Is clean eating always better for athletic performance? Are athletes particularly vulnerable to supplement marketing? And what does good performance nutrition support actually look like? In this episode of the ISESA Podcast, Bruce is joined by Laura Mahony, dietitian and performance nutrition consultant with extensive experience across Olympic sport, professional rugby and Gaelic games.
Picking up on a discussion from the 2026 ISESA Conference, Bruce and Laura explore how nutrition myths and wellness trends can influence athletes' dietary behaviours, sometimes with unintended consequences for their health and performance.They discuss the pressures that can make athletes susceptible to supplement marketing, the importance of evidence-based advice and the risks associated with supplement use, including anti-doping considerations.
The conversation then moves beyond nutritional recommendations to explore what effective performance nutrition support looks like in practice. Laura shares insights into building relationships with athletes, encouraging behaviour change, individualising advice and working within multidisciplinary performance teams. The episode finishes with practical takeaways for athletes, coaches and aspiring practitioners, including why consistency matters more than perfection, and why sometimes the most effective intervention is a small, sustainable change.
Laura's upcoming webinars:
23rd Nov 2026: SENG - GAA Performance Nutrition: Live Online Discussion
26th Nov 2026: Sport Ireland Institute - Fuelling the Female Athlete
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
02:20 Clean Eating, Sugar and Nutrition Myths
07:00 When Healthy Eating Undermines Performance
10:00 Changing Athletes' Beliefs and Behaviours
15:20 Athlete Vulnerability and Supplement Marketing
19:00 Supplement Decision-Making
20:30 Batch Testing and Anti-Doping Risks
25:00 Communicating Evidence and Countering Misinformation
29:40 What Performance Dietitians Actually Do
33:20 Multidisciplinary Teams and Individualised Support
39:50 Balancing Performance and Long-Term Health
42:15 Practical Advice for Athletes, Coaches and Practitioners
48:20 Upcoming Nutrition Webinars
50:40 Closing Reflections
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