Sex-Specific Modulation of Ergogenic Effects in Dietary Supplementation

Dietary supplementation is widely used by athletes to support health, exercise performance, recovery, and training adaptations. Although evidence for ergogenic effects has expanded substantially, much of the research underpinning current recommendations has been conducted in predominantly male samples or summarized without adequately examining sex as a biological moderator. This is an important limitation because exercise performed at the same relative or absolute intensity and duration can impose different physiological demands in males and females, owing to differences in anthropometry, muscle morphology, metabolism, endocrinology, and reproductive physiology. Recent research has increasingly highlighted sex-specific responses to nutritional strategies and the potential influence of menstrual-cycle phase, yet findings remain inconsistent and are often limited by small samples, inadequate reporting of cycle characteristics, and insufficient statistical testing of sex-by-intervention interactions. Given the high and broadly similar prevalence of supplement use among male and female athletes, stronger evidence is needed to establish whether established ergogenic effects are reproducible in women and whether supplementation should be tailored according to sex-specific physiology.This Research Topic aims to advance sex-informed sport nutrition by evaluating how biological sex and reproductive physiology influence the effectiveness, safety, mechanisms, and practical application of dietary supplements in athletic populations. It will encourage research that tests whether findings established in male athletes can be replicated in women, compares responses between males and females, and examines the possible moderating effects of menstrual-cycle phase and other hormonal factors. The Research Topic will also support the development of improved methodological standards, sex-specific recommendations, and evidence-based strategies to reduce sex-related gaps in dietary supplementation research.To gather further insights into sex-specific responses to dietary supplementation in athletic populations, this Research Topic will focus on human exercise and sport-performance research while recognizing relevant mechanistic, clinical, and applied perspectives. Studies should clearly report participant sex, relevant reproductive or hormonal characteristics, supplementation protocols, exercise outcomes, and limitations related to generalizability. We welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:Sex differences in the ergogenic effects of dietary supplementsReplication of supplementation findings in female athlete populationsSex-by-supplementation interactions in exercise performance and adaptationEffects of the menstrual cycle, hormonal contraceptive use, and reproductive statusSupplements targeting strength, power, endurance, recovery, cognition, or thermoregulationSex-specific mechanisms involving metabolism, neuromuscular function, inflammation, and oxidative stressSafety, tolerability, legality, and adverse effects of supplements in males and femalesSupplement use, knowledge, decision-making, and prevalence among athletesMethodological standards for sex-informed sport nutrition researchMeta-analytical and systematic evidence on sex-specific supplementation outcomesTranslation of evidence into sex-specific recommendations for athletes, coaches, and practitionersThis Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description: Brief Research Report, Case Report, Clinical Trial, Conceptual Analysis, Editorial, Hypothesis and Theory, Meta-analysis, Methods, Mini Review, Opinion, Original Research, Perspective, Review, Systematic Review. Topic editors: Raúl Domínguez, Marco Malaguti, Sandro Fernandes Da Silva Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/84924/sex-specific-modulation-of-ergogenic-effects-in-dietary-supplementation