Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
9.1
5.0
Journals
Nutrients
Special Issues
Nutrition, Exercise, and Health: Nutritional Supplements, Exercise Training, Skeletal Muscle...
nutrients-logo
Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Nutrients Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Nutrition, Exercise, and Health: Nutritional Supplements, Exercise Training, Skeletal Muscle Health, and Performance

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Sports Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025 | Viewed by 4389

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Sang-Rok Lee

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Kinesiology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA
Interests: exercise; aging; skeletal muscle; dietary supplements
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Yong Woo An

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Health and Human Sciences, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA 90045, USA
Interests: exercise; rehabilitation; brain function; musculoskeletal injury; neuromechanics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The synergistic relationship between nutrition and exercise is pivotal for optimizing skeletal muscle health and overall well-being. We invite researchers to contribute original research articles, reviews, and perspectives to our upcoming issue exploring this dynamic interplay between nutritional supplements, exercise, skeletal muscle health, and performance. This Special Issue aims at highlighting recent advancements in nutritional and/or dietary strategies and training interventions, emphasizing their combined effects on metabolism, muscle adaptation, physical function, and overall health.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The influence of nutritional supplements on exercise performance, recovery, and muscle function.
  • The role of resistance and endurance training in nutrient utilization and skeletal muscle adaptation.
  • The impact of dietary patterns on metabolic health, inflammation, and musculoskeletal integrity.
  • Mechanisms underlying exercise-induced muscle hypertrophy, muscle preservation, and recovery through nutritional interventions.
  • The effects of combined dietary and exercise strategies in aging populations, athletes, and individuals with chronic conditions.

This Special Issue serves as a platform to showcase cutting-edge research bridging nutrition and exercise science to enhance physical performance and overall health. We welcome interdisciplinary submissions from the fields of exercise physiology, sports nutrition, kinesiology, and metabolic health, particularly studies that investigate the association between nutrition, exercise training, and holistic well-being. 

Dr. Sang-Rok Lee
Guest Editor

Dr. Yong Woo An
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • nutritional supplements
  • exercise training
  • exercise intervention
  • skeletal muscle function
  • dietary patterns
  • physical performance
  • metabolomics
  • well-being

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

19 pages, 277 KB  
Article
Intuitive Eating Intervention in Physically Active Adults: Effects on Anthropometry, Athletic Performance, Eating Attitudes, and Body Image
by Meltem Pırıl Şenol, Ece Öneş, Murat Baş and Gözde Arıtıcı Çolak
Nutrients 2025, 17(17), 2824; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17172824 - 29 Aug 2025
Viewed by 583
Abstract
Background/Objectives: There is growing interest in non-diet approaches to support health, well-being, and performance in different populations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a 12-week intuitive eating (IE) intervention on participants’ body composition, body image, eating behaviors, [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: There is growing interest in non-diet approaches to support health, well-being, and performance in different populations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a 12-week intuitive eating (IE) intervention on participants’ body composition, body image, eating behaviors, and athletic performance. Methods: The study included both an intervention group and a control group. It was conducted between September and December 2021. Participants were recruited from a sports center in Istanbul, where they had applied for nutrition and exercise counseling. Inclusion criteria included being 18–65 years old, not having engaged in regular physical activity in the past month, having no chronic disease, and not using any regular medications. Participants were not randomly assigned to groups; allocation was based on availability and willingness to attend the intervention sessions. The study involved 57 participants who were healthy adults between 18 and 65 years old and followed a structured exercise program. At the beginning of the study, a demographic questionnaire was administered. The anthropometric measurements were taken at the beginning and at the end of the intervention. In addition, validated performance and psychometric assessment tools were used, including the Cooper test for cardiovascular endurance, the Davies test for upper-body agility, and the 1-RM bench press for muscular strength, alongside standardized self-report questionnaires for eating attitudes (EAT-26), IE (IES-2), and body image (BCS). Results: The intervention group did not show any statistically significant changes in body composition (p > 0.05). The post-intervention means of the intervention and control groups were not statistically different (p > 0.05). The intervention group showed significant improvements in cardiovascular endurance, agility, and strength performance scores compared to the control group after the intervention (p < 0.05). The intervention group showed significant improvements in body image scores (p < 0.05) and eating attitude scores (p < 0.05). The post-intervention eating attitude and body image scores of the intervention group were significantly different from those of the control group (p < 0.05). The results of the correlation analysis showed a significant positive correlation between intuitive eating and body image (r = 0.455; p < 0.05) and a significant negative correlation between IE and disordered eating attitudes (r = −0.449; p < 0.05). Conclusions: These findings suggest that longer-term interventions may be beneficial and warrant further investigation. IE may serve as a promising strategy to enhance psychological well-being and performance outcomes without focusing on weight control. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition, Exercise, and Health: Nutritional Supplements, Exercise Training, Skeletal Muscle Health, and Performance)
13 pages, 380 KB  
Article
Intuitive Eating and the Female Athlete Triad in Collegiate Runners
by Janie Thomson and Hawley C. Almstedt
Nutrients 2025, 17(14), 2337; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17142337 - 17 Jul 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 616
Abstract
Background: Female collegiate runners may be at high risk for disordered eating and poor bone health, which are characteristics of the female athlete triad. Intuitive eating can promote healthy eating behavior and adequate calorie intake, central variables in calculating energy availability, an [...] Read more.
Background: Female collegiate runners may be at high risk for disordered eating and poor bone health, which are characteristics of the female athlete triad. Intuitive eating can promote healthy eating behavior and adequate calorie intake, central variables in calculating energy availability, an underlying cause of low bone mass in athletes. Poor bone health can contribute to injury, preventing optimal performance for athletes. The purpose of this study was to assess intuitive eating, energy availability, and bone mineral density in female college runners with comparison to non-athletes. Methods: Female college athletes (n = 13, 19.5 ± 1.4 yrs) and non-athletes (n = 12, 19.9 ± 1.3 yrs) completed the Intuitive Eating Scale, Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire, and menstrual history survey. Bone mineral density and body composition were measured using a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometer (DEXA). A 3-day diet record and exercise log were used to assess dietary intake, estimate energy expenditure, and calculate energy availability. Results: Intuitive eating was inversely correlated with disordered eating (r = −0.596, p = 0.002). Intuitive eating scores were not correlated to calorie intake, energy availability, bone mass, or percent body fat. Runners consumed significantly more calories, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and protein (g/kg) than non-athletes. Energy availability and bone mineral density were not significantly different between runners and non-athletes. Conclusions: Intuitive eating is associated with healthy eating behaviors in college-age females and was not related to energy availability, bone density, or body composition in this population. Future research could explore the use of intuitive eating principles in reducing disordered eating and addressing low energy availability in female runners and non-athletes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition, Exercise, and Health: Nutritional Supplements, Exercise Training, Skeletal Muscle Health, and Performance)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

