From Paper to Podium: Quantifying the Translational Potential of Performance Nutrition Research

Abstract

Sport nutrition is one of the fastest growing and evolving disciplines of sport and exercise science, demonstrated by a 4-fold increase in the number of research papers between 2012 and 2018. Indeed, the scope of contemporary nutrition-related research could range from discovery of novel nutrient-sensitive cell-signalling pathways to the assessment of the effects of sports drinks on exercise performance. For the sport nutrition practitioner, the goal is to translate innovations in research to develop and administer practical interventions that contribute to the delivery of winning performances. Accordingly, step one in the translation of research to practice should always be a well-structured critique of the translational potential of the existing scientific evidence. To this end, we present an operational framework (the “Paper-2-Podium Matrix”) that provides a checklist of criteria for which to prompt the critical evaluation of performance nutrition-related research papers. In considering the (1) research context, (2) participant characteristics, (3) research design, (4) dietary and exercise controls, (5) validity and reliability of exercise performance tests, (6) data analytics, (7) feasibility of application, (8) risk/reward and (9) timing of the intervention, we aimed to provide a time-efficient framework to aid practitioners in their scientific appraisal of research. Ultimately, it is the combination of boldness of reform (i.e. innovations in research) and quality of execution (i.e. ease of administration of practical solutions) that is most likely to deliver the transition from paper to podium.

Reply from Chiel Poffé, Monique Ramaekers, Ruud Van Thienen and Peter Hespel

“…The data outlined above clearly support our conclusions with regard to the effect of KE on endurance exercise performance in the conditions of the current study. But extrapolating these data obtained in healthy volunteers to elite endurance athletes would be very naive indeed (Close et al 2019). Therefore, the statement by Mullie and Autier regarding the linear translation of our data to the Tour de France of 2018 (incorrectly noted as 1998 in their Letter to the Editor) is irrelevant.…”

Effects of Dietary Nitrates on Time Trial Performance in Athletes with Different Training Status: Systematic Review

“…From this point of view, it is evident that translating athlete-specific DN research outcomes into practical interventions requires the determination of their true translational potential. To standardise this, Close et al [106] recently proposed an excellent 9 step framework, that may assist practitioners in the proper evaluation of performance nutrition research and applying the findings into practice therefore making the dietary choices adopted by their athletes sport-specific and "evidence-based".…”

Ingestion of Carbohydrate Prior to and during Maximal, Sprint Interval Cycling Has No Ergogenic Effect: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo Controlled, Crossover Study

“…Participation in such activities in the fast stated is not reflective of 'real-world' practices [34], unless specifically attempting to modulate adaptations through AMPK-regulated influences on aerobic adaptations [35], although the value of SIE in these condition is questionable, in our view. Therefore, the approach used in the current study was adopted to maintain both scientific robustness [36] and real world application [34].…”