Integrating Diet, Timing, and Physiology to Optimize Substrate Utilization and Performance

Substrate oxidation during exercise represents a fundamental process in exercise physiology and metabolic health, governed by the interplay between carbohydrate and fat utilization. Recent decades have highlighted how this balance is influenced by numerous factors, including nutritional status, dietary supplements, circadian rhythms, sex hormones, environmental conditions, and genetic background. Despite extensive evidence linking substrate oxidation patterns with endurance performance, body composition, and cardiometabolic health, the mechanisms underlying these modulations remain incompletely understood. Ongoing research continues to explore how fasting, feeding states, and nutrient composition can shift substrate preference, yet inconsistencies across study designs, populations, and methodologies hinder the formulation of unified models. Moreover, growing attention to chronobiology and sex differences has revealed additional layers of complexity, emphasizing the need to integrate temporal and biological variables into sport nutrition and performance research.This Research Topic aims to deepen the understanding of how nutritional, supplementation, and chronobiological strategies modulate substrate oxidation during exercise. It seeks to identify optimal combinations of dietary composition, supplementation protocols, and timing interventions to maximize metabolic flexibility, enhance athletic performance, and support health across different populations. Key questions include how nutrient timing affects fat and carbohydrate oxidation, the interaction between hormonal fluctuations and substrate use, and whether specific ergogenic compounds can sustainably influence energy metabolism. By elucidating these mechanisms, this topic also aims to provide evidence-based insights into practical applications for both athletes and clinical populations.To gather further insights into the modulation of substrate utilization, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:o Nutritional status and macronutrient composition in relation to substrate oxidationo Effects of fasting, fed, and postprandial states on fuel selectiono Role of dietary supplements, ergogenic aids, and nutraceutical compounds in modulating substrate useo Influence of circadian rhythms and time-of-day on metabolic responseso Sex-based differences, hormonal status, and reproductive cycle influences on oxidation patternso Environmental conditions, training adaptations, and inter-individual variability in substrate metabolismo Methodological innovations for assessing in vivo substrate oxidation and performance outcomesThis Research Topic welcomes submissions in the form of original research articles, systematic reviews, and narrative reviews. Topic editors: Carlos Ruiz Moreno, Verónica Giráldez Costas, María De Lourdes Meza Jiménez Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80813/integrating-diet-timing-and-physiology-to-optimize-substrate-utilization-and-performance