Each week in my Research Update, I distill the latest sports science research into practical insights to help you improve your training, performance, and recovery.

In this week's update:

• Why Some Carbs Wreck Your Gut and Some Don’t
  
• How Much Creatine the Brain Actually Needs
• Which Type of Protein Helps Build the Most Muscle?
  

 

Why Some Carbs Wreck Your Gut on Race Day and Some Don’t

This review looked at how FODMAPs (poorly absorbed, fermentable carbohydrates found in foods like wheat, dairy, fruit, legumes) contribute to gastrointestinal distress during exercise. Endurance exercise reduces blood flow to the gut, making it more sensitive to these carbohydrates, which can draw water into the intestine and ferment, producing gas. Across multiple studies, short-term FODMAP restriction (from 24 hours up to a week) consistently reduced bloating, cramping, diarrhea, and urgency during exercise. However, many high-FODMAP foods are also excellent carbohydrate sources, and avoiding them long term is not recommended due to potential impacts on fueling and gut health.

My thoughts: As someone who’s sensitive to FODMAP foods, I’ve learned what my stomach likes before training or competition, and more importantly, what it doesn’t. I also find it hard to remove FODMAP foods from my diet completely, because they’re often some of the best foods for athletes. Knowing they’re high-value fuels makes me feel better about using them strategically rather than avoiding them altogether. 

 

We’re Not Sure How Much Creatine the Brain Actually Needs

This review examined whether creatine supplementation improves brain health and cognitive performance. While creatine plays an important role in brain energy metabolism and may help under stress (like sleep deprivation), benefits in healthy individuals appear modest and inconsistent. The authors emphasize that it’s still unclear how much creatine is required to meaningfully increase brain creatine levels, and some evidence suggests even a single high dose can raise levels, challenging claims that very high daily intakes are needed long-term. For athletes, the cognitive upside may exist, but it’s subtle. 

My thoughts: Creatine and brain health are being hyped far too aggressively right now. This paper brings things back to reality. The effects are likely small, hard to measure, and context-dependent. Outside of drugs or steroids, nutritional adjustments like creatine create small shifts that matter over time with consistency. This is why Blonyx HMB+ Creatine is built around a consistent 5g daily dose. Creatine isn’t magic, but it’s very much worth taking.

Which Type of Protein Helps Build the Most Muscle?

This meta-analysis reviewed 78 randomized trials comparing 13 protein supplements paired with resistance training. Only collagen and whey protein consistently improved strength and fat-free mass compared to a placebo. Collagen ranked highest for both muscle strength and lean mass improvements, with whey coming second. Other protein types, including soy, rice, casein, pea, beef, and more, did not show statistically significant advantages over the placebo in this analysis. Overall differences were modest but meaningful when combined with resistance training.

My thoughts: A solid attempt to answer the “which protein works best?” question. Collagen ranking above whey is interesting here. They didn’t include egg white protein, which is surprising given that it has the highest Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER) and an excellent Biological Value (BV). As always, resistance training drives the growth and protein just supports it. The hierarchy matters, but only once the basics are covered.

 

That’s all for this week.

If you learned something new and are curious to know more, check out more articles and my growing list of weekly Blonyx Research Updates 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.

— That's all for now, train hard!

 

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