I am very interested in all aspects of how the food we consume can affect our health and performance.
In particular I have focused much of my studies on protein metabolism and how it leads to the preservation and augmentation of muscle mass along with the role of obesity in the development of other disease states.
My current research focuses on the effects of high-protein, Mediterranean-style diets along with resistance training in cardiac-rehabilitation patients in order to see how an increase in muscle mass (and decrease in the the level of sarcopenic obesity) will affect future risk of cardiovascular disease.
Languages
Japanese
Spanish; Castilian
Degrees
2022, Liverpool John Moores University, United Kingdom, PhD Clinical Nutrition
2015, Univesity of Barcelona, Spain, MSc Nutrition and Metabolism
2006, University College Cork, Ireland, BSc Biological Sciences (Microbiology)
Academic appointments
Lecturer in Exercise Physiology, Sports and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, 2023 - present
Associate Researcher, Nutrition, Food Science and Gastronomy, University of Barcelona, 2015 - 2017
Journal article
Kohlhoff G, Kirwan R, Mushtaq S. 2024. The effect of vitamin D supplementation on markers of insulin resistance in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome: a systematic review European Journal of Nutrition, DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Kirwan R, Mazidi M, Butler T, Perez de Heredia FP, Lip GYH, Davies IG. 2024. The association of appendicular lean mass and grip strength with low-density lipoprotein, very low-density lipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein particle diameter: a Mendelian randomization study of the UK Biobank cohort Larsson SC. European Heart Journal Open, 4 :1-10 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Cooke CB, Greatwood HC, McCullough D, Kirwan R, Duckworth LC, Sutton L, Gately PJ. 2024. The effect of discretionary snack consumption on overall energy intake, weight status, and diet quality: A systematic review Obesity Reviews, 25 :e13693 DOI Author Url Publisher Url
Moore E, Patanwala I, Jafari A, Davies IG, Kirwan R, Newson L, Mazidi M, Lane KE. 2023. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials to evaluate plant-based omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patient biomarkers and paramete Nutrition Reviews, DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Kirwan R, Newson L, McCullough D, Butler T, Davies IG, Perez De Heredia Benedicte F. 2023. Acceptability of a high-protein Mediterranean-style diet and resistance exercise protocol for cardiac rehabilitation patients: Involving service users in intervention design using a mixed-methods participatory approach Frontiers in Nutrition, 10 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Prokopidis K, Giannos P, Kirwan R, Ispoglou T, Galli F, Witard OC, Triantafyllidis KK, Kechagias KS, Morwani-Mangnani J, Ticinesi A, Isanejad M. 2022. Impact of probiotics on muscle mass, muscle strength and lean mass: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Kirwan R. 2022. Differential effects of vitamin D on upper and lower body fat-free mass: potential mechanisms Molecular Biology Reports, DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Prokopidis K, Kirwan RP, Giannos P, Triantafyllidis KK, Kechagias KS, Forbes SC, Candow DG. 2022. The impact of branched-chain amino acid supplementation on measures of glucose homeostasis in individuals with hepatic disorders: A systematic review of clinical studies. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Kirwan R, Pérez de Heredia F, McCullough D, Butler T, Davies IG. 2022. Impact of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions on cardiac rehabilitation participation and behaviours in the United Kingdom BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation, 14 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Mazidi M, Kengne AP, Siervo M, Kirwan R. 2022. Association of Dietary Intakes and Genetically Determined Serum Concentrations of Mono and Poly Unsaturated Fatty Acids on Chronic Kidney Disease: Insights from Dietary Analysis and Mendelian Randomization. Nutrients, 14 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Kirwan R, Isanejad M, Davies IG, Mazidi M. 2021. Genetically Determined Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Is Associated with Total, Trunk, and Arm Fat-Free Mass: A Mendelian Randomization Study Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging, DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Kirwan RP, Mazidi M, García CR, Lane KE, Jafari A, Butler T, Pérez de Heredia F, Davies IG. 2021. Protein interventions augment the effect of resistance exercise on appendicular lean mass and handgrip strength in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Mazidi M, Kirwan R, Davies IG. 2021. Genetically determined blood lead is associated with reduced renal function amongst individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus: insight from Mendelian Randomisation Journal of Molecular Medicine, DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
