Vitamin D remains a recurring topic in sport because low vitamin D status is common in athletic populations, particularly during winter at higher latitudes, and because vitamin D has well-established roles in calcium–phosphate homeostasis and skeletal health. Interest has expanded beyond bone, driven by mechanistic evidence that vitamin D receptors are expressed in multiple tissues (including skeletal muscle and immune cells) and by observational reports linking low vitamin D

Iron deficiency is a prevalent issue among athletes, which can significantly affect training consistency and performance if left...

In this series of blog posts we’ve discussed what sodium is , what it does in the body , how it’s lost in sweat , and how to quantify those losses . In this post, we’ll discuss how to decide if sodium needs replacing during exercise, and whether a targeted approach is necessary or not. Why do we need to replace sodium? As discussed in a previous post, sodium consumed during exercise may have benefits in terms of: improving the taste of drinks maintaining blood sodium concentr

In previous blogs we’ve discussed what sodium is and how it might be helpful during exercise . We’ve also discussed that the amount of sodium lost in sweat varies significantly from person to person. In this article, we’ll take a look at how to determine your sweat sodium losses, and key considerations if you choose to do the testing. What is a sweat sodium test? A sweat sodium test is basically a way of collecting a sample of sweat and then analysing it to determine the so

In previous blogs we’ve discussed what sodium is and how it might be helpful during exercise . We’ve also discussed that the amount of salt lost in sweat varies significantly from person to person. In this article, we’ll take a closer look why that is, and examine if salty sweaters are simply people who eat a lot of salt. How sweat glands work To understand how sodium losses vary from person to person, it’s important to have a basic understanding of how sweat is produced, an

In previous blogs we’ve discussed what sodium is and how it might be helpful during exercise . In this article, Dr Alan McCubbin will take a look at the scientific studies that have explored consuming sodium during exercise, and whether it improves performance. How many studies on sodium intake and performance are there? As part of my PhD on sodium for endurance athletes, I conducted a systematic review, a comprehensive sweep of the academic literature to find any and all st

Sodium is said to be important for athletes, and different arguments are used to explain why it is so essential. We will dive into the evidence a little more but the infographic below will already provide a short summary of the analysis. Sodium plays several essential roles during exercise. Firstly, sodium plays a crucial role in water balance. It does this due to its effect on osmolality of the extracellular fluid (fluid in the bloodstream and surrounding the outside of cell

Sodium is the most talked about electrolyte... it is often talked about in relation to hydration but what exactly is it and what exactly does it do? Sodium plays a role in fluid balance, absorption of water, regulation of blood pressure and muscle contraction. Sodium, as the principal electrolyte ( cation ) in the extracellular fluids, serves primarily to maintain normal body water volume, the balance of water between the inside and outside of cells, and blood pressure. Norm

There are many discussions in sport, and people disagree on many topics, but one thing everyone seems to accept as common knowledge is that electrolytes are important. At the same time, it is also seems to be common knowledge that too much salt (or sodium) is not good for you… But aren’t electrolytes and salt just different names for the same thing? We have probably all read how, if you sweat heavily and you see white salty marks on your clothing or skin, you are a “salty swe

Superfoods are everywhere but what are they? It turns out that it is just a marketing term for foods with high nutrient densities.

Iron plays an important role in several exercise-relevant processes such as red blood cell production, and energy metabolism, whilst also...

How to prevent or treat iron deficiency. Iron is critical to performance and thus we must make sure we do not develop a deficiency.

What is iron deficiency? How common is it? whom is at risk and how can you measure it?

There's nothing like a cool pint after exercise on a warm day. But is this a good idea?