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Dr Connor Parker

Lecturer

School of Science & Technology

Staff Group(s)
Sport

Role

Dr Connor Parker is a lecturer in Sport Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, teaching to undergraduate students on the BSc Sport and Exercise Science courses. Currently, he is the module leader of the level 4 Foundation Nutrition and level 5 Sport and Exercise Nutrition modules. Connor also contributes to the Healthy Eating and Applied Nutrition modules on the BSc Sport Science, Health and Nutrition course.

Dr Parker completed his PhD at Nottingham Trent University which focused on the use of novel dietary interventions that target the gut microbiota for supporting health in athletes. Dr Parker’s current research focuses on investigating the role of dietary pro and prebiotics on acute respiratory health, gastrointestinal discomfort and exercise performance. With a keen interest in team-based athletes. Connor is also interested in the impact of exercising in extreme environments on gastrointestinal function and the use of pro and prebiotics in clinical populations.

Career overview

Connor has been a full-time lecturer at NTU since 2023 having originally taught on the FdSc Sport and Exercise Science course as the module leader for various physiology and nutrition modules at the Mansfield Campus. Prior to that, he was an academic associate alongside his PhD studies at NTU, where he collated evidence for a REF impact case study titled: “Targeting the gut microbiome through dietary biotics and physical activity - increasing awareness to improve health of athlete and non-athlete populations”.

Connor has contributed to research projects both in the field and lab, working with several elite men’s and women’s football and rugby union clubs, and Para athletes. He has also conducted nutritional consultancy work for Mansfield Town Football Academy and collaborated with several nutrition-based industries. Two of his projects during his PhD studies were in collaboration with Clasado, where the efficacy of a commercially available prebiotic was investigated in elite rugby union players and recreational team-sport athletes.

https://clasado.com/sports-nutrition-study/

https://clasado.com/gut-microbiome-sports-nutrition-performance/

Research areas

Dr Parker is a member of the Sport, Health and Performance Enhancement (SHAPE) and the Musculoskeletal Physiology and Nutrition Research Group. He leads research that examines how dietary biotic interventions that modulate the gut microbiome can influence athlete health and performance. Which contributes to the High Performing Individuals, Teams and Organisations research theme at NTU.

External activity

Professional affiliations and activities

  • Peer reviewer for scientific journals
  • Dissemination of research at numerous internationally-renowned scientific conferences
  • Invited speaker on topics related to athlete health, nutrition and the gut microbiota
  • Member of the INVESTIGATING THE ROLE OF FUNCTIONAL FOODS AND BEVERAGES TO IMPROVE HEALTH AND RECOVERY (INFORM) Hub

Sponsors and Collaborators

Current and recent research is being conducted with the collaboration, funding and/or support of:

Internal Collaborators

Dr Neil Williams

Dr Graham Sharpe

Dr Michael Johnson

Miss Samantha Abbott

External Collaborators

Food Microbial Sciences Research Group, University of Reading

Clasado Biosciences Ltd.

International Flavors and Fragrances Inc.

Publications

van der Wolf-Ong, J., Parker, C., Procter, E. L., Abbott, S. J., Harries, S., Everton, C., ... & Varley, I. (2026). Daily turmeric and ginger beverage consumption attenuates physical menstrual cycle symptoms in sub-elite female footballers: a pilot study. Physical Activity and Nutrition, 30(1), 1.

Parker, C. J., Abbott, S. J., Butterfield, L. R., Hunter, K. A., Johnson, M. A., Sharpe, G. R., & Williams, N. C. (2026). Prebiotic Bimuno® GOS reduces illness symptoms and supports gut barrier function and immunity after intermittent exercise in the heat. Experimental Physiology.

Abbott, S. J., Parker, C. J., Hough, J., Hunter, K. A., Johnson, M. A., & Williams, N. C. (2026). The Effects of Menstrual Cycle Phase on Gastrointestinal Responses to a Simulated Football Match. European Journal of Sport Science, 26(4), e70157.

Clayton, D. J., Burbeary, R., Parker, C., James, R. M., Saward, C., Procter, E. L., ... & Varley, I. (2024). Combined turmeric, vitamin C, and vitamin D ready-to-drink supplements reduce upper respiratory illness symptoms and gastrointestinal discomfort in elite male football players. Nutrients, 16(2), 243.

Parker C.J., Hunter, K.A., Johnson M.A., Sharpe G.R., Gibson G.R., Walton G.E., Poveda C., Cousins B., Williams N.C. (2023). Effects of 24-week prebiotic intervention on self-reported upper respiratory symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, and markers of immunity in elite rugby union players. Eur J Sport Sci. 2023 Jun 18:1-8. (Voted as 4th best Research Paper in EJSS 2023).

See all of Dr Connor Parker's publications...

Course(s) I teach on