Thinking Nutrition – Details, episodes & analysis

Heard about hydrogen water? It is regular water that has extra hydrogen infused in it and it’s one of the latest health trends with proponents claiming it will fight off disease, reduce inflammation, boost energy, improve mental health and enhance athletic performance. That’s quite a list of impressive claims. But what does the research have to say? That’s what I explore in this podcast to see if hydrogen water can live up to the hype or if it should be labelled the latest health hoax.

Links referred to in the podcast

• Systematic review of molecular hydrogen and exercise performance https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1387657/full 
• Hydrogen water and long-COVID https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38794767
• Systematic review of health claims of hydrogen water https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10816294

Episode transcript
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No one nutrient gets greater focus in the sports and performance world than protein – and for good reason. Protein builds and powers our muscles and with that comes strength and performance gains – something just about every athlete wants to have more of. Understanding how dietary protein improves muscle mass, strength and performance is crucial. Two topics that are hotly debated are the role of protein type and timing around a resistance training program. And they’re the topics I’m going to tackle in this podcast episode.

Links referred to in the podcast

• Network meta-analysis on the effect of protein type and timing on muscle and physical performance https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38039960
• Systematic review on the effect of protein supplementation on resistance-training mass and strength gains 2017 https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/52/6/376.long
• Rethinking protein intake and timing needs https://www.mysportscience.com/post/rethinking-protein-intake-needs

Episode transcript
To access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.com

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It is something that all regular and not-so-regular exercisers have experienced: muscle pain and soreness in the days following a particularly hard training session. It is the price paid for the benefits exercise, especially resistance training, can have on growing muscle mass and strength, stability, glucose tolerance and bone density. The list of ways that people deal with exercise-induced muscle soreness is long, but in this podcast, I’ll explore one aspect. And that’s how protein helps with the recovery process and how it can be doing you good even if the aches and pains don’t feel any less.

Links referred to in the podcast

• Meta-analysis on the effect of protein supplementation on exercise-induced muscle damage https://www.nature.com/articles/s41430-022-01250-y
• Review of protein timing https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1550-2783-10-5

Episode transcript
To access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.com

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Cinnamon is a spice that has been used around the world for thousands of years. It is far more than a food accompaniment. It’s the use of cinnamon as a medicinal agent that has scientists interested because of unique compounds found in cinnamon that appear to offer some unique health benefits. In this podcast, I’ll look at those health benefits with the spotlight firmly placed on how cinnamon may help people with diabetes keep their blood sugar levels under better control. 

Links referred to in the podcast 

• Meta-analysis of cinnamon and blood glucose control (2012) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22579946 
• Meta-analysis of cinnamon use in type 2 diabetes (2013) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24019277 
• Meta-analysis of cinnamon use in type 2 diabetes (2019) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30935562 
• Meta-analysis of cinnamon and weight loss trials https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30799194

Episode transcript
To access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.com

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Chocolate. It’s sweet, it’s tasty, we desire it and crave it. It is a food that brings immense pleasure and enjoyment. And in case you were looking for any more valid reasons to eat it, scientific research now confirms that it can be good for you. In this podcast, you’ll learn about the heart, exercise and brain health benefits of chocolate. 

Links referred to in the podcast 

• Meta-analysis of chocolate and cardiovascular disease https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30061161 
• Dark chocolate and exercise performance http://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-015-0106-7 
• Dark chocolate and mental health https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/8/2445/htm 
• Cocoa and cognitive function https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22892813

Episode transcript
To access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.com

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Detox or liver cleansing diets have been around for many years. With astonishing claims of rapid and easy weight loss, improved health, and more energy, they offer the ultimate quick fix to get you healthy again. In this podcast, I will give you the essential guide to detox diets, look at the claims made versus the reality and outline my list of pros and cons for anyone considering going on a cleanse. 

Links referred to in the podcast 

• Review of the evidence for detox diets https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jhn.12286 
• Choice review of detox diets  https://www.choice.com.au/health-and-body/diet-and-fitness/weight-loss/articles/do-detox-products-work

Episode transcript
To access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.com

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"Just cut out processed foods if you want to be healthy". It’s an easy throw-away line loved by nutrition wellness influencers on social media, but such advice shows naivety for what happens to food in its journey to our plate. Almost everything you eat to some extent has been processed, and not all processed foods are bad for the body. Now nutrition researchers are better defining the world of processed foods and here, it is the new term of ‘ultra-processed foods’ that you will be seeing used more in the future. In this podcast, I look at what defines an ultra-processed food and explain how they are now recognised for the unhealthy addition they make to your diet. 

Links referred to in the podcast 

• NOVA classification system  http://www.fao.org/3/ca5644en/ca5644en.pdf 
• Ultra-processed foods and obesity https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7194406 
• Ultra-processed foods, health and mortality https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31623843 
• Clinical trial of ultra-processed foods and weight gain https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31105044

Episode transcript
To access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.com

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What’s blue, round, sweet, grows on a bush and can boost your brainpower? If you answered blueberries, you would be right. Or that should be: ‘mostly right’. The ‘brain-boosting’ part needs a bit more science to catch up to the headlines, but it is looking promising that blueberries may be one food worthy of the ‘superfood’ title. In this podcast, I’ll look at the science behind how blueberries can help keep your brain healthy and functioning well throughout life.  

Links referred to in the podcast 

• Clinical trial of blueberries and brain function  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28249119 
• Berries and cardiovascular disease risk factors: meta-analysis https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4804301 
• Frozen versus fresh blueberries https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1082901 
• Fish oil and rheumatoid arthritis https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28606571

Episode transcript
To access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.com

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Twitter: CroweTim

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common gastrointestinal complaints. Characterised by abdominal pain and bloating and alternating periods of diarrhoea and constipation, this chronic condition can go on to cause anxiety, depression and severely affect the quality of life of a person suffering from it. With no one single identified trigger or treatment, IBS can be a minefield for a person to try and get on top of. Diet changes are one area that can have a positive impact on IBS and in this podcast, I look at the evidence for different approaches from supplements such as peppermint oil right through to the very promising research on low-FODMAP diets. 

Links referred to in the podcast 

• Review on diet and supplements for IBS https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nmo.13951 
•  Meta-analysis of low-FODMAP diet and IBS http://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/134755 
•  Low-FODMAP diet versus traditional advice for IBS www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0016508515010860 
•  Mindfulness and IBS www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6502251

Episode transcript
To access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.com

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Want to keep up with the latest developments in nutrition research? Nothing beats curating your own information-gathering network from a variety of credible sources. But where to start? If you want to keep up with breaking nutrition research like a boss, then this podcast is for you. I’ll let you in on the key journals to subscribe to, the best search databases to use, and profile some of the best secondary sources that do a lot of the curating for you.

Links referred to in the podcast 

• American Journal of Clinical Nutrition https://ajcn.nutrition.org
• Annual Review of Nutrition www.annualreviews.org/journal/nutr 
• European Journal of Clinical Nutrition www.nature.com/ejcn 
• Journal of Nutrition https://jn.nutrition.org
• Nutrition Reviews www.academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews 
• Obesity Reviews www.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/1467789x 
• PubCrawler http://pubcrawler.gen.tcd.ie 
• Science Daily www.sciencedaily.com/news/health_medicine/nutrition 
• Medscape www.medscape.com 
• Examine www.examine.com 
• Effect of diet and exercise on the risk of caesarean-section www.bmj.com/content/358/bmj.j3119

Episode transcript
To access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.com

Connect with me
Instagram: doctimcrowe
Facebook: Thinking Nutrition
Twitter: CroweTim