Health Scoop News – New research on sports nutrition, IF vs CR, fermented foods

I always have my nose in new health research, so I’m sharing some of the most relevant studies with you in regular editions of “Health Scoop News.”

[This news summary is a bit reminiscent of my old “This week in science for holistic health” newsletters that I used to do circa 2016 (I deleted most, but here’s one post I kept live), as well as the rEATsearch podcast I used to co-host.]

These are my top three study picks (comment below to tell me what health topics/niches are best for you!). All are very high quality studies (most are studies that review and analyze data from several previous studies, not just one or two).

These studies were all published in the past month or so.

1 – Nutrition requirements for athletes 

Study title: Athletes’ nutritional demands: a narrative review of nutritional requirements

This is a narrative review of several previous studies. The goal of this review is “to provide evidence-based recommendations and shed light on the optimal daily intakes of carbohydrates, protein, fats, micronutrients, hydration strategies, ergogenic aids, nutritional supplements, and nutrient timing.”

Here’s some background info:

• What athletes eat is very important because it “it not only enables them to achieve optimal performance levels but also facilitates efficient recovery and reduces the risk of injuries.”
• Many athletes use supplements “to complement their dietary intake and support their training goals,” including:
  • addressing nutrient deficiencies
  • enhancing recovery
  • promoting muscle synthesis
  • boosting energy levels
  • optimizing performance in their respective sports or activities

I pulled out a few of their key recommendations. If you want to read the whole study, the free full text link is below (at the bottom of section 1, right above section 2).

• Recommended carb intake – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10848936/table/tab1/?report=objectonly​
• Recommended protein intake – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10848936/table/tab2/?report=objectonly​
• Hydration recommendations – “Athletes are advised to initiate a pre-training regimen in a well-hydrated state, ingesting approximately 500 to 600 mL of water or a sports beverage 2 to 3 h before engaging in exercise. An additional intake of 200 to 300 mL of water or a sports drink is recommended 10 to 20 min before the onset of exercise (101). Throughout the training session, fluid replenishment should align with sweat and urine losses, endeavoring to sustain hydration levels while minimizing body weight reduction to less than 2%. Typically, this goal can be met by consuming 200 to 300 mL of fluid at intervals of 10 to 20 min. Post-activity, the focus of hydration should be on rectifying any fluid deficits incurred during the practice or competition (102).”

Having said all that, of course, “Given the unique challenges faced by athletes, it is imperative to tailor nutrition plans to individual requirements.” And, “Tailoring nutrition plans to accommodate these individual factors can significantly contribute to optimizing performance while mitigating the risk of disordered eating.”

In other words, according to this review, there are many specific nutrition recommendations for optimal athletic performance that depend on the type of training, intensity, duration, etc. In addition to athletic performance, the sports nutritionist should also consider the risk of disordered eating. This is why these guidelines are recommendations and should be tailored to the individual athlete.

• For more information, here is a link to the study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10848936/

2 – IF (intermittent fasting)  vs. CR (calorie-restriction)  – Which is better  ?

Study title: Impact of Intermittent Fasting and/or Caloric Restriction on Aging-Related Outcomes in Adults: A Scoping Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

This is a systematic review (an objective scientific review) of 30 previous studies that looked at the impact of IF and/or CR on heart, metabolic, and/or neurocognitive outcomes.

Here’s some background info:

• “Intermittent fasting, centered on eating time and frequency, involves voluntary abstinence of caloric consumption over specific periods of hours and/or days and does not necessarily involve calorie restriction.“
• “Calorie restriction entails an overall reduction in daily caloric intake, generally >20% less than a normative energy intake, and does not necessitate intake to occur during any specific time domain for energy intake.”
• Here is a table of the different types of CR and IF diets/eating styles – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10820472/table/nutrients-16-00316-t001/?report=objectonly​

The results of this review of 30 studies found that *both IF and CR* diets/eating styles:

• helped improve body weight and fat mass, promoting weight loss and managing adiposity
• were generally well-tolerated and demonstrate acceptable safety profiles
• exhibited improvements in blood lipids, glucose metabolism, and insulin sensitivity
• reported reductions in oxidative stress and inflammation
• may have potential benefits for neurocognitive health

Note from Leesa: So far, both IF and CR seem to provide pretty similar health benefits, right? Well, the researchers mentioned one difference . . .

