https://www.tomcoughlin.co.uk/, https://www.performancenutritiondigest.com/

Tom Nutritionist, 20 Hailes Grove, Edinburgh (2026)

13/10/2026

Carbohydrate–electrolyte drinks for endurance performance in the heat 🥤

This systematic review and three-level meta-analysis included 21 randomised studies and 316 participants, examining acute carbohydrate–electrolyte supplementation versus water/non-caloric placebo during exercise at ≥22°C 🔍

Here are the key findings ⬇️

🏃 The clearest benefit was for aerobic endurance, with a small-to-moderate positive effect (g = 0.45)

📈 Across all performance outcomes, supplementation produced a small overall benefit (g = 0.37)

⏱️ Time-trial/fixed-work performance improved (g = 0.41), while time-to-exhaustion showed a larger but less precise effect (g = 0.66)

⚡ Evidence for anaerobic endurance, explosive power and strength was inconclusive

🌡️ The positive average effect remained when studies at 22–25°C were excluded (>25°C: g = 0.41) and when restricted to ≥28°C (g = 0.36)

↔️ However, prediction intervals crossed zero, meaning benefit would not be expected in every setting

🌡️ Neither ambient temperature nor exposure duration significantly modified the performance effect

⚠️ Importantly, trials compared CHO-electrolyte drinks with control within the same environment, so this does not show they specifically prevent heat-induced performance loss

🥤 Variation in carbohydrate concentration, electrolyte composition, fluid volume and timing meant the review could not identify an optimal formulation or dose

👩 Only 34 of 316 participants were women, limiting female-specific conclusions

📊 Evidence certainty was low for overall performance and aerobic endurance, and very low for non-aerobic outcomes

For athletes exercising in warm-to-hot conditions, carbohydrate–electrolyte drinks appear most useful for supporting prolonged aerobic performance, but they should complement rather than replace individualised hydration, pacing, acclimation and cooling strategies ✅

Reference:

https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/18/19/3200

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12/10/2026

Solveig Løvseth’s collapse with less than 1 km to go at Kona was a brutal reminder of how fine the margins are in elite endurance sport.

We don’t know the exact cause, but it was likely a combination of dehydration, fuelling and heat.

But the bigger lesson is that elite athletes are constantly threading the needle: how much fluid can you get away with, how much body-mass loss can you tolerate, how aggressively can you race, and how much time can you save at aid stations without compromising performance?

That pursuit of efficiency is what makes the best athletes so fast.

But sometimes, when you’re operating right on the limit, you fly a little too close to the sun.

Also, hats off to for battling through to finish in 8th. What a warrior.

tomcoughlin.co.uk

12/10/2026

Creatine may improve certain aspects of soccer performance, but the evidence remains inconsistent ⚽

A systematic review of 45 reports from 41 unique studies explored effects on performance, body composition and recovery in soccer players 🔍

Key findings ⬇️

⚡ Repeated sprints: Some improvements, but several trials found no clear benefit over placebo.

🚴 Anaerobic power: Positive results in some Wingate and RAST tests, although findings varied widely.

💪 Strength: Some trials reported greater gains in bench press, squat and leg strength.

🆙 Jumping: Mixed results, with several studies showing no improvement.

🔀 Change of direction and skills: No consistent benefit for agility; dribbling and kicking results were mixed.

🏃 Endurance: No consistent improvements across intermittent endurance or treadmill tests.

😮‍💨 Recovery: No consistent benefits for fatigue, lactate, heart rate, RPE or muscle-damage markers.

⚖️ Body mass: Gains of ~0.4–3.6 kg were reported, particularly after loading. Increased body water likely explains some of this; extra lean-mass gains remain uncertain.

🥄 Dosing: Loading protocols typically used ~20 g/day or 0.3 g/kg/day for 4–7 days; longer studies generally used 3–10 g/day.

📊 Evidence certainty was rated very low across performance, body composition and recovery. Studies were often small, varied in methods, at risk of bias and predominantly involved male players.

The takeaway: Creatine is a plausible option for players targeting strength, power and repeated high-intensity efforts. But soccer-specific evidence does not guarantee better match performance or recovery, and potential weight gain should be considered individually.

Reference:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15502783.2026.2735569

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11/10/2026

Making some solid progress in rehab and strength. Bloody good to be repping 100kg for double digits again.

tomcoughlin.co.uk

Very thankful I can still do small runs. Even if they are pitch black for the most part.

🍑

I’ll be able to do this 5k with my eyes closed soon.

