diets were matched for total calories and...
Ketone Supplement May Shield Soldiers From Training Head Impacts
Neuroprotective effects of ketone monoester supplementation 🧠 This new study recruited 354 US military service members engaging in airborne training 🪖 Participants consumed either… 1️⃣ Ketone monoester 2️⃣ Placebo …before and during Improved Swing Landing Trainer (ISLT) training 🪂 Cognitive, balance, blood-based biomarkers were assessed 🔍 Results...
Poor Sleep Increases Runner Injury Risk
Sleep profiles predict injury in runners 🩼💤 This new study profiled 425 recreational runners based on their sleep habits including… ⏰ Sleep duration ☑️ Sleep quality 🚨 Sleep problems Investigating associations with injury history, whilst controlling for factors including training volume 🔍 Results 📊 Runners were...
Vitamin D Boosts Runners' Immune Health in Winter
Vitamin D for immune support in runners ☀️ This new study investigated the effects of vitamin D supplementation (2000 IU/day) across autumn and winter (8-weeks) in runners and non-runners 🔍 45 participants were recruited and split into 4 groups… 1️⃣ Supplemented runners 2️⃣...
Cordyceps May Boost Endurance and Recovery Performance
Cordyceps militaris for exercise performance 🍄 This new narrative review examined whether supplementation with Cordyceps can improve… 🏃 Endurance performance ⚡️ Exercise capacity 🔋 Post-exercise recovery …based on the available human trials investigating aerobic performance, power output, and recovery markers in physically active individuals 📚...
Rhodiola Boosts Football Performance and Decision-Making Under Fatigue
Rhodiola rosea improves performance and decision-making under fatigue 🧠⚡️ This new study recruited 24 competitive football players to a 4-week supplementation protocol taking either either… 1️⃣ Rhodiola rosea (2.4 g/day) 2️⃣ Placebo Physical, technical and cognitive performance plus haematological markers were assessed pre- and...
Taurine Boosts Sweat Rate, Enhances Heat Tolerance
Taurine supplementation for heat tolerance 🌡️ This new review examined whether taurine supplementation can improve… 🥵 Thermoregulation 🔥 Heat tolerance ⚡️ Performance …during exercise in hot environments, and how it integrates with strategies like heat acclimation, cooling, and hydration 📚 Here are the key findings...
Creatine Boosts Muscle only with Resistance Training
Does creatine work if you don’t train? 🧐 This new meta-analysis compiled data from 39 trials to establish the effects of creatine supplementation with / without resistance training on… 🏋️♂️ Strength ⚡️ Performance 💪 Lean mass Here is what they found ⬇️ When resistance training, creatine...
Pro Footballers Burn ~3,200 Kcal Daily in Preseason
Pre-season energy expenditure of professional football players ⚽️🔥 This new study investigated energy expenditure of pro football players across a 14-day preseason period using doubly labelled water 🔍 Which encompassed a… 🥅 Training only week 🏆 Training + match week Here is what they...
Low‑dose Caffeine Pouches Don’t Boost Strength Performance
Low dose caffeine pouches - a novel performance strategy? ☕️ This new study recruited 19 active adults to complete 3 x physical performance testing sessions after taking either… 1️⃣ 80 mg caffeine pouch (similar to snus) 2️⃣ 80 mg caffeine gum 3️⃣ Placebo gum 💊...
Personalized, Periodized Nutrition Drives Peak Athletic Performance
The 4Ps of Performance Nutrition⚡️ This new review outlined an evidence-based framework for achieving optimal performance via nutrition 📝 Focusing on the following 4Ps… 1️⃣ Personalise 2️⃣ Periodise 3️⃣ Prefuel 4️⃣ Prepare Here are the details ⬇️ Personalise 🧬 👤 Tailor diet and supplement plans to the individual athlete 📊...
Low‑Carb/Ketogenic Diets Mostly Preserve VO2max in Athletes
Ketogenic diets for endurance performance in trained athletes 🥑 This new meta-analysis compiled data from 33 studies (409 athletes) to establish the effects of… 1️⃣ Low carbohydrate (≤130 g/day or ≤25% total energy) 2️⃣ Ketogenic diet (<50 g/day or <10% total energy) …on aerobic...
Daily Ketone Supplements Boost Brain Power, Lower Glucose
Daily exogenous ketone consumption enhances cognitive function 🧠📈 This new study investigated the effects of 90 g/day (3 x 30g) ketone monoester supplementation in recreational runners Analysed outcomes included… 🏃 Running performance 🧠 Cognitive function 🔥 Metabolism 🩻 Body composition 🩸 Hemodynamics 🎭 Mood Results 📊 Ingesting ketones led to...