Join us in the ek robotics Sports Campus at the Royal Latin for a sports science lecture by Dr Mark Homer of Buckinghamshire New University, entitled, 'Supplementary Evidence: What Really Works in Sports Nutrition?'.

Nutritional supplements have been used for sports performance for many years – from simple macro nutrient powders and gels, to performance supplements such as sodium bicarbonate and Caffeine. In recent years, the market has become flooded with pre-workout mixes that are full of different substances that claim to improve training, performance, and recovery in numerous ways. Research has investigated the effectiveness of many supplements, with a range of findings that often depend on the age, sex, and competitive level of the participants. With this in mind, sports supplements are a lucrative market and the amateur athlete can spend significant amounts trying to find an edge – influenced by a relentless social media algorithm.

Also, the risk of contamination with WADA prohibited substances is a constant worry for competitive athletes who need to balance convenience, performance gain and risk when considering supplement use. This lecture will discuss some of the popular types of supplement and how/if they work. It will then discuss the risks involved, what to consider when deciding whether to take supplements, and how to combine with a ‘food first’ approach.

Mark is a senior applied sports scientist with over 15 years’ experience in high performance sport, working for the world leading Great Britain Rowing team (GBRT). He provided physiology support in preparation for, and whilst attending multiple international training camps and competitions; including the Beijing, London and Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. Mark was responsible for the strategic and operational leadership of the GBRT Sports Science & Medicine team, accountable for delivering a world leading service to rowers and coaches in the field. After this, Mark worked with British Swimming in their preparation for the Tokyo Olympic Games, before moving to academia. Mark is now a senior lecturer in Exercise Physiology at Buckinghamshire New University, he is director of the Human Performance Laboratory and continues to work with elite athletes, coaches, and teams including the World Rowing, Oxford University Women’s Boat Race squad, Eton College, and development squad cyclists.

For more information about our Lillingstone Lecture programme, please visit the Lillingstone Lectures web page.

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