The Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietitians Association (CPSDA) Applies Cutting Edge Nutrition Science to Human Performance
Nutrition's Role in Improving Vision, Neural Efficiency a Key Focal Point for Elite Sports and Military Dietitians in 2015, Beyond.
CHICAGO, June 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The 7th Annual Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietitians Association (CPSDA) conference gave some of the most influential sports and military dietitians an early peek at new, innovative research that could reshape the future of human performance nutrition.
The research, which was published by the University of Georgia's Vision Sciences Laboratory in the Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics and the Public Library of Science (PLOS ONE), demonstrates that consuming 20 mg of dietary zeaxanthin daily speeds up visual processing speed, or the speed at which our eyes and brain communicate, by 20% after 4 months. According to Dr. Billy Hammond, the study's author and lead vision sciences researcher at the University of Georgia, the studies are unique because it is the first time researchers have been able to speed up visual processing speed using dietary zeaxanthin as a nutritional approach.
Dr. Hammond was featured as guest speaker at the 2015 Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietitians Association Conference in Point Clear, Alabama. "Dr. Hammond brings valuable insight and research that will continue to educate CPSDA members making them leaders in fueling athletes and improving performance," said Scott Sehnert, CPSDA President and Director of Sports Nutrition at Auburn University.
Zeaxanthin has long been at the forefront of vision research. To date, hundreds of studies have been published around its optical effects, specifically its role in warding off macular degeneration. Its role in human performance, specifically how it improves vision and neural efficiency is relatively new according to Dr. Hammond.
CPSDA's members, who make up the majority of advanced practice registered dietitians working full-time with college and professional sports, see a broad range of implications for athletes.
In 2012, CPSDA partnered with ZeaVision Holdings Inc, a Chesterfield, Missouri based company that makes the EyePromise brand of NSF Certified zeaxanthin-based nutritional products. "Vision and response time are two of an athlete's most critical assets," according to Sehnert. "Having NSF Certified zeaxanthin-based nutritional products will allow us as dietitians to stay ahead of the curve in terms of maximizing human performance."
To view the full study manuscript, click here.
About CPSDA
The Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietitians Association (CPSDA) is a national membership organization for sports dietitians. CPSDA advocates for full-time sports dietetic positions to develop, manage and effectively operate all nutrition related functions for athletic and military programs. For more information, please visit www.sportsrd.org
EyePromise is a Charter Sponsor of CPSDA. In considering sponsorships, CPSDA partners with organizations that align with the association's goals of safely fueling athletes and improving performance.
Contact:
Sarah Markey
Email
(312) 498-3224
SOURCE The Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietitians Association (CPSDA)
Share this article