Creatine, coffee pulp, beetroot
A recent science roundup flagged work on dietary reference intakes for creatine in healthy adults, new data suggesting coffee‑pulp extract may lower cholesterol, and continued athlete use of beetroot juice for performance support. (nutraingredients.com). Those items are part of a broader push toward evidence‑first functional foods and targeted supplements. (nutraingredients.com)
A Nutrition Reviews technical paper by Sergej M. Ostojic was published online Feb. 14, 2026 proposing the first evidence-based dietary reference intakes for creatine for adults aged 19–65. (ctaex.com) The paper estimated irreversible creatine losses at 20 mg/kg/day for men and 15 mg/kg/day for women and translated those values into proposed adequate intakes of ~5.4 mg/kg/day for men (≈400 mg/day for a 75-kg man) and ~4.1 mg/kg/day for women (≈240 mg/day for a 60-kg woman). (scilit.com) Authors classified creatine as a conditionally essential nutrient and singled out vegetarians, vegans, older adults and people with low animal‑product intake as at-risk groups, while also flagging creatine fortification of plant‑based foods as a proposed mitigation strategy. (scilit.com) A randomized, double‑blind, placebo‑controlled trial in Frontiers (n=79 obese adults, BMI ≥25 and LDL‑C ≥130 mg/dL) tested a Coffea arabica pulp aqueous extract taken twice daily for 24 weeks and was published 12 March 2026. (public-pages-files-2025.frontiersin.org) Within the CPE group the trial reported LDL‑C down 14.9%, triglycerides down 18.9% and total cholesterol down 8.0% from baseline at 24 weeks, with HDL‑C up ~6% and no difference in adverse events versus placebo after adjustment. (frontiersin.org) A prior 12‑week randomized trial of coffee cherry/pulp concentrate (n=61) found the product safe at 28 g/day and reported decreased total cholesterol and LDL after ≥8 weeks, with authors calling for larger trials in people with dyslipidemia or prediabetes. (mdpi.com) Recent meta‑analyses and umbrella reviews continue to treat beetroot juice as a population‑specific ergogenic aid, with professional athletes showing smaller, more variable benefit estimates than recreational users in pooled analyses published across 2024–2025. (mdpi.com) An acute crossover study in elite basketball players reported beetroot juice produced transient neuromuscular gains (jump height, peak power, peak rate of force development) in the 0–8‑minute post‑activation window but showed no performance advantage at 16 minutes, underscoring time‑sensitive effects athletes use in competition preparation. (frontiersin.org) NutraIngredients compiled these three items in its March 18–20, 2026 research roundup and noted the coverage as part of a wider industry shift toward evidence‑first functional foods and targeted supplement applications. (nutraingredients.com)
