The protein and amino acid supplement market is big business. Bars, shakes, giant tubs of powder and specialist amino acid supplements dominate supplement shelves. But the decision to use protein supplements is based more on slick marketing claims than anything else; protein supplements offer few real performance benefits that an athlete’s normal diet isn’t already delivering. […]
Sports nutrition essentials for distance runners (podcast)
For the distance runners and endurance sport athletes among you, I’ve just recorded a podcast interview with sports dietitian and exercise physiologist Gabrielle Maston on the latest science and my own experiences with nutrition in endurance running. In the podcast I cover taking on carbohydrate during sport, low-carb/high-fat diets (and the new concept of ‘train […]
Weight loss supplements loosen dietary control
People who take weight loss supplements are less likely to control other areas of their diet – a well-described psychological effect known as moral licensing. Weight loss supplements are big business despite most of them having little evidence to support their miraculous weight-loss claims. Fat burners, fat blockers, metabolism boosters, and appetite suppressants – these […]
Antioxidant supplements not a good training aid
Exercise has many health benefits, and one of the ways it achieves this is by the oxidative stress it places on the body. Now new research has found that athletes who take high doses of antioxidant supplements can impair the training adaptations from the beneficial stress which exercise causes. For active people, regular training is […]
Antioxidant supplements no help in preventing heart disease
A comprehensive scientific review has concluded that a range of popular vitamin and antioxidant supplements fail badly in showing any evidence that they can help cut the risk of heart disease. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of death in developed countries and is largely influenced by food and lifestyle choices. CVD is an […]