110kg for 4

760km deep in the evo SLs

Sunday roast to cap off the week at Old Pal Bar and Kitchen

11/10/2026

More carbohydrate means more muscle glycogen, but the exact ceiling is unclear 🍝

This systematic review and meta-analysis included 63 trials and 641 participants, with 18 in the quantitative analysis, examining how carbohydrate intake, loading duration, training status and exercise influence muscle glycogen 🔍

Here are the key findings ⬇️

🍞 Increasing carbohydrate from 6.5 g/kg/day increased muscle glycogen by ~192 mmol/kg dry muscle in crossover trials

📈 A clear dose-response relationship was observed between carbohydrate intake and glycogen in recreationally active and endurance-trained athletes

🏃 In endurance-trained athletes, relative carbohydrate intake explained ~49% of the variation in muscle glycogen

🎯 >8 g/kg/day for 36–48 h may be the most practical strategy to significantly increase pre-competition glycogen stores

⚡ Prior glycogen-depleting exercise was not essential in trained athletes, but can accelerate restoration when followed by high carbohydrate intake

⏱️ With prior depletion and high-GI carbohydrate, supercompensation may be possible within 24–36 h

🍚 High-GI carbohydrate appears most useful when the loading window is 8 g/kg/day for 36–48 h is a practical carbohydrate-loading target, with shorter loading windows benefiting from glycogen-depleting exercise plus high-GI carbohydrate ✅

Reference:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/sms.70379

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10/10/2026

Kilian Jornet’s approach to nutrition is a good reminder that even at the highest level, the fundamentals still do most of the work.

His diet prioritises enough total energy, carbohydrate matched to training, adequate protein, and a wide variety of minimally processed foods including fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.

Interestingly, there’s a lot of overlap with a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern, which has strong evidence for long-term health and growing evidence for supporting athletic performance.

The takeaway is simple: nail the basics first.

Fuel enough. Eat well. Make it sustainable. Then worry about the marginal gains.

Read more on his Substack

tomcoughlin.co.uk

10/10/2026

Bicarbonate gels may improve late-race performance after prolonged cycling 🚴

This new study examined whether bicarbonate + carbohydrate consumed during exercise could preserve high-intensity performance after prolonged cycling in 11 trained cyclists 🔍

Participants completed 3 h of cycling at 95% of gas-exchange threshold, consuming 80 g/h carbohydrate in both trials 🚴

The bicarbonate condition provided 20 g total bicarbonate across the ride: 18 g sodium bicarbonate + 2 g potassium bicarbonate 🥤

Results 📊

⚡ After 3 h, 12-min time-trial power was 12 W higher with bicarbonate + CHO than CHO alone (251 vs 239 W)

📈 This represented an approximately 6% improvement in fatigued 12-min TT performance

↔️ Bicarbonate did not significantly improve 6-s sprint performance or the 2-min TT

🧪 Blood bicarbonate was ~4.3 mmol/L higher overall with supplementation, with concentrations reaching ~31 mmol/L at 180 min versus ~25 mmol/L with CHO alone

📊 Individual peak bicarbonate increased by ~5.8 mmol/L, indicating meaningful metabolic alkalosis

🩸 Lactate concentrations were higher during the post-ride high-intensity efforts with bicarbonate, consistent with greater glycolytic flux and/or lactate efflux

🍞 Bicarbonate did not alter carbohydrate oxidation, fat oxidation, energy expenditure, heart rate, VO₂ or RPE during the 3-h ride

🚽 GI symptoms were negligible and did not differ between conditions, with no severe symptoms reported

😬 However, bicarbonate gels were rated as less pleasant than standard carbohydrate gels

⚠️ The study was small, could not be fully blinded and used a fixed bicarbonate dose, producing relative intakes of 0.23–0.35 g/kg

For endurance athletes, distributing bicarbonate through carbohydrate gels during prolonged exercise may help preserve a decisive sustained high-intensity effort late in an event, while potentially avoiding the GI issues associated with traditional sodium bicarbonate loading ✅

Reference:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42788859/

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09/10/2026

When you’re injured, it’s not just about how many calories you eat. It’s also about where those calories come from.

Although training volume might decrease significantly during injury, your body still requires a consistent supply of energy, protein and essential nutrients to support tissue repair, muscle retention and rehabilitation.

