On this episode we tackle the main themes surrounding nutritional factors with altitude exposure such as: altered energy availability, Iron status, carbohydrate oxidation, hydration, antioxidant supplementation and other posible hematological and non-hematological considerations while performing altitude exposure. 

Although the Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) paradigm has been linked with adverse physiological and performance-related outcomes in men, the synergistic effects of low energy availability on reproductive hormones put females particularly at risk of negative outcomes. On this episode we'll go over the physiological and nutrition aspects unique to women for optimal performance and health.

Performance during continuous or intermittent high-intensity exercise can be limited by the accumulation of hydrogen ions (H+) which reduce muscle pH and interfere with muscle contractile and metabolic processes. On this episode with Dr. Bryan Saunders we tackle the role of Beta-Alanine and Sodium Bicarbonate in fatigue processes related to increased buffer capacity in cycling.

On this very special episode, Dr. James Morton tells us about the Fuel For the Work Required model and how he went on applying it with Team Sky. We also get into more detail on the effects of protein during races, recovery and considerations for future performance nutrition-related research.

On this very special episode, Dr. James Morton talks us through his integration in Pro Cycling while working with Team Sky. This is part 1 of 2 episodes dedicated to this topic. On this first part we will focus on the logistics, planning and coordination required with all the team staff when planning for a World Tour cycling race. On part 2 we'll dig into the nutrition-related topics that are crucial for performance in Pro cycling.

Endurance athletes are always looking for an edge. That extends to professional cyclists, who are among the fittest humans on earth who require a high amount of fuel to pedal through grueling mountain stages and time trials during multi-week races like the Tour de France. In the past years, a lot of hype has been going around exogenous ketones. On this episode, Mark Evans (PhD) who has been one of the researchers contributing to the available research so far shares his insights on the subject.

Appropriate recovery from the stress of exercise is an essential component of any periodized program aimed at maximizing training-induced physiological adaptations and enhancing athletic performance. Prolonged, sustained endurance training sessions exert significant metabolic demands that include the depletion of endogenous fuel stores (e.g., liver and muscle glycogen), loss of body fluid and electrolytes, hormonal perturbations, and damage/disruption to skeletal muscle and body proteins. 

Milk, a once idolized food is now experiencing a downfall in popularity that extended to the sports setting, despite of the solid body of evidence attributing important benefits of its inclusion in the athletes’ diet, particularly in the post workout period of endurance sessions, aiding with muscle recovery, rehydration and glycogen resynthesis as we will discuss here today Dr. Lewis James.

For some, eating healthy can become an obsession, resulting in endless list of food concerns such as environmental impact, local food sourcing, animal rights, combining, time of meals, excessive researching, cataloguing, weighting and measuring foods and excessive meal planning. These factors are actually part of a "non-oficial" eating disorder called orthorexia. James Kennedy is a Chemistry teacher who tries to fight Chemophobia in a practical way, showing us that natural isn't necessarily...

Branched-chain amino acids, glutamine, collagen and HMB, started as being supplements popular in the fitness world only, but quickly invaded the endurance sports world, particularly cycling. To help clarify this topic Dr. Stuart Phillips & Dr. Filipe Teixeira will provide us with the latest update on the research available on these supplements and their posible application in endurance sports, particularly in cycling.

Plenty of research associates carbohydrate mouth rinse to positive effects in athletic performance, not only in endurance activities but also with a growing interest in high intensity sprint-based activities. On this episode we discuss the results found by a recent publication from our research group, and other research performed so far to discuss whether Carbohydrate mouth rinse can actually be applied during cycling race events.

As Sports Nutritionists besides having to properly fuel cyclists during training and racing, there is also an additional challenge we often face, which is to minimize GI symptoms in cyclists. We can prepare a rider for months but if one key meal in a moment surrounding or during the race goes wrong, we can jeopardize months of preparation and condition the rider’s performance. On this episode Dr. Jamie Pugh helps us understand the causes and practical strategies to minimize GI symptoms in...

Competitive road cyclists are at risk of developing the health and performance consequences of low energy availability described in the relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S) clinical model. Low energy availability can arise unintentionally and/ or intentionally from restrictive nutrition. Some of these carelessness may be avoided by bringing "real" graduated dietitians/nutritionists into the sport. I say its time for a change! Its time to bring Nutritionists into cycling!

Skeletal muscle cramps are highly prevalent in endurance sports and often affect cyclists during racing events when the intensity of physical exertion is very high and the duration is long. But there is little consensus among coaches and nutritionists on what causes them. On this episode we interview Dr. Kevin Miller from University of Central Michigan, USA. He's performed a significant amount of research on the etiology of muscle cramping, particularly on how can pickle juice help relieve...

Elite cyclists are always seeking to maximize training adaptations to improve racing performance and using altered environmental conditions to achieve this outcome has become increasingly popular among these athletes. On this episode, we will present the evidence for such outcomes and how to apply them in the context of cycling training and competition.

In the last years, some interesting research on the effects of deliberately training with low muscle glycogen reserves has emerged, pointing out that there might be some amplification of training adaptations induced by training with low glycogen availability. Some of that research has been brilliantly reviewed by Dr. Sam Impey in his article entitled: “Fuel for the Work Required: A Theoretical Framework for Carbohydrate Periodization and the Glycogen Threshold Hypothesis”.

Defining breakfast and discussing the effects of skipping breakfast and training in a fasted state on training adaptations and metabolic outcomes such as increased fat oxidation and mitochondrial biogenesis. Here we will also talk about what would be the ideal breakfast composition depending on the type of cycling race event in order to maximize performance.

Fuel the Pedal podcast is born, giving you the most accurate and up to date research on cycling nutrition with interviews to top leading researchers on their field, cycling nutritionists and pro cyclists