Nutrition in applied and exercise physiology explores the relationship between nutrients and human body functions, focusing on the biochemical processes involved in the absorption, digestion, and utilization of food, nutrients, and other dietary compounds, as well as their impact on human performance [1]. While research on the effects of nutrition in this field (i.e., applied/exercise physiology) dates back to the 20th century [2], the number of publications has increased significantly, particularly since the 1960s, following pioneering studies by Scandinavian physiologists Bergström and Hultman, whose groundbreaking studies demonstrated that muscle glycogen is the primary carbohydrate substrate utilized during exercise in humans [3,4], a finding that likely contributed to the growing interest in the interaction between nutrition and applied/exercise physiology. Over the past 25 years (2000-2024), this interest has led to the publication of more than 1,700 scientific articles on the thematic area [5]; however, despite this remarkable growth, several gaps remain in nutrition in the applied and exercise physiology research area. Notably, there is a significant gender disparity, as only 0-8% of studies in this field have been realized with female participants exclusively [6,7]. Additionally, further research is needed to understand the impact of different dietary approaches (e.g., plant-based or ketogenic diets) on human performance [8,9], or to explore the potential role of sports nutrigenomics in overall health and performance [10]. To address these topics, we launched a Special Issue titled "The Role of Nutrition in Applied Physiology", which attracted submissions from leading researchers and experts in the field. This Special Issue features seven high-quality original research articles and a narrative review. In this editorial, we provide an overview of the key findings from each manuscript.
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