Sports | Ideal Nutrition

17 Oct 2025

Does Creatine Cause Hair Loss?

Creatine is one of the most popular supplements around the world. It is widely used for benefits related to muscle and cognitive function. However, concerns have circulated about a possible link between creatine use and hair loss. This post will cover what creatine is, the science behind the hair loss claims, and whether people should be worried about it. What Is Creatine? Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found in small amounts in certain foods and produced by the body. It helps supply energy to your muscles, especially during high-intensity activities like weightlifting or sprinting. Many athletes and gym-goers take…

25 Apr 2025

By Aidan Muir

Do Women Benefit More from Creatine Than Men?

It has been well documented that creatine is one of the safest and most effective supplements. We know that statistically, a much larger percentage of research in the sports nutrition world is done on men than women. And partly because of this, it arguably has flown a bit under the radar that there are potential reasons to believe creatine is more beneficial for women than men. In this post, we will explore those reasons and how relevant they might be. Why Women Might Benefit More Although there are a lot of potential explanations, including many hormonal factors, the simplest one…

11 Jun 2024

By Aidan Muir

Supplements for Endurance Athletes

There are many ways supplements can benefit endurance athletes. As a sports dietitian, I typically take a “food first” but not necessarily “food only” approach. In many cases, it’s possible to optimise nutrition through food alone. However, there are times when supplements can be helpful, especially when achieving optimal intake through food is unrealistic. This post will be focused on supplements, but I also have an article on overall endurance nutrition. For this post, the structure will be: There is a clear focus on supplements that can help. I won’t spend time mentioning supplements that have been proposed to help…

07 Jun 2024

By Aidan Muir

Does Citrulline Supplementation Help Endurance Performance?

Citrulline supplementation has gained attention for its potential benefits in improving endurance performance. There are a bunch of proposed mechanisms for how it can help endurance athletes achieve better race times. Although some mechanisms make sense, the biggest thing to look at is outcomes. Does citrulline supplementation improve performance? While anecdotal data has merit, particularly when we lack research, in this article we will look directly at what the research we have available has found. Mechanisms Before jumping into the research, it is worth looking at the mechanisms to understand how citrulline could help theoretically. Improved Blood Flow The…

02 Feb 2024

By Josh Wernham

Alpha-GPC – Everything You Need To Know

α-GPC (also referred to as Choline alphoscerate or L-alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine) is a natural choline compound found in the brain. It is considered a parasympathetic agent and is commonly taken as a supplement for its potential cognitive and performance-enhancing effects. Cognition When ingested, it is easily absorbed, crosses the blood-brain barrier, and is then metabolised into choline. Choline is a precursor to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which facilitates learning, memory, and focus. Neurodegenerative Disease Most of the research in humans regarding its effect on cognition is on those with neurodegenerative diseases or some degree of cognitive decline. A 2023 systematic review on this…

29 Jan 2024

By Aidan Muir

Nutrition for Concussions: What Does the Research Show?

Navigating the area of nutrition for concussions can be tricky. There's not as much direct human research as we'd like on concussions. It is, obviously, ethically challenging to study. But clearly, nutrition can help with overall brain health, including the prevention and management of concussions. The following post will be based on a combination of theoretical thinking and focusing on the evidence that we DO have. At a minimum, there will be some useful things in this post that have a high likelihood of helping. General Theme – Overall Healthy Diet As a general theme, having an overall healthy diet…

24 Nov 2023

By Josh Wernham

Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate (AAKG) – Is it Worth Taking?

Arginine alpha-ketoglutarate (AAKG) is a supplement that combines the amino acid arginine with alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG). Arginine is an amino acid that plays an important role in the urea cycle and is involved in nitric oxide production, which is what it is known for in the performance space. On its own though, the absorption of arginine is quite low. AKG plays a role in metabolism by regulating energy production through the Krebs cycle, the process through which cells generate energy in the form of ATP. By combining arginine with alpha-ketoglutarate, the aim is to potentially enhance the delivery of arginine to…

05 Sep 2023

By Monica Cvoro

Why Are Carbohydrates Important for CrossFit?

CrossFit is a branded fitness program defined by "constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity." In simple terms, carbohydrates are essential for CrossFit because of how the body works and the specific energy systems that fuel this kind of training. Carbohydrates Carbohydrates are made up of starches, sugars and cellulose. Once digested, they are broken down into single sugar molecules in the form of glucose. This can then be stored in the muscle and liver as glycogen, ready to be used as a quick energy source. Examples of carbohydrate-rich foods: Bread, bread rolls, wraps Pasta, rice, quinoa, quinoa, couscous…

11 Aug 2023

By Aidan Muir

Nutrition for Optimising Immunity in Athletes

Minimising the frequency and duration of illness can help improve progress, long term. In addition to this, it is athletes who are more likely to get sick during high training phases. This is even more so if the athlete is undergoing intentional overtraining/overreaching. At a minimum, if illness rates are unaffected by high training loads, minimising the frequency/duration of ill ness is still a good thing. Although, if these rates are affected by high training loads, this topic becomes even more important. Probiotic supplementation is an underrated way to improve your immune function. A large portion (~70%) of the immune…

21 Jun 2023

By Leah Higl

Dietitian’s Quick Guide to Training Nutrition: Fuel Your Performance And Enhance Recovery

Whether you're an athlete or simply someone who loves to exercise, paying attention to your nutrition around training can make a significant difference in maximizing your performance and optimizing recovery. In this dietitian's guide, we'll explore the basics of training nutrition and how you can take your training and recovery to the next level. Pre-Training: Power Up with Carbohydrates Before your training session, it's crucial to ensure you have enough fuel in the tank to sustain your performance. Carbohydrates are the body's preferred source of fuel, so they should be your main focus during this time. Ideally, aim for a…