nk4320 Sports Nutrition and Doping

Faculty of Sports Studies
spring 2026
Extent and Intensity
13/0/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Michal Kumstát, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Michal Kumstát, Ph.D.
Department of Sport Performance and Exercise Testing – Faculty of Sports Studies
Supplier department: Department of Sport Performance and Exercise Testing – Faculty of Sports Studies
Timetable
Fri 20. 2. 10:45–12:25 E34/203 - seminární místnost, Fri 27. 2. 13:30–15:10 E34/203 - seminární místnost, Fri 20. 3. 17:10–19:40 E34/203 - seminární místnost, Fri 17. 4. 15:45–17:25 E34/203 - seminární místnost, Fri 24. 4. 18:05–19:45 E34/203 - seminární místnost, Fri 15. 5. 8:00–9:40 E34/203 - seminární místnost
Prerequisites (in Czech)
BOZP_OK(bozp_po_stud) && BOZP_OK(bozp_po_stud_fsps)
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Abstract
The aim of the course is to present the principles of sports nutrition in the context of the specific role of a strength and conditioning coach, and to provide current insights into supporting training adaptation, recovery, and athletic performance.
Learning outcomes

After completing the course, the student will be able to:

- Critically evaluate the quality and relevance of scientific studies in the field of sports nutrition and distinguish unsupported claims from evidence‑based practices.

- Synthesize current findings from scholarly literature and apply them when creating nutritional recommendations aimed at supporting recovery and performance.

- Analyze an athlete’s nutritional status and body composition with respect to health risks associated with high training load.

- Identify symptoms of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED‑S) and propose a comprehensive intervention strategy to ensure a safe return to training.

- Design advanced nutritional periodization strategies (e.g., carbohydrate availability manipulation) that purposefully support specific training adaptations and athletic performance across different phases of the annual cycle.

- Apply nutritional principles to the specific demands of various sport disciplines (endurance vs. strength vs. aesthetic).

- Assess the ergogenic potential of dietary supplements using international classification systems (e.g., AIS) and decide on their inclusion in an athlete’s nutrition plan based on a benefit–risk analysis.

- Modify nutritional strategies for specific training and competition scenarios, such as post‑injury recovery (prevention of muscle atrophy), weight manipulation, or dietary preferences arising from alternative eating patterns.

Key topics
Module: Energy Availability and Diagnostics in Practice
  • Topics:
    • From energy balance to Energy Availability (EA).
    • RED-S Syndrome (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport): Diagnostics, hormonal impacts, effects on bone density and performance.
    • Interpretation of body composition: when to measure and when not to measure (psychological risks).
    • Weight manipulation in sport.
Module: Nutritional Periodization in Training and Competition
  • Topics:
    • The "Fuel for the Work Required" concept.
    • Glycogen manipulation: Train Low / Sleep Low vs. Train High strategies.
    • Metabolic flexibility: Fat vs. carbohydrate oxidation at different intensities.
    • Gut training for endurance disciplines.
Module: Supplementation and Ergogenic Support
  • Topics:
    • Classification of supplements (AIS ABCD system).
    • Doping issues: Risks of supplement contamination, the principle of strict athlete responsibility, therapeutic use exemptions (TUE).
Module: Hydration in the Context of Physical Load
  • Topics:
    • Individualizing hydration.
    • Dehydration: causes and solutions.
    • Nutrition and hydration in different environmental conditions.
Module: Recovery, Immunity, and Nutrition During Injury
  • Topics:
    • Nutritional support in preventing anabolic resistance.
    • Immunonutrition: Nutrition as illness prevention during the competitive season.
    • GI tract issues during exercise.
  • Module: Applied Practice
  • Topics:
    • multidisciplinary work of an nutritionist
    • Alternative approaches in elite sport (Vegan, Keto, Intermittent Fasting) – pros and cons.
    • Cooperation coach – nutrition therapist – psychologist.
Study resources and literature
    recommended literature
  • Sports nutrition. Edited by Ron J. Maughan. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell, 2014, xiv, 666. ISBN 9781118275764. info
  • CLARK, Nancy. Sportovní výživa. 3., dopl. vyd. Praha: Grada, 2014, 392 s. ISBN 9788024746555. info
  • VILIKUS, Zdeněk. Výživa sportovců a sportovní výkon. 2. vydání. Praha: Univerzita Karlova v Praze, nakladatelství Karolinum, 2015, 177 stran. ISBN 9788024631523. info
  • BURKE, Louise and Vicki DEAKIN. Clinical Sports Nutrition. Fifth edition. New York: McGraw-Hill Education, 2015, xx, 828. ISBN 9781743073681. info
Approaches, practices, and methods used in teaching
The teaching is conducted through interactive lectures complemented by discussion. The course also includes group-based and project‑oriented learning activities that develop independent thinking and student collaboration. These include inquiry‑based and controversial questions that stimulate critical reasoning, simulated peer review of academic texts to enhance academic literacy, error analysis as a tool for reflection and deeper understanding, and case‑based methods enabling the application of theory to real‑world practical situations.
Method of verifying learning outcomes and course completion requirements

Short reflective assignments following selected lectures submitted via ISU (KvIS).Simulated peer‑review of an academic text (analysis of an assigned article or excerpt); students either present their review during class or upload it to ISU, where they provide mutual evaluation and reflection on each other’s positions. Group and individual case studies (recorded in ISU).
Completion of tasks originating from in‑person teaching contributes to the final course grade.

Oral examination – one theoretical question drawn from the exam topics plus a follow‑up case study (diagnostics + proposal and justification of the intervention).

Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2020, spring 2021, spring 2022, spring 2023, spring 2024, spring 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fsps/spring2026/nk4320