Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Dr Alex Griffiths
Senior Lecturer
Alex is a Senior Lecturer in Nutrition. His research interests relate to the application of nutrition to optimise performance and health in athletes and the general population alike.
Alex completed his PhD at Leeds Beckett University in the Carnegie School of Sport. Alex’s PhD aimed to develop nutritional strategies to overcome the debilitating effects of hypoxia on operational capability and endurance performance. In particular, Alex investigated the role of breakfast consumption and carbohydrate supplementation in inducing beneficial alterations in substrate oxidation during exercise in hypoxia. In addition, Alex’s PhD considered the use of these nutritional strategies as a tool for augmenting energy intake to mitigate body mass losses experienced at high altitude. Further research interests in relation to Sport and Exercise Nutrition include gastrointestinal permeability/damage in response to exercise, and the subsequent investigation of nutritional interventions to mitigate this response.
Alex’s current research interests primarily relate to the role of dietary manipulation in optimising health. Specifically, Alex is currently conducting considerable research investigating the effect of the Mediterranean diet on several health-related outcomes including blood pressure, gut microbiota and healthy ageing. Alex is also currently working as part of a larger project (led by Prof Louisa Ells and Dr Jamie Matu) with Public Health England, conducting a systematic review of systematic reviews investigating the role of obesity on the prevalence, severity and mortality of COVID-19.
Current Teaching
Alex currently teaches on BSc Nutrition and leads the L5 Nutrition and Physical Activity module, as well as the L6 Sports Nutrition module.
Research Interests
Alex's PhD research is used to optimise performance in high altitude mountaineers, military personnel and athlete's alike. The nutritional interventions investigated as part of Alex's PhD provide novel strategies to induce improvements in endurance performance and operational capability for these populations. Alex has conducted work with Leeds Carnegie (currently Leeds Tykes) and Bath Rugby, investigating gastrointestinal permeability/damage in response to rugby related activity. These findings may be used to inform practice and improve gastrointestinal health of these athletes. Finally, Alex's work in relation to Mediterranean diet and COVID-19 provides impactful findings which may be used to promote population health and longevity.
Selected Outputs
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Griffiths A; Shannon OM; Brown T; Davison M; Swann C; Jones A; Ells L; Matu J (In press) Associations between anxiety, depression, and weight status during and after pregnancy: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Obesity Reviews, pp. 1-11.
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Shannon OM; Townsend R; Malcomson FC; Matu J; Griffiths A; Jennings A; Ward N; Papier K; Best N; French C (2024) Adherence to the Eatwell Guide and population and planetary health: A Rank Prize Forum report. Nutrition Bulletin, pp. 1-12.
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Griffiths A; Alhulaefi S; Hayes EJ; Matu J; Brandt K; Watson A; Siervo M; Shannon OM (2023) Exploring the Advantages and Disadvantages of a Whole Foods Approach for Elevating Dietary Nitrate Intake: Have Researchers Concentrated Too Much on Beetroot Juice?. Applied Sciences, 13 (12), pp. 1-20.
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Shannon OM; Ranson JM; Gregory S; Macpherson H; Milte C; Lentjes M; Mulligan A; McEvoy C; Griffiths A; Matu J (2023) Mediterranean diet adherence is associated with lower dementia risk, independent of genetic predisposition: findings from the UK Biobank prospective cohort study. BMC Medicine, 21 (1), pp. 1-13.
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Griffiths A; Brooks R; Haythorne R; Kelly G; Matu J; Brown T; Ahmed K; Hindle L; Ells L (2022) The Impact of Allied Health Professionals on the Primary and Secondary Prevention of Obesity in Young Children: A Scoping Review. Clinical Obesity
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Whyte E; Sutcliffe A; Keegan P; Clifford T; Matu J; Shannon OM; Griffiths A (2022) Effects of partial penectomy for penile cancer on sexual function: A systematic review. PLoS One, 17 (9),
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Chantler S; Griffiths A; Phibbs P; Roe G; Ramírez-López C; Davison G; Jones B; Deighton K (2022) The effect of rugby training on indirect markers of gut permeability and gut damage in academy level rugby players. Eur J Appl Physiol
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Chantler S; Griffiths A; Matu J; Davison G; Holliday A; Jones B (2022) A systematic review: Role of dietary supplements on markers of exercise-associated gut damage and permeability. PLoS One, 17 (4), pp. e0266379.
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Kimble R; Gouinguenet P; Ashor A; Stewart C; Deighton K; Matu J; Griffiths A; Malcomson FC; Joel A; Houghton D (2022) Effects of a mediterranean diet on the gut microbiota and microbial metabolites: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials and observational studies. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, pp. 1-22.
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Griffiths A; Matu J; Whyte E; Akin-Nibosun P; Clifford T; Stevenson E; Shannon OM (2021) The Mediterranean dietary pattern for optimising health and performance in competitive athletes: A narrative review. British Journal of Nutrition
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Shannon OM; Ashor AW; Scialo F; Saretzki G; Martin-Ruiz C; Lara J; Matu J; Griffiths A; Robinson N; Lillà L (2021) Mediterranean diet and the hallmarks of ageing. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
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Chantler S; Griffiths A; Matu J; Davison G; Jones B; Deighton K (2020) The Effects of Exercise on Indirect Markers of Gut Damage and Permeability: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports Medicine
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Cowell OR; Mistry N; Deighton K; Matu J; Griffiths A; Minihane AM; Mathers JC; Shannon OM; Siervo M (2020) Effects of a Mediterranean diet on blood pressure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials and observational studies. Journal of Hypertension
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Griffiths A; Deighton K; Boos C; Rowe J; Morrison D; Preston T; King R; O'Hara JP (2020) Carbohydrate supplementation and the influence of breakfast on fuel use in hypoxia. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
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Margolis L; O'Hara J; Griffiths A; Wolfe R; Young A; Pasiakos S (2020) Isotope tracer assessment of exogenous glucose oxidation during aerobic exercise in hypoxia. Physiological Reports
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Griffiths A; Deighton K; Shannon O; Boos C; Rowe J; Matu J; King R; O'Hara J (2020) Appetite and energy intake responses to breakfast consumption and carbohydrate supplementation in hypoxia. Appetite, 147
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Griffiths A; Shannon O; Matu J; King R; Deighton K; O'Hara JP (2019) Response : Commentary on the effects of hypoxia on energy substrate use during exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 16 (1), pp. 61.
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Griffiths A; Deighton K; Shannon O; Matu J; King R; O'Hara JP (2019) Substrate oxidation and the influence of breakfast in normobaric hypoxia and normoxia. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 119 (9), pp. 1909-1920.
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Griffiths A; Shannon O; Matu J; King R; Deighton K; O'Hara J (2019) The effects of environmental hypoxia on substrate utilisation during exercise : A meta-analysis. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 16 (10),
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Shannon O; Barlow M; Duckworth L; Woods D; Griffiths A; Grindrod A; O'Hara J (2016) The reliability of a pre-loaded treadmill time-trial in moderate normobaric hypoxia. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 37 (10), pp. 825-830.
