Editorial: Sports nutrition: muscle adaptation via supplementation and other nutritional strategies
Year: 2024
Type: editorial
Abstract: Skeletal muscle is essential for voluntary movement and metabolic health, especially considering age-associated muscle mass and accompanying functional deficits that may significantly impact our daily independence and overall quality of life [1]. Beyond its fundamental role in facilitating locomotion, skeletal muscle's plasticity in response to various stimuli is well-documented [2][3][4]. Alterations occur from the molecular to the whole-muscle level potentially improving function and enhancing performance [5]. While mechanical tension is a key stimulus for skeletal muscle adaptation, nutritional strategies can often bolster these adaptations by more effectively improving muscle growth and subsequent function [6,7]. Further, there are many novel ergogenic aids (substance used for the purpose of enhancing performance) and other nutritional strategies that purportedly augment performance metrics spanning muscular strength, aerobic capacity, and even clinical improvements in function capacity [8][9][10]. By exploring various nutritional factors this special issue explores how emerging compounds and dietary modifications may influence skeletal muscle's adaptation to exercise and performance enhancement. Often overshadowed by their macronutrient counterparts, micronutrients are crucial in skeletal muscle adaptation by supporting cellular processes that are essential for optimizing muscle growth, recovery, and overall function [12]. Without key micronutrients, such as iron and vitamin B6, impairments to athletic performance can occur due to disruptions in energy metabolism, oxygen transport, and reduced exercise capacity. However, the underlying mechanisms responsible for these effects are not fully understood. Consequently, the investigation by 30 days) iron supplementation combined with vitamin B6 enhances mitochondrial function rescues mitochondrial activity under adverse conditions. More specifically, the authors suggest that through its effects on Complex I-and Complex II-driven ATP production, iron and vitamin B6 can increase VO 2 max by positively influenced mitochondrial biogenesis as well as metabolism in skeletal muscle. Zhou's findings highlight micronutrient roles towards supporting muscular bioenergetics and the associated metabolic pathways that are essential for exercise-mediated skeletal muscle adaptation.The studies discussed in this special topic cumulatively provide critical insights into nutritional strategies -such as EAAs and plant-derived compounds like Astragalus membranaceus -towards synergistically promoting skeletal muscle adaptations concurrent with exercise. Furthermore, novel biomarkers like serum klotho are promising prospective biomarkers to monitor and address age-related declines in muscle health. While the current literature is rich with data regarding strategies to improve broad-ranging skeletal muscle-associated characteristics [13,14], the investigations highlighted within this topic illustrate that there is a wealth of nutritionally-focused strategies we have yet to employ that may benefit both clinical and athletic populations.
Source: Frontiers in Nutrition
Language: English
Subfield: Nutrition and Dietetics
Field: Nursing
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,295
OpenAlex ID: W4405614728