Matthew Cole

Associate Professor in Sport and Exercise Nutrition
School of Health Sciences
- Email:
- matthew.cole@bcu.ac.uk
- Phone:
- 0121 300 4181
As a registered sport and exercise nutritionist, Matt has provided nutrition support to a variety of elite athletes and teams, as well as being part of the anti-doping team at the 2012 London Olympic Games.
Matt has significant experience of teaching and leadership in the higher education sector, and has taught across a range of sports-related degree programmes at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. He has also presented at international sports science conferences and published research in a number of peer-reviewed journals.
His main interests lie in endurance sport - whether it is undertaking research on distance cyclists, providing nutrition support to local athletes or running marathons.
Areas of Expertise
- Performance nutrition
- Dietetics
- Endurance
- Exercise physiology
- Ergogenic aids/anti-doping
Qualifications
- PhD in Sports Science – University of Kent
- PgCert in Learning and Teaching – Canterbury Christ Church University
- MSc Sport and Exercise Nutrition – Loughborough University
- BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Sciences – University of Birmingham
Memberships
Sport and Exercise Nutrition Register (SENr)
British Dietetic Association (BDA)
Research
Matt's primary research interest lies in the influence of nutritional interventions on gross efficiency during cycling. Furthermore, he has particular interest in the physiological responses to a nutritional stimulus during exercise (mainly central fatigue and muscular function) and the impact of this on endurance performance.
Publications
Journal Articles
Carter, J.L, Lee, D, Ranchordas, M.K., and Cole, M. (2022) Perspectives of the barriers and enablers to nutritional adherence in professional male academy football players. Science & Medicine in Football. In Press.
North, M., Kelly, A.L., Ranchordas, M.K., and Cole, M. (2022) Nutritional considerations in high performance youth soccer: A systematic review. Journal of Science in Sport & Exercise. doi: 10.1007/s42978-022-00171-3
Carter, J.L, Kelly, A.L., Williams, R.A., Ford, T. and Cole, M. (2021). Exploring sports nutritionists’ and players’ perspectives of nutrition practice within English professional football during the COVID-19 pandemic. Science & Medicine in Football. doi: 10.1080/24733938.2021.1984559
Dimundo, F., Cole, M., Blagrove, R.C., McAuley, A.B.T., Till, K. & Kelly, A.L. (2021). Talent identification in an English Premiership rugby union academy: Multidisciplinary characteristics of selected and non-selected male under-15 players. Front. Sports Act. Living doi: 10.3389/fspor.2021.688143
Dimundo, F., Cole, M., Blagrove, R., Till, K., McAuley, A. B., Hall, M., ... & Kelly, A. L. (2021). Talent Identification and Development in Male Rugby Union: A Systematic Review. Journal of Expertise, 4(1), 33-55.
Lun Foo W., Cole M., Kelly A.L., Faghy M. and Gough L.A. (2021) No Independent or Synergistic Effects of Carbohydrate-Caffeine Mouth Rinse on Repeated Sprint Performance During Simulated Soccer Match Play in Recreational Soccer Players. Science & Medicine in Football. doi: 10.1080/24733938.2021.2021277
Newbury J.W., Cole M., Kelly A.L., ….. and Gough L.A. (2021) The time to peak blood bicarbonate (HCO3−), pH, and strong ion difference (SID) following sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) ingestion in highly trained adolescent swimmers. PLOS ONE, doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248456
Safi, A., Cole, M., Kelly, A. and Walker, N. (2021) An Evaluation of Physical Activity Levels amongst University Employees. Advances in Physical Education, 11, 158-171. doi: 10.4236/ape.2021.112012.
Hudson, J., Cole M., Stewart, C., Morton, J., & Close, G. (2020) Daily changes of RMR in elite contact sport athletes: Is this the marker of recovery we’ve been looking for? Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 52(3):637-644.
Kelly, A. L., Wilson, M. R., Gough, L. A., Knapman, H., Morgan, P., Cole, M., ... & Williams, C. A. (2020). A longitudinal investigation into the relative age effect in an English professional football club: Exploring the ‘underdog hypothesis’. Science and Medicine in Football, 4(2), 111-118.
Wakerley, B. R., Warner, R., Cole, M., Stone, K., Foy, C., & Sittampalam, M. (2020). Cerebrospinal fluid opening pressure: the effect of body mass index and body composition. Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery, 188, 105597.
Cole, M., Peek, H., & Cowen, D.S. (2018). UK consumer perceptions on a novel till-receipt ‘traffic-light’ nutrition system. Health Promotion International. doi: 10.1093/heapro/day007.
Cole, M., Hopker, J.G., Wiles, J.D., & Coleman, D.A. (2017). The influence of acute carbohydrate and caffeine feeding strategies on cycling efficiency. Journal of Sport Sciences, 37(7): 817-823.
Williams, B., Clarke, R., Aspe, R., Cole, M., & Hughes, J. (2017). Managing performance throughout periods of travel. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 39(4): 22-29.
Fryer, S., Stoner, L., Lucero, A., Witter, T., Scarrott, C., Dickson, T., Cole, M., & Draper, N. (2015). Haemodynamic kinetics and intermittent finger flexor performance in rock climbers. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 36(2), 137-142.
Hughes, J.D., Pitchers, G., How, S., & Cole, M. (2014). The relationship between vertical leg stiffness and gross mechanical efficiency in cyclists. Journal of Science and Cycling, 3(2), 21
Cole, M., Coleman, D.A., Hopker, J.G., & Wiles, J.D. (2014). Improved gross efficiency during long duration submaximal cycling following a short-term high carbohydrate diet. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 35, 265-9.
Rollo, I., Cole, M., Miller, R., & Williams, C. (2010). Influence of mouth rinsing a carbohydrate solution on 1-h running performance. Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise. 42(4):798-804
Conference Presentations
Cole M., Hopker J.G., Wiles J.W and Coleman D.A.Ingestion of a carbohydrate drink during exercise attenuates the ‘normal’ decrease in cycling efficiency. Presented at American College of Sports Medicine Annual Conference, San Francisco, 2012.
Cole M., Hopker J.G., Wiles J.W and Coleman D.A. Ingestion of a high carbohydrate diet during recovery from prolonged cycling exercise does not influence subsequent gross efficiency. Presented at American College of Sports Medicine Annual Conference, San Francisco, 2012.
Cole M., Hopker J.G., Wiles J.W and Coleman D.A. Carbohydrate ingestion improves gross cycling efficiency & subsequent time trial performance. Presented at European College of Sports Science (ECSS) Annual Congress, Barcelona 2013.
J. Hughes, G Pitchers, S. How and M. Cole. The relationship between vertical leg stiffness and cycling efficiency in trained cyclists. Poster presented at World Congress of Cycling Science, Leeds 2014
Book Chapter
Cole M and Mitchell N (2012). Nutritional Considerations for Optimal Cycling Performance. In J Hopker & S Jobson (Eds). Performance Cycling: The Science of Success. London: A&C Black.