McCullough D, Kirwan R, Butler T, Pérez de Heredia F, Thijssen DHJ, Lip GYH, Mills J, Davies IG. 2021. Feasibility of a high-PRotein Mediterranean-style diet and resistance Exercise in cardiac Rehabilitation patients with sarcopenic obesity (PRiMER): Study protocol for a randomised control trial Clinical Nutrition ESPEN, DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Ma L, Mazidi M, Li K, Li Y, Chen S, Kirwan R, Zhou H, Yan N, Rahman A, Wang W, Wang Y. 2021. Prevalence of mental health problems among children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis Journal of Affective Disorders, 293 :78-89 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Romero-Cordero S, Kirwan R, Noguera-Julian A, Cardellach F, Fortuny C, Moren C. 2021. A Mitocentric View of the Main Bacterial and Parasitic Infectious Diseases in the Pediatric Population International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Kirwan R, McCullough D, Butler T, Pérez de Heredia F, Davies IG, Stewart CE. 2020. Sarcopenia during COVID-19 lockdown restrictions: long-term health effects of short-term muscle loss. Geroscience, DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Medina-Remón A, Kirwan R, Lamuela-Raventós RM, Estruch R. 2018. Dietary patterns and the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, asthma, and neurodegenerative diseases Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 58 :262-296 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Editorial/letter to the editor
Davies IG, Clayton D, Kirwan R, Schmidt MA. 2024. Editorial: Body composition and cardiovascular health Frontiers in Nutrition, 11 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Kirwan R, Mallett GS, Ellis L, Flanagan A. 2022. Limitations of Self-reported Health Status and Metabolic Markers among Adults Consuming a "Carnivore Diet" Current Developments in Nutrition, 6 :nzac037 DOI Author Url Publisher Url
Thesis/Dissertation
Kirwan R. 2022. A high-protein Mediterranean-style diet and resistance exercise for cardiac rehabilitation Perez De Heredia Benedicte F, Davies I, Butler T. Public Url
Conference publication
Perez De Heredia Benedicte F, Kirwan R, Rodriguez Garcia C, Mazidi M, Lane K, Butler T, Davies IG. 2021. Protein interventions augment the effect of resistance exercise on lean mass and strength in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials Richard Kirwan DOI Author Url Publisher Url
Perez De Heredia Benedicte F, Kirwan RP, Davies IG, Butler T. 2019. A high-protein Mediterranean diet and resistance training on the amelioration of cardiometabolic risk markers in cardiac rehabilitation patients with sarcopenic obesity DOI Publisher Url
Chapters
Kirwan R, Lamuela-Raventos RM, Estruch R. 2019. Genetic Individuality and Alcohol Consumption De Caterina R, Martinez JA, Kohlmeier M. Principles of Nutrigenetics and Nutrigenomics Fundamentals of Individualized Nutrition Academic Press 9780128045725 DOI Publisher Url
Membership of professional bodies:
Registered Nutritionist, Association for Nutrition, https://www.associationfornutrition.org/. 2024
Full Member, European Atherosclerosis Society, https://eas-society.org/. 2022
Full Member, American Society for Nutrition, https://nutrition.org/. 2021
Full Member, The Nutrition Society, https://www.nutritionsociety.org/. 2018
Award:
Vice-Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Research (Faculty of Science Winner), Liverpool John Moores University. 2023
Three Minute Thesis, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences Winner, Liverpool John Moores University. 2022
3 Minute Thesis, University Winner, Liverpool John Moores University. 2020
Public engagement:
Public talk or lecture, General public, Invited Speaker, Research Roasters, An opportunity to tell members of the public about my research into muscle and heart disease.. 2023
Conference organisation:
Healthy Muscle Ageing Conference, Co-organiser, https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/conferences/healthy-muscle-ageing-conference. 2023
Conference presentation:
12-weeks of high-protein Mediterranean-style diet and resistance exercise improve Mediterranean-diet score and sarcopenia-related quality of life (SarQol) in cardiac rehabilitation participants, Nutrition Society Summer Conference, Liverpool, Oral presentation. 2023
The association of appendicular lean mass and grip strength with LDL, VLDL and HDL particle diameter: a Mendelian randomization study of the UK Biobank cohort., European Atherosclerosis Society Congress, Mannheim, Germany, Oral presentation. 2023
Genetically Determined Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Is Associated with Total, Trunk, and Arm Fat-Free Mass: A Mendelian Randomization Study, LJMU Postgraduate Research Festiva, Liverpool, Poster presentation. 2022
Protein interventions augment the effect of resistance exercise on lean mass and strength in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials., International Sarcopenia Translational Research Conference, Poster presentation. 2021
A high-protein Mediterranean diet and resistance exercise for cardiac rehabilitation: a pilot randomised controlled trial, Federation of European Nutrition Societies Conference, Dublin, Oral presentation. 2019
A high-protein Mediterranean diet and resistance training on the amelioration of cardiometabolic risk markers in cardiac rehabilitation patients with sarcopenic obesity: study protocol for a randomized control trial, European Congress on Obesity, Glasgow, Poster presentation. 2019
Media Coverage:
"Vitamin D and protein for muscle health". Article for health professionals 2022
"Maintaining muscle in older people: Vitamin D, protein, or exercise?". Webinar 2022
"Sarcopenic obesity: nutritional and exercise interventions to improve patient outcomes". Podcast 2021
"Muscle loss can cause a range of health problems as we age - but it can be prevented"
Article in The Conversation related to a recent review paper highlighting the potential risks of muscle loss (sarcopenia) during the COVID-19 pandemic. 2020
www.barcelona-metropolitan.com
theconversation.com
ca.movies.yahoo.com
"How to keep your strength during the pandemic". Article - The Times
Industrial connections:
Myprotein, Nutritionist Explains: Simplifying nutrition science for the public, https://www.youtube.com/@MyproteinOfficial/search?query=Richie%20Kirwan.