Welcome to my weekly summary of the latest research from the world of sports science!
What if supplements, weather, or even your daily coffee habits could shape performance? This week’s sports science roundup explores three new studies—why creatine and HMB may be the “new calcium and vitamin D” for aging muscles and bones, how cooler conditions help marathoners hit their fastest times, and why extra caffeine doesn’t give regular coffee drinkers an endurance edge—read on.
Supplements for Stronger Bones and Muscles with Age
This review looked at newer nutritional strategies for osteosarcopenia—the loss of both bone density and muscle mass seen with aging, injury, or chronic disease. While calcium and vitamin D remain important, the authors highlight strong evidence that creatine and HMB can help maintain muscle strength and bone health. They also point to early but promising research on prebiotics and probiotics, suggesting gut health may play a role in muscle and bone preservation. Taken together, the evidence shows a shift toward using these supplements as part of prevention and treatment strategies for frailty.
My thoughts: This shows a real paradigm shift. Creatine and HMB, which you’ll find in our HMB+ Creatine, are now being talked about in the same breath as calcium and vitamin D when it comes to protecting bone and muscle as we age—or during injury and illness. That’s a big step forward, and the research keeps pointing in that direction.
Cooler Weather Leads to Faster Marathon Times
This study analyzed data from 1.7 million marathon finishers worldwide to see how air temperature affects performance. Results were clear: cooler races meant faster times. The sweet spot for both elite and recreational runners was 45–59 °F. Above this range, finishing times slowed progressively. Interestingly, elite men appeared more affected by heat than elite women, suggesting possible differences in physiology, hydration, or pacing strategy.
My thoughts: I learned two things here: first, that there’s a defined “ideal temperature” window for marathons; and second, that elite men may actually be more sensitive to heat than elite women. Something for coaches and race planners to keep in mind.
Regular Coffee Drinkers Don’t Get Extra Endurance from Caffeine
This study tested whether a pre-exercise caffeine dose boosts performance in people who already consume caffeine regularly. Recreationally active men and women with low-to-moderate daily caffeine intake completed cycling-to-exhaustion tests after taking either 2.5 mg/kg or 6 mg/kg caffeine, or a placebo. Despite these sizable doses, there were no improvements in endurance time, perceived effort, motivation, or cognitive measures with caffeine compared to placebo. In short, when athletes stick to their normal caffeine habits, extra supplementation doesn’t appear to provide an added performance edge.
My thoughts: The big question here is whether caffeine still gives you a boost if you already drink it daily. This study suggests probably not—at least for endurance events like cycling to exhaustion. For habitual users, that pre-ride caffeine shot may just get you back to baseline. If you want to explore other avenues, check out Blonyx Beta Alanine and Beet It Sport Nitrate 400 for an endurance kick.
That’s all for this week! If you learned something new and are curious to know more, head over to the Blonyx Blog or my growing list of weekly research summaries where I help you further improve your athletic performance by keeping you up to date on the latest findings from the world of sports science.
– Train hard!
Looking for more ways to keep up with Blonyx?
Now, you can join the Blonyx Strava Club to track your progress, share training tips, and connect with athletes who share your athletic ambition.
You can also follow us on Instagram and Facebook for additional sports science information, announcements, exciting giveaways, and more!