#542: Nutrients for Cognitive Performance in Sports – Prof. Shawn Arent, PhD

Sigma Nutrition Radio

Danny Lennon

Sigma, Dietetics, Evidencebased, Nutrition, Training, Health & Fitness, Science, Diet, Fitness, Evidence, Bodybuilding, Health

4.8 • 626 Ratings

🗓️ 12 November 2024

⏱️ 83 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In the world of sports nutrition, understanding how different supplements and nutrients impact not just physical performance but also cognitive function is rapidly gaining traction. Athletes are constantly seeking that competitive edge, and while many are familiar with the benefits of carbohydrates and caffeine for energy and focus, there’s much more at play.

Emerging research is highlighting the roles of compounds like creatine and omega-3s, not only for muscle recovery but also for brain health, particularly following traumatic brain injuries (TBI).

Beyond the usual suspects of performance nutrition, intriguing compounds like theacrine and tyrosine are entering the conversation. With potential cognitive effects that range from improved focus to faster decision-making, these supplements have sparked interest but also raise questions.

How strong is the evidence behind these claims, and where do we draw the line between scientific promise and practical application? How do we apply the science in real-world settings where perfect data may not exist?

This episode addresses these questions via the insights of Professor Shawn Arent of University of South Carolina.

Timestamps

01:44 – Dr. Arent’s key areas of research
04:03 – Defining and understanding cognitive performance in athletes
09:31 – The impact of carbohydrates on cognitive function and decision-making
29:00 – Protein, amino acids, and their role in cognitive function under stress
34:17 – How caffeine enhances cognitive performance: decision-making and reaction time
42:00 – Comparing the effects of theacrine and caffeine on cognitive and physical performance
44:48 – How caffeine dosing impacts sleep and recovery
46:55 – Theacrine, dynamine, and emerging supplements in sports performance
57:56 – Nicotine’s potential cognitive benefits and the associated risks for athletes
01:04:56 – Creatine and omega-3s: their roles in brain health and concussion recovery
01:13:05 – Navigating the challenges of applying research to real-world practice

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Transcript

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0:39.9	Now, on to today's episode.
1:02.6	Hello and welcome to this special collaborative podcast episode again with Sigma Nutrition, Iron Culture, and the Sports Nutrition Association.
1:09.2	My name is Danny Lennon. Joining me as co-host is Dr. Eric Trexler. Eric, how are you today?
1:12.5	I'm doing great, and I've actually demoted myself. I am the assistant host, not the co-host, but I appreciate that. Well, it's great to have you
1:17.5	here in whatever capacity, but even more exciting and more of an honor than that is the guest
1:23.7	that we have talking with us today, Dr. Sean Arant, who has done extensive work in a range
1:29.9	of topics, some of which we're going to discuss today. And I know a number of our listeners
1:34.5	will probably be already familiar with some of his work in some capacity. But first of all,
1:39.2	Sean, welcome to the podcast. Thanks, guys. Pleasure to be joining you. Maybe to kick us off. And before we get
1:46.2	into our main topic of today, Sean, can you give listeners some context to your background,
1:52.1	your work in academia, some of your main research interests? And anything else that might be
1:56.2	useful for people to know. Sure. So I was college athlete, soccer. I'm very grateful for that. It's
2:02.2	treated me very well. From there, went undergraduate school at Arizona State and took a faculty
2:07.0	position at Rutgers University in 2002. And I was there for 17 years before making the move
2:11.9	south to the University of South Carolina, where I am professor and department chair, and I direct
	...

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