Nutraceuticals in Sports

As the fields of sports science and nutrition continue to evolve, there is increasing recognition of the role of nutraceuticals in enhancing athletic performance and promoting overall health. Nutraceuticals, including dietary supplements and functional foods, are gaining popularity among athletes and fitness enthusiasts. Research indicates that specific nutraceuticals can positively influence various aspects of athletic performance, including recovery times, endurance, strength, and overall physical capabilities.

Individuals engaging in sports increasingly use natural compounds to support their training regimens and optimize their performance. In addition to improving physical attributes, nutraceuticals may also play a crucial role in enhancing mental focus and reducing the risk of injury. As more studies are conducted, nutraceuticals will likely become integral to training and recovery strategies. Integrating nutraceuticals into sports nutrition can lead to improved outcomes for recreational and elite athletes, paving the way for groundbreaking advancements in athletic training and health management.

We would like to address the gap in understanding how specific nutraceuticals can be effectively integrated into the training programs of physically active individuals, including recreational trainers and athletes, to enhance recovery, endurance, strength, and overall performance. We aim to combine scientific knowledge with the practical experience of athletes and non-trained/recreational active individuals. Despite growing interest in nutraceuticals, a lack of comprehensive research remains regarding how these substances exert their effects and the appropriate dosages for different populations. This Research Topic aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the potential of nutraceuticals in sports by bringing together cutting-edge research and reviews that highlight their benefits, mechanisms, and practical applications. We believe this compilation will be a valuable resource for researchers, practitioners, and athletes, promoting informed decision-making in pursuing peak performance and health.

This Research Topic seeks to offer an in-depth examination of the role of nutraceuticals in sports by compiling innovative research and reviews that underscore their advantages/disadvantages, underlying mechanisms, and practical uses. We invite contributions that explore various topics related to nutraceuticals in sports, including, but not limited to, functional foods and performance, dietary supplements, metabolic perspectives, nutraceuticals and recovery, and the personalization of nutraceutical use. We look forward to receiving innovative and impactful submissions that align with the theme of nutraceuticals in sports. We invite submissions of systematic reviews and meta-analyses, narrative reviews, and original research articles, including controlled studies, clinical trials, and case studies. This includes manuscripts describing the outcomes of animal studies that are relevant to human health.

Keywords: Nutraceuticals, Sports Nutrition, Dietary Supplements, Nutritional Strategies, Training, Personalized Nutrition, Performance, Health

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.