Knowledge Nuggets

Nutritional strategies tailored to an individual’s genetic profile can significantly impact physical performance. Despite general guidelines, personalized nutrition for athletes considers genetic differences in nutrient absorption, metabolism, and utilization. Research in the fields of nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics suggest that sports professionals should increasingly focus on personalized dietary plans to optimize athletes’ health, body composition, and...

As technology continues to advance, athletes are increasingly using devices to enhance their performance and overall health. Wearable sweat sensors have become one of these key tools for health tracking. Here are recent developments in sweat loss measuring devices and how they contribute to improved tracking and monitoring of overall body health.

Elite athletes’ intense training boosts performance but can lead to overtraining syndrome (OTS) without ample rest. A new review highlights OTS’s impact on physical and mental health, manifesting in reduced performance, mood swings, and motivation loss. Preventing OTS involves monitoring loads, prioritizing recovery, and adjusting training plans promptly based on early signs for optimal athlete...

While many methods of stress management exist, meditation has been shown to be a promising practice in reducing cortisol levels. A recent study found that meditation interventions had a significant effect on cortisol levels in the bloodstream. Significant effects were also found in patients with a somatic illness and people living in stressful life situations....

Did you know that deficiencies in vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and iron are common in female athletes? Managing athletes’ nutrition to prevent low energy availability and other diet-related disorders requires interdisciplinary cooperation among healthcare professionals including physicians, dieticians, and psychologists.

In the world of youth sports, we often hear how playing teaches important life skills. But focusing solely on practical outcomes overlooks the deeper, personal growth that happens. Looking at sports through a different lens, one that values individual growth and the journey of ‘becoming’, can uncover new ways young athletes learn and grow, offering...

It can be difficult for teenaged athletes to get enough sleep amid rigorous training schedules and competition stress, which can negatively impact health and performance. Research shows that structured sleep schedules and monitoring for signs of sleep disturbances are ways that tends can prioritize rest and maintain overall well-being.

Sport psychology, an important part of athlete well-being, focuses on how mental strategies can boost athletic performance. Specific techniques to aid athlete psychology, such as building team cohesion and boosting confidence, have been shown to have positive effects on performance, while factors like anxiety can hinder it.

Athletes often face psychological pressure from competition, which can impact their performance. Pressure training, which introduces competition stress during practice, has been shown to be an effective method for helping athletes develop coping skills and better manage stress in sports.

In competitive sports, understanding how to achieve peak performance is crucial. This study found that athletes with perfectionistic traits performed better in a 10K run and a half-marathon, indicating that a drive for perfection can enhance results in distance running.