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Consensus Statements-Optimizing Performance of the Elite Athlete.
Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2025 Aug; 35(8):e70112.SJ

Abstract

The International Consensus Conference "Optimising Performance of the Elite Athlete," held in November 2024, brought together 29 scientists, some coaches, and athletes to establish evidence-based consensus statements aimed at enhancing elite athletic performance and health. The conference addressed critical themes including training strategies, nutrition, female athlete considerations, injury management, and emerging technologies. Key conclusions emphasize individualized, sport-specific approaches to training and nutrition, integrating concurrent training modalities to improve endurance, resilience, and efficiency. Nutrition strategies highlight the importance of tailored energy and macronutrient periodization, recognition of low energy availability risks, and cautious use of dietary supplements. Special attention was directed to female athletes, advocating for improved monitoring of menstrual cycles and hormonal status, while acknowledging current knowledge gaps in hormonal influences on performance and injury risk. Injury prevention remains a challenge, with tendon overuse and Achilles tendon ruptures significantly impacting athlete careers; rehabilitation should rely on criteria-based progression and multidisciplinary input. Emerging technologies, including wearable sensors and multi-omics analyses, hold promise for personalized training and nutrition but require further validation in elite contexts. Despite robust consensus, the panel identified substantial research gaps, particularly regarding female athletes, longitudinal training effects, and efficacy of novel interventions. This consensus provides a practical, scientifically grounded framework to optimize elite athlete performance and health, while underscoring the need for continued research to address outstanding questions and promote inclusive evidence-based practices.

Authors+Show Affiliations

Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.Department of Sport Science, Linnaeus University, Växjö, Sweden.Institute of Sports Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital - Bispebjerg, and Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.Department of Human Health and Nutritional Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.Orthopedic Clinic, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. International Olympic Committee, Lausanne, Switzerland.School of Health and Human Performance, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland. Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, Pensacola, Florida, USA.University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.Molecular Muscle Mass Regulation Laboratory, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA.Department of Public Health and Sport Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.Department of Sport, Physical Education and Health, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.Institute of Sports Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital - Bispebjerg, and Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.Institute of Sports Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital - Bispebjerg, and Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.Department of Physical Education and Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain. Department of Physical Performance, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Oslo, Norway. School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK.Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.Institute of Sports Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital - Bispebjerg, and Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.Team Danmark (Danish Elite Sports Organization), Copenhagen, Denmark.Team Danmark (Danish Elite Sports Organization), Copenhagen, Denmark.Team Danmark (Danish Elite Sports Organization), Copenhagen, Denmark. Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Consensus Development Conference
Review

Language

eng

PubMed ID

40781883

Citation

Bangsbo, Jens, et al. "Consensus Statements-Optimizing Performance of the Elite Athlete." Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, vol. 35, no. 8, 2025, pp. e70112.
Bangsbo J, Hostrup M, Hellsten Y, et al. Consensus Statements-Optimizing Performance of the Elite Athlete. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2025;35(8):e70112.
Bangsbo, J., Hostrup, M., Hellsten, Y., Hansen, M., Melin, A., Kjær, M., Burr, J. F., Engebretsen, L., Egan, B., Hackney, A. C., Chambers, T. L., Jones, A. M., Pitsiladis, Y., Magnusson, P., Petersen, J., Deshmukh, A. S., Calbet, J. A. L., Elliott-Sale, K., Joyner, M., ... Moesgaard, L. (2025). Consensus Statements-Optimizing Performance of the Elite Athlete. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 35(8), e70112. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.70112
Bangsbo J, et al. Consensus Statements-Optimizing Performance of the Elite Athlete. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2025;35(8):e70112. PubMed PMID: 40781883.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Consensus Statements-Optimizing Performance of the Elite Athlete. AU - Bangsbo,Jens, AU - Hostrup,Morten, AU - Hellsten,Ylva, AU - Hansen,Mette, AU - Melin,Anna, AU - Kjær,Michael, AU - Burr,Jamie F, AU - Engebretsen,Lars, AU - Egan,Brendan, AU - Hackney,Anthony C, AU - Chambers,Toby L, AU - Jones,Andrew M, AU - Pitsiladis,Yannis, AU - Magnusson,Peter, AU - Petersen,Jesper, AU - Deshmukh,Atul S, AU - Calbet,Jose A L, AU - Elliott-Sale,Kirsty, AU - Joyner,Mike, AU - Andersen,Jesper L, AU - Christensen,Peter M, AU - Dünweber,Michael R, AU - Rømer,Tue, AU - Wickham,Kate A, AU - Jessen,Søren K, AU - Kissow,Julie, AU - Jeppesen,Jan S, AU - Moesgaard,Lukas, PY - 2025/07/07/revised PY - 2025/01/24/received PY - 2025/07/22/accepted PY - 2025/8/9/medline PY - 2025/8/9/pubmed PY - 2025/8/9/entrez SP - e70112 EP - e70112 JF - Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports JO - Scand J Med Sci Sports VL - 35 IS - 8 N2 - The International Consensus Conference "Optimising Performance of the Elite Athlete," held in November 2024, brought together 29 scientists, some coaches, and athletes to establish evidence-based consensus statements aimed at enhancing elite athletic performance and health. The conference addressed critical themes including training strategies, nutrition, female athlete considerations, injury management, and emerging technologies. Key conclusions emphasize individualized, sport-specific approaches to training and nutrition, integrating concurrent training modalities to improve endurance, resilience, and efficiency. Nutrition strategies highlight the importance of tailored energy and macronutrient periodization, recognition of low energy availability risks, and cautious use of dietary supplements. Special attention was directed to female athletes, advocating for improved monitoring of menstrual cycles and hormonal status, while acknowledging current knowledge gaps in hormonal influences on performance and injury risk. Injury prevention remains a challenge, with tendon overuse and Achilles tendon ruptures significantly impacting athlete careers; rehabilitation should rely on criteria-based progression and multidisciplinary input. Emerging technologies, including wearable sensors and multi-omics analyses, hold promise for personalized training and nutrition but require further validation in elite contexts. Despite robust consensus, the panel identified substantial research gaps, particularly regarding female athletes, longitudinal training effects, and efficacy of novel interventions. This consensus provides a practical, scientifically grounded framework to optimize elite athlete performance and health, while underscoring the need for continued research to address outstanding questions and promote inclusive evidence-based practices. SN - 1600-0838 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/40781883/Consensus_Statements-Optimizing_Performance_of_the_Elite_Athlete DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -