Welcome to my weekly summary of the latest research from the world of sports science!
Not all supplements are created equal, and the research makes that clearer every year. These three studies look at which supplements actually move the needle for cyclists, whether leucine can improve endurance performance and reduce mental fatigue, and how four weeks of tart cherry extract significantly reduced inflammation in healthy adults—read on!
A Scientific Update on the Best Supplements for Cyclists
This review evaluated the physiology and evidence behind supplements used to directly and indirectly enhance cycling performance. Among ergogenic supplements (those that directly improve performance), the strongest evidence supports carbohydrates, caffeine, creatine monohydrate, beta-alanine, sodium bicarbonate, dietary nitrates, electrolytes, and glycerol. Each is beneficial depending on event demands, from sprint efforts to long endurance races.
The review also covered support-focused compounds such as carnitine, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), and exogenous ketones, which showed more limited or context-specific effects. The authors emphasized using physiological testing on VO₂max, lactate thresholds, sweat sodium, and blood biomarkers to tailor supplementation rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach.
My thoughts: There are plenty of comprehensive supplement reviews out there, so this is really more of an update than anything revolutionary. The usual subjects are (rightly) front and centre. What’s interesting is the growing discussion around carnitine, NAC, quinine and similar compounds. The evidence is building, slowly, but the fundamentals still dominate.
What Happens When Endurance Athletes Take the BCAA Leucine
This six-week randomized trial studied 20 elite cross-country skiers supplementing with 8.5g of leucine twice daily versus a placebo. The leucine group improved ankle muscle strength, VO₂max, and cognitive accuracy during testing, which is a marker of central fatigue. Metabolomics analysis showed that leucine appeared to slow the breakdown of other branched-chain amino acids, particularly valine, which may help preserve muscle function during heavy training. Body composition did not change, and no adverse effects were reported.
My thoughts: Leucine is often called the “anabolic” amino acid, but it’s broken down into HMB and KIC in the body, and those are likely doing much of the physiological work. This study adds an interesting endurance angle, but I’d still see leucine within that broader metabolic context rather than as a magic standalone fix.
Why Tart Cherry Extract Reduces Inflammation and Soreness
This study looked at how taking 500 mg/day of standardized tart cherry extract affected healthy adults over 28 days. A single dose had no effect, but after four weeks, plasma urate (a metabolic waste product) dropped by 2.62 mg/dL and CRP (a key marker of systemic inflammation) fell by 1.36 mg/L compared to a placebo. The authors suggest that the anthocyanins in tart cherry may inhibit uric acid production and aid in its clearance, contributing to lower systemic inflammation overall.
My thoughts: There’s a reason tart cherry juice, like that found in Beet It Regen Cherry+, was so visible at this year’s Tour de France. Tons of riders were seen sipping a dark red liquid after a completing a stage. Heavy training loads elevate inflammation and stress the immune system, which can slow recovery. A natural, real-food-based strategy to blunt that response makes sense. The key here is consistency. This wasn’t acute, it was cumulative.
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 out there!
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