Ep 298 - Smart Nutrition for Brain Health and Function (ft. Danny Lennon and Dr. Shawn Arent)

In this Iron Culture/Sports Nutrition Association/Sigma Nutrition Radio crossover episode, host Eric Trexler is joined by co-host Danny Lennon and guest Dr. Shawn Arent. Dr. Arent is a professor and department chair at the University of South Carolina with a wealth of knowledge and research experience pertaining to nutritional strategies and supplements purported to support brain health and function. In this meeting of the minds, Eric, Danny, and Dr. Arent discuss the brain-related effects of carbohydrate, amino acids, caffeine (and caffeine-related substances), theanine, nicotine, fish oil, creatine, and much more. If you’re interested in preserving the health and function of your brain, listening to this episode is certainly a smart decision.

00:00 Introduction to another crossover episode and Dr Shawn Arent

03:20 Defining cognitive performance and function

07:48 The acute effects of carbohydrates and caffeine on fatigue

13:01 Carbohydrate mouth rinsing and glycogen depletion (and are bodybuilders athletes?)

26:15 The (non-linear) glycogen utilisation response to exercise

29:53 The role of protein (EAAs and BCAAs) on cognitive function 

Daivs 1999 Effects of branched-chain amino acids and carbohydrate on fatigue during intermittent, high-intensity running https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10452228 

36:06 Caffeine dose-response relationship on cognition

40:50 Caffeine timing and dosing strategies

51:38 Optimisation and thinking outside the box to minimise the effects of caffeine on sleep

55:18 Other (interesting) supplements with less evidence

1:01:28 Nicotine and sports culture

1:08:52 Supplementation for brain health and recommendations/protocols for TBIs

1:21:22 Closing out with some final take homes