Dr James Betts
FACSM
Research Funding
Professional Societies
- Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine
- Member of the British Association of Sport & Exercise Sciences
- Member of the Nutrition Society
- Member of the Physiological Society
Profile
Dr Betts joined the University of Bath in 2005 having completed a PhD in Human Muscle Metabolism at Loughborough University and is now a senior lecturer in nutrition and metabolism.
Dietary nutrients and physical exercise both have the potential to substantially alter metabolism and are therefore useful stimuli with which to study how certain metabolic processes may relate to various whole-body outcomes. My research employs this approach from two perspectives: firstly, to better understand how skeletal muscle metabolism is regulated during exercise, with specific reference to any nutritional strategies which can potentially impact upon those aspects of metabolism that limit human performance. In contrast, the parallel strand of my research involves the examination of how dietary manipulation can be used to favourably modify resting metabolism for the purposes of improved health. This latter perspective focuses partly on dietary facilitation of weight management but also directly addresses the molecular and cellular basis of certain metabolic disorders (e.g. type II diabetes), again with a view to exploring any nutritional interventions which may influence relevant metabolic processes.
The above programme of research is intended to advance current understanding in the broad field of human physiology by integrating varied levels of reductionism (i.e. utilising a diverse range of basic and applied science methodologies) in order to comprehensively examine human metabolism at both a mechanistic and a whole-body level. Furthermore, the combination of data relating to human performance and health can provide novel insight regarding the regulation of human metabolism in the widest possible context.
Research interests
- Nutrition and Metabolism
Teaching
Undergraduate
- XX10179: Physiology for sport & exercise science
- HL10040: Introduction to study skills and research methods
- HL20107: Developing study skills and research methods
- HL30054: Environmental physiology, metabolism & nutrition
Publications
Book/s
Betts, J. A., 2010. Nutrition for Post-Exercise Recovery. Saarbrücken, Germany: Verlag Dr. Müller.
Book Sections
Betts, J. A., 2006. Optimizing short-term recovery: post-exercise protein ingestion. In: Hoppeler, H., Reilly, T., Tsolakidis, E., Gfeller, L. and Klossner, S., eds. Book of Abstracts: 11th Annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science. Cologne: Sportverlag Strauss, p. 423.
Articles
Betts, J., Stokes, K. A., Toone, R. J. and Williams, C., 2013. Growth hormone responses to consecutive exercise bouts with ingestion of carbohydrate plus protein. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 23 (3), pp. 259-270.
Betts, J. and Thompson, D., 2012. Thinking outside the bag (not necessarily outside the lab). Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 44 (10), p. 2040.
Betts, J.A., 2012. Laboratory controlled trials are different from clinical trials. BMJ, 345 (7870), e5425.
McGawley, K., Shannon, O. and Betts, J., 2012. Ingesting a high-dose carbohydrate solution during the cycle section of a simulated olympicdistance triathlon improves subsequent run performance. Applied Physiology Nutrition and Metabolism, 37 (4), pp. 664-671.
Betts, J. A., Beelen, M., Stokes, K. A., Saris, W. H. M. and van Loon, L. J. C., 2011. Endocrine responses during overnight recovery from exercise: impact of nutrition and relationships with muscle protein synthesis. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 21 (5), pp. 398-409.
Betts, J. A., Thompson, D., Richardson, J. D., Chowdhury, E. A., Jeans, M., Holman, G. D. and Tsintzas, K., 2011. Bath Breakfast Project (BBP) - Examining the Role of Extended Daily Fasting in Human Energy Balance and Associated Health Outcomes: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial [ISRCTN31521726]. Trials, 12, 172.
Betts, J. A. and Stevenson, E., 2011. Should protein be included in CHO-based sports supplements? Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 43 (7), pp. 1244-1250.
Bailey, D. M., Williams, C., Betts, J., Thompson, D. and Hurst, T., 2011. Oxidative stress, inflammation and recovery of muscle function after damaging exercise: Effect of 6-weeks mixed antioxidant supplementation. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 111 (6), pp. 925-936.
Betts, J. A. and Williams, C., 2010. Short-term recovery from prolonged exercise: exploring the potential for protein ingestion to accentuate the benefits of carbohydrate supplements. Sports Medicine, 40 (11), pp. 941-959.
Turner, J. E., Markovitch, D., Betts, J. A. and Thompson, D., 2010. Nonprescribed physical activity energy expenditure is maintained with structured exercise and implicates a compensatory increase in energy intake. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 92 (5), pp. 1009-1016.
Betts, J. A. and Zachwieja, J. J., 2010. Carbohydrate and protein metabolism for endurance exercise: where do we go from here? Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 42 (Supplement 1 5), p. 28.
Thompson, D., Markovitch, D., Betts, J. A., Mazzatti, D. J., Turner, J. and Tyrrell, R. M., 2010. Time-course of changes in inflammatory markers during a 6-mo exercise intervention in sedentary middle-aged men: a randomized-controlled trial. Journal of Applied Physiology, 108 (4), pp. 769-779.
Toone, R. J. and Betts, J. A., 2010. Isocaloric carbohydrate versus carbohydrate-protein ingestion and cycling time-trial performance. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 20 (1), pp. 34-43.
Betts, J. A., Toone, R. J., Stokes, K. A. and Thompson, D., 2009. Systemic indices of skeletal muscle damage and recovery of muscle function after exercise: effect of combined carbohydrate-protein ingestion. Applied Physiology Nutrition and Metabolism, 34 (4), pp. 773-784.
Betts, J. A., Stokes, K. A., Toone, R. J. and Williams, C., 2009. Endocrine Responses To Repeated Exercise Bouts With Varied Macronutrient Ingestion During Recovery. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 41 (Supplement 1), pp. 151-152.
Betts, J. A. and Toone, R. J., 2008. Combined carbohydrate-protein ingestion and recovery from accustomed/unaccustoned exercise. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 40 (Supplement 1 5), p. 59.
Betts, J. A., Williams, C., Boobis, L. and Tsintzas, K., 2008. Increased carbohydrate oxidation after ingesting carbohydrate with added protein. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 40 (5), pp. 903-912.
Ostler, L. M., Betts, J. A. and Gore, C. J., 2008. Gross cycling efficiency is not altered with and without toe-clips. Journal of Sports Sciences, 26 (1), pp. 47-55.
Betts, J. A. and Williams, C., 2007. Carbohydrate ingestion during recovery from prolonged exercise. Agro Food Industry Hi-Tech, 18 (2), pp. 50-53.
Betts, J., Williams, C., Duffy, K. and Gunner, F., 2007. The influence of carbohydrate and protein ingestion during recovery from prolonged exercise on subsequent endurance performance. Journal of Sports Sciences, 25 (13), pp. 1449-1460.
Betts, J. A., Williams, C., Boobis, L. and Tsintzas, K., 2006. The effect of carbohyrdate-protein mixtures on muscle glycogen resynthesis following prolonged treadmill running. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 38 (Supplement 1 5), S37.
Betts, J. A., Duffy, K., Gunner, F. and Williams, C., 2005. Recovery of endurance running capacity following ingestion of carbohydrate plus protein. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 37 (Supplement 1 5), S419.
Betts, J. A., Stevenson, E., Williams, C., Sheppard, C., Grey, E. and Griffin, J., 2005. Recovery of endurance running capacity: Effect of carbohydrate-protein mixtures. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 15 (6), pp. 590-609.
Betts, J. A., Williams, C., Grey, E. and Griffin, J., 2004. The influence of carbohydrate-protein mixtures on recovery of endurance capacity. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 36 (5), S42-S42.