25 pages, 1626 KB  
Review
From Fish Oil to Resolution: A Narrative Review on the Potential of SPM-Enriched Marine Oil for Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage Recovery
by Leticia C. de Souza, Jose M. Moris, Paul M. Gordon, Jeffery L. Heileson and LesLee K. Funderburk
Nutrients 2025, 17(12), 2014; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17122014 - 16 Jun 2025
Viewed by 2775
Abstract
Exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) initiates an inflammatory response that is essential for tissue repair. However, when prolonged or excessive, this response can impair recovery and muscular performance. Specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs), derived from the metabolism of omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids [...] Read more.
Exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) initiates an inflammatory response that is essential for tissue repair. However, when prolonged or excessive, this response can impair recovery and muscular performance. Specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs), derived from the metabolism of omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), facilitate the resolution of inflammation without causing immunosuppression. Evidence from preclinical studies indicates that SPM administration accelerates muscle repair and functional recovery by enhancing the clearance of apoptotic cells, suppressing pro-inflammatory signaling and modulating macrophage polarization. However, translation to human applications remains limited as commercially available SPM-enriched marine oils do not contain active SPMs but rather their monohydroxylated precursors, including 14-Hydroxy-Docosahexaenoic Acid (14-HDHA), 17-Hydroxy-Docosahexaenoic Acid (17-HDHA), and 18-Hydroxy-Eicosapentaenoic Acid (18-HEPE) in addition to low doses of the n-3 PUFAs eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Furthermore, the variable increases in circulating SPM concentrations as a result of dietary intake of EPA and DHA, whether from fish or fish oil supplements, and the wide diversity of SPM molecules (many of which remain under investigation), highlight the complexity of their structural and functional networks. While advances in lipidomics have identified SPMs and their pathway intermediates in human biological samples, further research is needed to determine optimal dosing strategies, delivery mechanisms, and the real impact of SPM-enriched marine oil on athletic performance and recovery. This narrative review examines the biological rationale and current evidence surrounding SPM-enriched marine oil supplementation and its potential to enhance muscle recovery following EIMD. By synthesizing findings from preclinical and human studies, the potential of SPM-enriched supplementation as a novel tool for optimizing performance recovery in athletic populations is reviewed to inform future research directions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition, Exercise, and Health: Nutritional Supplements, Exercise Training, Skeletal Muscle Health, and Performance)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-3
Back to TopTop