Researcher Profile - Alan McCubbin

Alan is an Accredited Practicing Dietitian, Accredited Sports Dietitian (Advanced), sports dietetic researcher and lecturer at Monash University. He also assists with the running of the Nutrition & Exercise Clinic team. Alan completed his Bachelor of Nutrition & Dietetics at Monash 15 years ago, and has since worked with a range of athletes as a practitioner, including both Summer and Winter Olympians and professional cycling teams. Alan is currently completing a PhD at Monash, where he is investigating whether the amount salt in the diet influences the amount lost in sweat during exercise.


Qualifications:

• PhD candidate - final year
• Bachelor of Nutrition & Dietetics - Monash University 
• Diploma of Management
• ISAK accredited Level One Anthropometrist 

Previous roles and activities in sports nutrition:

• Private practice - working with athletes including Olympians (ski cross, sailing), ultra trail runners (including self-sufficient multi-stage events), triathletes from sprint distance to Ultraman, lightweight rowers, boxers, ocean sailors and adventure racers.

• Consultant Dietitian to the search2retain/Attaque Team Gusto Cycling Team (UCI Continental - Europe/Asia) (2012-2017).

• Consultant Dietitian to the Coburg Tigers (VFL) Football Club (2008-2010).

• Author of numerous articles for Cycling Tips, Australian Triathlete Magazine and Trail Run Magazine. 

• Board member of Sports Dietitians Australia (2009-2015)

• President of Sports Dietitians Australia (2013-2015)

• Regular guest speaker to athletes of all levels and in all sports 

• Previous support crew and dietitian for the Tour de Cure cycling charity

Alan was an accomplished cross country skier and international level sailor as a junior. More recently he has competed in endurance mountain biking, but now finds he time divided between completing his PhD and looking after two young children.

Research Publications:

• McCubbin AJ, Costa RJS. The Impact of Dietary Sodium Intake on Sweat Sodium Concentration in Response to Endurance Exercise: a Systematic Review. Int J Sports Sci. 2018. [Link]

• McCubbin AJ, Cox GR, Broad EM. Case Study: Nutrition planning and intake for Marathon des Sables - A series of five runners. Int J Sports Nutr Exerc Metab. 2016;26(6):581-587. [Link]

Conference Abstracts and Presentations:

• Alcock R, McCubbin AJ, Costa RJS. Case Study - Nutrition support for self-sufficient multi-day ultra-endurance running: Rationed versus full energy provisions– Sports Dietitians Australia (SDA) National Conference - Oct 2017

• McCubbin AJ. Low Carb High Fat Vs Traditional Diets for Ultraendurance Performance – Sports Dietitians Australia (SDA) National Conference - Oct 2015

• McCubbin AJ. Nutrient Timing – Practical Applications - Sports Dietitians Australia (SDA) National Conference - Oct 2013

• McCubbin AJ. Running from one end of Australia (and NZ) to the other – a case study of 9 months of non-competitive ultrarunning – Sports Dietitians Australia (SDA) National Conference - Oct 2013

• McCubbin AJ. Nutrition for Endurance Sports - Sports Dietitians Australia (SDA) National Conference - Oct 2011

• McCubbin AJ, Savage K. Working with Sub-elite Sporting Clubs – SDA’s Annual Update Day - May 2010

• Shaw G, McCubbin AJ, Savage K. What are supplementary sports foods and how should they be used – Dietitian’s Association of Australia (DAA) National Conference – May 2010

• McCubbin AJ. Case Study – Kona 24Hr Mountain Bike Race – AAESS/SDA National Conference, Melbourne – March 2008