This study assessed the feasibility and benefits of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) plus lifestyle education among inactive adults with celiac disease. Forty-one participants were randomized to receive the intervention (HIIT plus lifestyle education; HIIT+) for 12 weeks or waitlist control (WLC). Testing was completed at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and 3 months post-intervention. Generalized estimating equations were used to assess changes in the outcome variables over time between the groups. Mean percent of age-predicted maximum heart rate was 97.9% and average rating of perceived exertion was 6.33 (out of 10) during HIIT intervals. Following the intervention, the HIIT+ showed enrichment in relative abundance of Parabacteroides and Defluviitaleaceae_UCG_011 while WLC showed enrichment in relative abundance of Roseburia intestinalis, Klebsiella, and Adlercreutzia. A unique set of taxa were differentially abundant between the groups at 3 months post-intervention. HIIT+ participants experienced a reduction in resting heart rate (−6.6 bpm) immediately post-intervention compared with WLC. Further research is needed to establish an optimal HIIT protocol that may improve maximal oxygen uptake and metabolic syndrome biomarkers. Findings from this pilot study provide preliminary evidence that an HIIT intervention is feasible for inactive adults with celiac disease and leads to favourable changes in resting heart rate alongside potentially beneficial shifts in gut microbiota. Trial registration number: ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT03520244. Novelty: HIIT leads to potentially beneficial changes in the gut microbiota of adults with celiac disease. An HIIT exercise intervention is feasible and well tolerated for patients with celiac disease.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a smartphone app (MyHealthyGut) in helping adults self-manage celiac disease or gluten intolerance and improve their gut health. Adults diagnosed with celiac disease or gluten intolerance (N = 115) were randomized into two groups: experimental group 1 (had access to the app for a one-month period) or wait list control (WLC). After one month, WLC participants were given one-month access to the app (experimental group 2). An online questionnaire was administered to assess (a) user satisfaction with the app and (b) changes in the following patient-reported outcomes: adherence to a gluten-free diet, quality of life (QoL), self-regulatory efficacy, and feelings of depression and anxiety. Generalized estimating equations were used to assess changes in the outcome variables over time between the groups. Participants reported high levels of app usability, were satisfied with features of the app, and felt that the app was best suited for people newly diagnosed with celiac disease. Participants in the experimental groups reported improvements in adherence, gastrointestinal symptoms (experimental group 1 only), QoL, self-regulatory efficacy (experimental group 2 only), anxiety (experimental group 1 only), and depression (experimental group 2 only). Experimental group 1 and the WLC group reported significantly worse adherence after using the app based on the Celiac Dietary Adherence Test, which was in contrast to the accidental and purposeful measures of gluten consumption and symptoms for experimental group 1 but consistent with reports of accidental and purposeful gluten consumption and symptoms for the WLC group. Based on feedback from the participants, the app may be best suited for individuals newly diagnosed or struggling with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. After using the MyHealthyGut app for a one-month period, adults with celiac disease reported improvements in psychosocial outcomes. Further iterations of the app are needed to meet the needs of this population better. MyHealthyGut is the first evidence-based app designed to help people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance.

The purpose of the pilot MOVE-C study was to examine the effects of a 12-week high-intensity interval training (HIIT) plus lifestyle education program on quality of life (QoL), behavioural and psyc...

American football players consume large quantities of animal-sourced protein in adherence with traditional recommendations to maximize muscle development and athletic performance. This contrasts with dietary guidelines, which recommend reducing meat intake and increasing consumption of plant-based foods to promote health and reduce the risk of chronic disease. The capacity of completely plant-based diets to meet the nutritional needs of American football players has not been studied. This modeling study scaled dietary data from a large cohort following completely plant-based diets to meet the energy requirements of professional American football players to determine whether protein, leucine, and micronutrient needs for physical performance and health were met. The Cunningham equation was used to estimate calorie requirements. Nutrient intakes from the Adventist Health Study 2 were then scaled to this calorie level. Protein values ranged from 1.6–2.2 g/kg/day and leucine values ranged from 3.8–4.1 g/meal at each of four daily meals, therefore meeting and exceeding levels theorized to maximize muscle mass, muscle strength, and muscle protein synthesis, respectively. Plant-based diets scaled to meet the energy needs of professional American football players satisfied protein, leucine, and micronutrient requirements for muscle development and athletic performance. These findings suggest that completely plant-based diets could bridge the gap between dietary recommendations for chronic disease prevention and athletic performance in American football players.

Plant-based diets are associated with numerous health benefits, including reduced risks of chronic diseases. However, questions persist regarding the implications of lower dietary intakes of certain non-essential nutrients, such as retinol, vitamin K2, carnitine, and creatine, which are primarily found in animal-derived foods. This narrative review evaluates the roles of these nutrients in human physiology and examines whether their absence in plant-based diets is likely to impact health outcomes. Retinol requirements can be met through the consumption of provitamin A carotenoids in plant foods, even in individuals with reduced conversion efficiency. Endogenous synthesis adequately supports physiological needs for vitamin K2, and currently available evidence does not consistently demonstrate that dietary vitamin K2 provides additional benefits for bone or cardiovascular health. Carnitine and creatine levels may differ between individuals following omnivorous and plant-based diets, but these differences do not result in compromised muscle function, cognitive health, or metabolic outcomes. Current evidence does not indicate that the absence of these non-essential nutrients in plant-based diets adversely affects health or confers disadvantages compared to omnivorous diets.

Despite increasing awareness of plant-based diets for health and athletic performance, athletes are cautioned that careful dietary monitoring is necessary. Whether commonly consumed plant-based diets are nutritionally adequate for maximal muscular hypertrophy remains unknown. This modeling study assessed the nutrient composition of completely plant-based diets scaled to the caloric demands of maximal muscle mass and strength development in adult male bodybuilders. To model calorie requirements, anthropometric data from bodybuilders were input into the Tinsley resting metabolic rate prediction equation, and an appropriate physical activity factor and calorie surplus were applied. Dietary data from a large cohort following completely plant-based diets were then scaled to meet these needs. Modeled intakes for nutrients of interest were calculated as 1.8 g/kg/day of protein and 2.75 g/meal of leucine, which surpass mean requirements for maximal increases in muscle mass and strength and muscle protein synthesis, respectively. Daily levels for all micronutrients, except vitamin D, also exceeded requirements. Saturated fat levels were aligned with dietary guidelines, although sodium levels exceeded recommended limits. Consumption of larger portions of commonplace plant-based diets, scaled to meet the energy demands of maximal accrual of muscle mass and strength, satisfied protein and leucine requirements without the need for additional planning.