Dear coaches,
This week: why there isn't one set path to a career in sports nutrition, whether Vimto-flavoured electrolytes can change hydration behaviour, and the latest performance nutrition news.
🧠EXPERT OPINION
Speaking to the Performance Nutrition Network on a recent webinar, Liam Brown wanted practitioners to know something about his role at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute.
"I really want to highlight that there isn't one set path to follow to gain a career in sports nutrition."
He's saying this because his own path looked nothing like what most people expect.
No sports science undergraduate. No PhD. He moved between food industry and sports nutrition multiple times. Nutrition and food science degree. GSK placement. Kellogg's contractor. Sports nutrition master's. Crewe Alexandra. Back to PepsiCo's health team. Then GSSI.
When the hiring manager reviewed his application, something stood out:
"They found it really interesting actually that I had a degree in two different areas."
That varied background became his strength. He understands regulatory requirements from big food companies. He knows product development. He's worked with frontline factory workers and Premier League footballers. He speaks the language of scientists, marketers, and athletes.
The industry often presents one clear pathway: undergraduate, master's, PhD, then applied role. And for many pursuing research careers, that makes complete sense.
But Liam's journey shows there are other routes to impact in this field.
The question isn't whether PhDs are valuable (they absolutely are). The question is what serves your specific goals.
Want to lead research programmes? Push scientific boundaries? A PhD trains you for that.
Want to work directly with athletes? Build education resources? Support teams in applied settings? There are multiple pathways that can get you there, each building different skills.
📈NEWS
Scottish Athletics line up clinical and sports dietitian Cara Sloss to deliver an “Introduction to Performance Nutrition” webinar.
INFORMED announce a webinar with Mel Sulaver (Nutrition By Mel) on safe supplementation for pregnant and postpartum athletes.
Dr. Laurent Bannock shares that the IOPN is entering a new chapter and strengthening its leadership team.
Hull FC confirm PAS as the club’s performance nutrition and recovery partner.
The Nutrition Society are hiring a Science Manager role to lead research, education, and online learning for a global nutrition community.
West Ham United post an Academy Nutrition Placement, offering hands-on experience.
Will Girling announces new role with BORA–hansgrohe.
At Stanford’s Female Athlete Research Meeting, Emily Kraus and Kristen Gravani co-moderate a “Nutrition and Fuelling” panel on timing, gut health and under-fuelled female runners.
On Fuelin, sports dietitian Megan Foley drops “Fueling Women With Carbs,” encouraging female athletes to embrace carbohydrates to support performance instead of fearing them.
EXALT become official sports nutrition drink supplier to Tottenham Hotspur Women, fuelling performance and wellbeing.
Matthew North showcases Hexis “in the wild” with athletes and staff.
Dylan McVeigh reflects on how simple, consistent nutrition habits can outperform complex fuelling plans.
Crystal Palace are hiring a lead academy performance nutritionist.
Shane Malone joins the Elite Sports and Performance Enhancement section of Frontiers in Sports and Active Living as an Associate Editor.
Nottingham Forest advertise a Lead Nutritionist role to design, drive, and implement the club’s performance nutrition strategy across first team and pathway players.
💡PERFORMANCE TECH
Vimto Electrolytes
Applied Nutrition partnered with Vimto to make electrolyte tablets taste like a childhood treat instead of a chalky, salty tablets.
The question: does familiar branding actually change hydration behaviour?
The formulation itself is standard—250-300mg sodium per tablet, plus potassium and magnesium. Effervescent format eliminates friction: one tube, one bottle.
The Vimto flavour makes athletes want to drink it, not just feel they should.
The nostalgia factor compounds this. Familiar branding lowers psychological resistance—athletes associate Vimto with reward, not work. That emotional memory could shift hydration from conscious effort to automatic behaviour.
Second-order effects worth watching: Does taste-driven adherence improve baseline hydration status across squads? Do athletes self-regulate intake better when the behaviour feels less clinical?
Informed-Sport batch testing enables bulk purchasing without compliance risk.
Wide availability at Tesco, Asda, Superdrug, and Amazon.
Check out Applied Nutrition Electrolytes here →
Thanks for reading. If you missed last week’s issue you can read it here →
Written by Alfie Gordon