Allostatic load in athletes

Explore our lecture series on ‘Allostatic load’ with Prof. Mike Gleeson and Prof. Asker Jeukendrup. In these talks, Mike and Asker explain what allostasis means, how it differs from homeostasis, and why allostatic load may be one of the most important but underused concepts in sport science. The speakers examine how allostatic load relates to training adaptation, performance change, and athlete monitoring, with practical insight into how it may be applied in sport.

What we will cover:
  What is allostasis, and how is it different from homeostasis?
  What does allostatic load mean in the context of sport?
  How can allostatic load be measured in athletes?
  What are the potential benefits of monitoring allostatic load?
  What strategies can help reduce the risk of allostatic overload?

Professor Michael Gleeson

Professor Michael (Mike) Gleeson is a biochemist and exercise physiologist with a PhD in energy metabolism, whose academic career has focused on the interaction between diet, exercise, and physiological adaptation. His early research examined how dietary manipulation influences metabolism and performance during high-intensity exercise, before expanding to include the effects of exercise on immune function, an area in which he is internationally recognised.

Over an illustrious career, Professor Gleeson has published over 200 peer-reviewed papers in exercise physiology, biochemistry, immunology, and sports nutrition, and is widely recognised as a leading authority in exercise immunology and exercise biochemistry. He co-authored several influential textbooks, including the widely used Sport Nutrition, as well as texts in exercise biochemistry and exercise immunology. Since retiring in 2016, he has written a series of evidence-based lifestyle books for the general public, including Eat, Move, Sleep, Repeat and Beating Type 2 Diabetes.

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Professor Asker Jeukendrup

Professor Asker Jeukendrup is one of the world’s leading sports nutritionists and exercise physiologist who spent most of his career as a professor at the University of Birmingham (UK) as Head of The Human Performance Laboratory. Currently he is a (visiting) professor at Loughborough University. He has authored 9 books and over 250 research papers and book chapters. During his career Asker has worked at the forefront of research as well as directly with athletes, including Olympic and World champions, Tour de France cyclists and Champions league football teams.

After many years of working at Universities, Asker accepted a position as the Global Senior Director of the Gatorade Sports Science Institute. At present he is the director of his own performance consulting business “Mysportscience”, and worked or works with a number of football clubs (including FC Barcelona, Chelsea, Red Bull Leipzig, Red Bull Saltzburg and PSV Eindhoven). He is head of performance nutrition of the Red Bull Athlete Performance Center, and Performance Manager of Nutrition for the Dutch Olympic team.

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