Here are six dietary principles I’m prioritising during my own recovery:

1. High protein intake: Supporting muscle retention and providing the amino acids required for tissue repair and remodelling.
2. Plenty of fruit and vegetables: I’m aiming for at least seven portions daily, providing vitamins, minerals and polyphenols that support normal recovery processes.
3. Mostly whole-food carbohydrates: Providing energy for remaining training, rehabilitation and recovery, while contributing additional fibre and micronutrients.
4. Healthy fats: Oily fish provides EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids, while nuts and seeds contribute unsaturated fats. These can help regulate inflammatory processes, although their direct effects on injury healing remain uncertain.
5. Minimising alcohol: Particularly important given its potential effects on sleep, recovery and muscle protein synthesis.
6. Limiting nutrient-poor foods: Prioritising nutrient-dense options most of the time, without completely restricting foods I enjoy. Friday pizza is absolutely staying!

Vitamin C is particularly important for normal collagen synthesis, making adequate intake relevant during soft tissue recovery. However, consuming more than you need isn’t necessarily going to accelerate healing.

The important distinction is that no individual food or nutrient is going to magically heal an injury.

Instead, consistently meeting your energy and nutrient requirements provides the conditions your body needs to recover effectively, alongside an appropriate rehabilitation programme.

Energy balance matters, but diet quality matters too.

tomcoughlin.co.uk

09/10/2026

Blackcurrant anthocyanins can shift exercise fuel use toward fat 🫐

This narrative review included 23 studies examining whether anthocyanin-rich foods and supplements alter fat and carbohydrate oxidation during exercise 🔍

Here are the key findings ⬇️

🫐 New Zealand blackcurrant extract had the strongest and most consistent evidence

🔥 After ~7–14 days of supplementation, several studies reported ~15–30% higher fat oxidation during continuous moderate-intensity exercise

🍞 This was often accompanied by ~5–12% lower carbohydrate oxidation

🚴 Benefits were observed across cycling, walking and running, including in some endurance-trained athletes

⏱️ Acute supplementation generally did not produce the same effect, suggesting repeated intake may be important

📅 In one study, daily dosing altered substrate use whereas every-other-day dosing did not

🧬 Mechanistic evidence suggests blackcurrant may increase intramuscular triglyceride use and alter muscle glycogen availability

↔️ Energy expenditure and oxygen consumption were generally unchanged, indicating a shift in fuel selection rather than greater calorie expenditure

🫐 Evidence for other anthocyanin-rich sources was less consistent: blueberry showed some positive findings, while tart cherry generally did not alter substrate oxidation

🧩 Responses may depend on baseline fuel use, body composition, supplementation duration, diet and environmental conditions

⚠️ Much of the blackcurrant evidence comes from relatively small studies and a limited number of research groups

☝️ Importantly, higher fat oxidation does not yet mean better endurance performance, glycogen sparing or greater fat loss

For endurance athletes, ~7–14 days of anthocyanin-rich blackcurrant supplementation may shift moderate-intensity exercise toward greater fat and lower carbohydrate use, but whether this meaningfully improves performance remains uncertain ✅

Reference:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42797001/

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08/10/2026

Eating less during injury? Be careful not to cut too much.

One of the biggest nutritional mistakes athletes make when injured is reducing their calorie intake too aggressively.

Yes, training volume is lower, and total daily energy expenditure will often decrease. However, injury recovery itself requires energy to support tissue repair, remodelling and the rehabilitation process.

Depending on the nature and severity of the injury, these processes can increase metabolic demands, meaning your energy requirements might not decrease as much as you’d expect.

For me, that means aiming for approximately 3,000 kcal per day, alongside four weekly strength sessions and three runs capped at 5 km each.

That’s considerably less training than I’m used to, but maintaining sufficient energy availability is still a priority.

And what about gaining weight during injury?

I’m completely comfortable with the possibility of gaining a little weight during this period.

Weight gain isn’t necessarily required for tissue repair, nor does it automatically indicate better healing. However, maintaining body composition shouldn’t come at the expense of adequate fuelling and recovery.

In fact, aggressively restricting calories to avoid weight gain could be counterproductive, particularly when trying to preserve muscle mass and progress through rehabilitation.

This is also why I’m tracking my food intake. Not to restrict calories, but to make sure I’m consistently eating enough.

The takeaway?

Your nutritional priorities should change when you’re injured. The goal isn’t necessarily to maintain your lowest body weight or minimise calorie intake.

It’s to provide your body with the energy and nutrients it needs to recover, maintain physical capacity and eventually return to full training.

Nutrition is an important adjunct to rehabilitation, and adequate energy intake is one of the foundations of getting it right.

tomcoughlin.co.uk

Tom Nutritionist

13/10/2026

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