Unlocking the secret to endurance

UTS Researchers: Dr Katie Slattery

Can Australian athletes gain the benefits of high altitude training that international competitors retain by taking a single supplement?  Together with a team of researchers from UTS, the Australian Institute of Sport and NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) researchers, Dr Katie Slattery is investigating whether boosting elite athletes’ antioxidant intake with the supplement N-acetylcysteine (NAC) will improve their performance.

Elite swimmers, middle distance runners and triathletes will trial NAC during their altitude training camps to test whether the athletes that take NAC will be able to stay healthy, train harder and have an accelerated red blood cell production. If the data supports the proposed mechanisms of the supplement, it can be utilised in elite training programs with far less cost and logistical difficulty than training in higher altitude international venues.

This research aims to improve competitive performances and impact Australian athletes’ performances in major international competitions, including the upcoming Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

"I'm really excited to be able to test and train our athletes in one location. The resources and facilities like the Exercise Physiology Research Laboratory and the Environmental Laboratory are invaluable to our research students and industry partners because they allow us to build our capacity in endurance physiology research.”- Dr Katie Slattery