Laboratory of Sports and Nutrition Research

The Lab's tab on RSU Research portal

The RSU Laboratory of Sports and Nutrition Research investigates the effects of physical activity, acute exercise, and nutrition on human health. The laboratory’s goal is to identify and analyze mechanisms that improve physical fitness, promote recovery from illness, and optimize nutritional strategies for different populations, including athletes, patients with chronic diseases, and the general public.

The laboratory focuses on understanding how different dietary patterns, physical activity intensities, and types of exercise affect the human body at both molecular and systemic levels. Biomarkers related to muscle function, energy metabolism, inflammation, and oxidative stress are analyzed using state-of-the-art analytical technologies. The laboratory is equipped with advanced instruments, including metabolic analyzers (Cosmed Q-NRG Max), body composition measurement technologies (DXA scan), and cardiopulmonary exercise testing systems (Cosmed Quark CPET). 

This is the first scientific laboratory of its kind in Latvia, with a strong focus on building and strengthening international collaboration.

The laboratory also delivers academic and continuing education, complementing mandatory and elective courses with content on the role of physical activity in the prevention of chronic diseases. The new laboratory is part of RSU’s strategy to promote research excellence, providing opportunities for students to conduct scientific research and for researchers to gain experience and join international projects that advance sports science and its application to everyday health.

Vision

To become the leading research laboratory in the Baltic States, providing innovative research on physical exercise, physical activity, and nutrition for both healthy individuals and people affected by chronic diseases.