Hector-Center for Nutrition, Exercise and Sports

Pioneering interdisciplinary research within the fields of nutritional and sports medicine

Research and patient care within the field of nutritional medicine have been an important focus in the Department of Medicine 1 for a long time. Thus, it is not surprising that our interdisciplinary nutrition team was one of the first German nutrition teams. Having established the Hector-Center for Nutrition, Exercise, and Sports, a completely clinical research area engaging interdisciplinary in nutrition and exercise/sports, was groundbreaking and has signaling effects far beyond Erlangen.

Patients benefit from our innovative, translational research

Thanks to the very generous support of the Hector-Foundation II, we could establish the Hector-Center for Nutrition, Exercise and Sports at the Department of Medicine 1 in 2016. The facilities of the Hector-Center enable us not only to treat our patients individually and holistically, but they also promote our innovative clinical and experimental research. New findings are immediately integrated into our treatment. Our clinical and scientific focus areas thus bring out important features in research, treatment, teaching and further training.

Nutritional therapy and exercise improve the quality of life

A healthy diet is the basis for a healthy life. Furthermore, it has preventive effects on many acute and chronic diseases. Obesity and chronic diseases have negative effects on the physical fitness and the quality of life. Combining a nutritional therapy with exercise can influence both aspects significantly.

Cancer patients particularly suffer from a progressing muscle loss. This in return may lead to a worsened therapeutic tolerance, followed by disease progression. A personalized nutritional therapy combined with exercise and sports may stop muscle loss and help to rebuild muscles. This in turn not only stabilizes the patients physically, but also has an important influence on the overall disease process.

In patients suffering from food intolerances, a proper nutrition improves significantly the patients’ quality of life. By our diagnostic options, we can detect the factors causing the food intolerances and then help the patients immediately with a personalized diet.