The one area that seems to differ between the two diets/eating styles is how easy they are to stick with. “Adherence to long-term CR regimens was generally reported to be low, indicating that CR may not be sustainable for most individuals over extended periods. On the other hand, IF interventions demonstrated increased adherence and long-term sustainability, suggesting that IF may be more feasible as a continued and lasting dietary strategy for some populations. Sustainable dietary approaches are crucial for long-term health benefits, and the potential of IF in this regard warrants additional attention.”

Conclusions:

• “Overall, IF and CR were equivalently effective across cardiometabolic, cancer, and neurocognitive outcomes.”
• “Our findings suggest that IF has health benefits in a variety of conditions and may be better accepted and tolerated than CR, but more comparative research is required.”

In other words, whether you decide to reduce calories every day or implement some type of intermittent fasting, both can contribute to better heart, metabolic, and inflammatory responses in the body. The one thing to consider is how easy it will be to continue on with that diet/eating style for the long-term.

• For more information, here is a link to the study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10820472/

For a list of dozens of credible sites to find health information, plus some PubMed tips, download your free guide here:

3 – “Fer-mental” foods 

Study title: Fermented foods: Harnessing their potential to modulate the microbiota-gut-brain axis for mental health

This is a review of many previous studies that looked at “the impact of fermented foods on individual components of the microbiota-gut-brain axis,” and the potential benefits this can have on mental health.

Here’s some background info:

• “Fermented foods . . . contain potentially beneficial microbes, microbial metabolites and other bioactives, which are being harnessed to target the microbiota-gut-brain axis for positive benefits.”
• The gut microbial community is influenced by a variety of factors ranging from:
  • diet*
  • age
  • medication use
  • sex
  • ethnicity
  • geographical location
  • other factors
    • *Diet plays “a particularly important role in influencing the microbiota and the metabolites they produce.”
• “Meta-analyses examining the relationship between mental health and dietary patterns have hinted at the promise of dietary intervention strategies to influence the cognitive wellbeing of an individual.”
• “Food fermentation was traditionally employed to”:
  • enable longer storage/shelf-life of food substrates that would otherwise spoil quickly, which was crucial in times of scarcity
  • enhance flavour profile
  • reduce the toxicity of raw materials/controlling pathogenic microorganisms and simultaneously allowing for their digestion
• Here is a great image of the diversity of fermented foods – https://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-S0149763424000307-gr1.jpg​

For a detailed review of the different ways that specific fermented foods can impact the microbiota-gut-brain axis and *potentially* influence mental health, see table 3 (Note from Leesa – I’d put more emphasis on the clinical/human studies , rather than the preclinical/lab/animal  ones) – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763424000307?via%3Dihub#tbl0015​

Here’s what the researchers conclude:

• “Fermented foods offer an affordable dietary intervention strategy.​
• Fermented foods comprises of microbes and molecules with neuroactive potential.​
• Food substrate and environmental conditions shape fermented food microbiome.​
• Most preclinical and human studies lack accounting for appropriate controls.​
• Long term intervention with accurate measurement of fermented food intake is critical.”

In other words, fermented foods can alter the gut microbiome and this may potentially help improve mental health via the microbiota-gut-brain axis. More research is needed—especially clinical/human studies to confirm the results and scientifically measure the impact.

• For more information, here is a link to the study: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763424000307?via%3Dihub#

Signing off and toasting: To keeping up with the latest and greatest scientific research in nutrition, fitness, and health coaching!

Over to you

Do you have a specific question about any of these new studies?

Are you looking for a easy-to-understand study summary that you can share with your audience and clients?

What health topic/niche is most important to you?

Let me know in the comments below!