bims-creces 2025-12-21 papers

Nutr Rev. 2025 Dec 17. pii: nuaf239. [Epub ahead of print]

Creatine Supplementation and Cognition: Aligning Methodological Concerns with Recent Evidence.

Keywords: cognition; creatine; older person

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuaf239

Nutr Metab (Lond). 2025 Dec 14.

The science of ketogenic supplements for athletes: boosting endurance, efficiency, and energy metabolism.

Morvarid Siri, Ebrahim Malek Hosseini, Seyed Amirhossein Mazhari, Parham Jalali, Kimia Soltaninejad, Mohammad Amin Raji, Najmeh Yazdekhasti, Ehsan Naseri, Aida Mohammadi, Mohammad Hasan Maleki.

Ketogenic supplements have gained much attention in exercise nutrition because they have the potential to enhance endurance, maximize metabolic efficiency, and provide an additional source of fuel during exercise. This review is an examination into the molecular process, physiological alteration, and overall impact of ketogenic supplementation on sport performance. Various forms of ketogenic supplements, including exogenous ketones, medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil, and ketone esters, are examined in terms of their ability to induce ketosis and influence cellular energy pathways. The influence of ketone bodies on ATP synthesis, mitochondrial function, and metabolic shifts from carbohydrates to fats is summarized with special attention to endurance and high-intensity exercise implications. Furthermore, the long-term physiological adaptations, including enhanced fat oxidation, improved recovery, and resistance to fatigue, are analyzed. While ketogenic supplementation offers potential performance benefits, it also presents challenges such as muscle glycogen depletion, gastrointestinal distress, and electrolyte imbalances. A risk-benefit analysis is provided, outlining strategies to optimize supplementation while minimizing adverse effects. Finally, gaps in current research and future directions for ketogenic supplementation in sports are explored, emphasizing the need for individualized approaches and further investigation into long-term effects.

Keywords: Athletic performance; Endurance performance; Exogenous ketones; Ketogenic supplements

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12986-025-01067-z

Front Nutr. 2025 ;12 1709867

Effects of branched-chain amino acids on the muscle-brain metabolic axis: enhancing energy metabolism and neurological functions, and endurance exercise in aging-related conditions.

Jing Wu.

Aging is related to a decline in muscle mass, cognitive capabilities, and exercise proficiency, all of which collectively diminish quality of life and heighten the susceptibility to chronic illnesses. Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), with specific emphasis on leucine, have surfaced as pivotal regulators of muscle metabolism and may significantly influence the muscle-brain metabolic axis, thereby affecting hippocampal plasticity and cognitive wellbeing. This review consolidates contemporary evidence from 21 clinical and experimental investigations examining the influences of BCAA intake in conjunction with exercise on muscle functionality, cognitive outcomes, and endurance capacity in conditions associated with aging. The results indicate that BCAA supplementation, particularly when augmented with leucine and combined with resistance or multicomponent exercise regimens, facilitates muscle protein synthesis, mitigates inflammation, and enhances physical performance in the elderly population. Initial data also suggest possible advantages for hippocampal plasticity and cognitive function; however, this domain necessitates further investigation. The presence of challenges such as variability in study methodologies, supplementation regimens, and demographic characteristics of participants constrains the ability to draw definitive conclusions. Subsequent research endeavors ought to concentrate on clarifying the mechanistic pathways that connect muscular and cognitive health, refining supplementation methodologies, and investigating tailored strategies to alleviate age-associated sarcopenia and cognitive deterioration. In summary, the combination of BCAAs with physical exercise presents a potentially effective intervention to facilitate healthy aging through the interconnected metabolic axis of muscle and brain.

Keywords: aging; branched-chain amino acids; energy metabolism; muscle–brain metabolic axis; neurological functions

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1709867

J Acad Nutr Diet. 2025 Dec 12. pii: S2212-2672(25)00871-8. [Epub ahead of print] 156261

Timing of energy intake and ultra-processed food consumption are associated with obesity in adults in the United Kingdom: a pooled cross-sectional analysis of the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (2008-2019).

Patrícia de Fragas Hinnig, Fernanda Rauber, Kiara Chang, Eszter P Vamos, Renata Bertazzi Levy.

BACKGROUND: The distribution of energy intake and types of food consumed throughout the day may influence health.
OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the association of energy intake and ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption in the morning, at midday, and in the evening with indicators of obesity.
DESIGN: A pooled cross-sectional analysis of the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (2008-2019) of adults residing in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland was conducted. Food consumption was assessed using four-day food diaries. UPF intake was assessed based on the Nova food classification. The three time periods were classified as morning (5:00 am to 10:59 am), midday (11:00 am to 4:59 pm), and evening (5:00 pm to 4:59 am).
PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: This study included 5749 adults aged 19 to 64 years residing in private households in the United Kingdom.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The main outcome measures were overweight, obesity and abdominal obesity. BMI values ≥ 25 kg/m2 and ≥ 30 kg/m2 were used to classify overweight (including obesity) and obesity, respectively. Abdominal obesity was defined as waist circumference (WC) ≥ 102 cm for males and ≥ 88 cm for females.
STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: Multivariable logistic regression assessed the associations between the percentage of energy intake and the percentage of energy intake from UPF in the morning, at midday and in the evening and indicators of obesity. Models were adjusted for sociodemographic variables (sex, age, ethnicity, region, year of the survey, and social class occupation), behavioral variables (physical activity, smoking status, frequency of alcohol consumption, sleep duration, and weight loss diet) and variables related to food consumption.
RESULTS: The highest percentage of energy intake in the morning (3rd tertile) was associated with a 19% reduction in the odds of being overweight (95% CI 0.68-0.96), while the highest percentage in the evening was associated with a 21% higher odds of being overweight (95% CI 1.01-1.44). A 10% increase in the percentage of energy intake from UPF at midday and in the evening was associated with an 11% (95% CI 1.02-1.20) and 10% (95% CI 1.02-1.18) higher odds of overweight, respectively. The highest percentage of energy intake from UPF in the morning, at midday, and in the evening (3rd tertile) was associated with a 26%, 25%, and 45% higher odds of obesity, respectively. A 10% increase in the percentage of energy intake from UPF in the evening was associated with a 12% (95% CI 1.03-1.22) higher odds of abdominal obesity.
CONCLUSIONS: The timing of energy intake was associated with overweight, while higher consumption of UPF at all times of day was associated with obesity. The strength of the association between UPF consumption and indicators of obesity was greater in the evening compared to the morning and midday.

Keywords: Chrono-nutrition; Circadian rhythm; Meals; Obesity; Ultra-processed food

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2025.156261