Nutrition and Foods Program

Background

Dr. Wentz is an Associate Professor in Nutrition at Appalachian State University, a Registered Dietitian, and a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics. Dr. Wentz has international experience working with elite athletes and service members, first as the dietitian for Florida State Athletics, then US Army Special Forces, followed by a move to the United Kingdom where she completed a clinical trial to improve performance and immune function in British military recruits. She has coauthored manuscripts on performance and immune health in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, European Journal of Nutrition, Nutrients, Military Medicine, and Journal of Sport and Health Science. Her research focus is sports nutrition to improve health and performance, by examining how nutrition influences metabolism, inflammation, and immune function during exercise.

EDUCATION

Post-Doctoral Research Officer 2015-2017
Sports Science, Bangor University, Wales, United Kingdom

Doctor of Philosophy 2006-2011
Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
Major: Nutrition and Food Science

Master of Science 2004-2006
University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Major: Food Science and Human Nutrition

Dietetic Internship 2005-2006
University of Florida Shands HealthCare, Gainesville, FL

Bachelor of Science 2000-2004
Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Schreyer Honors College
Major: Nutritional Sciences with Honors in Nutritional Sciences

RESEARCH INTERESTS

• Sports nutrition to fuel for performance, by examining how nutrition influences metabolism, inflammation, and immune function during exercise and recovery. 

PROFESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS

• Harrison SE, Oliver SJ, Kashi DS, Carswell AT, Edwards JP, Wentz LM, Roberts R, Tang JC, Izard RM, Jackson S, Allan D, Rhodes LE, Fraser WD, Greeves JP, Walsh NP. Influence of vitamin D supplementation by simulated sunlight or oral D3 on respiratory infection during military training. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2021, 53(7): 1505-1516. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000002604.
• Tillotson KC, Wentz LM, Roy M, Berry-Cabán CS. Testosterone and vitamin D concentrations in military personnel following traumatic brain injury. J Mil Vet Health. 2021, 29 (1): 44-51.
• Kashi DS, Oliver SJ, Wentz LM, Roberts R, Carswell AT, Tang JC, Jackson S, Izard RM, Allan D, Rhodes LE, Fraser WD, Greeves JP, Walsh NP. Vitamin D and the hepatitis B vaccine response: A prospective cohort study and a randomized, placebo-controlled oral vitamin D3 and simulated sunlight supplementation trial in healthy young adults. Eur J Nutr. 2020, 60: 475-491. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-020-02261-w.
• Nieman DC, Valacchi G, Wentz LM, Ferrara F, Pecorelli A, Woodby B, Sakaguchi CA, Simonson A. Mixed flavonoid supplementation attenuates post-exercise plasma levels of 4-hydroxynonenal and protein carbonyls in endurance athletes. Int J Sports Nutr Exerc Metab. 2020, 30(2): 112-119. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.2019-0171.
• Nieman DC, Wentz LM. The compelling link between physical activity and the body’s defense system. J Sport Health Sci. 2019, 8(3): 201-217. doi: 10.1016/j.jshs.2018.09.009.
• Wentz LM, Ward MD, Potter C, Oliver SO, Jackson S, Izard RM, Greeves JP, Walsh NP. Increased risk of upper respiratory infection in military recruits who report sleeping less than six hours per night. Mil Med. 2018, Nov; 183(11-12): e699-e704. doi: 10.1093/milmed/usy090.
• Carswell AT, Oliver SJ, Wentz LM, Kashi DS, Roberts R, Tang JCY, Izard RM, Jackson SS, Allan D, Rhodes LE, Fraser WD, Greeves JP, Walsh NP. Influence of vitamin D supplementation by sunlight or oral D3 on exercise performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2018, Dec; 50(12): 2555-2564. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001721.
• Wentz LM, Nieman DC, McBride JE, Gillitt ND, Williams LL, Warin RF. Carbohydrate intake does not counter the post-exercise decrease in natural killer cell cytotoxicity. Nutrients. 2018, Nov; 10(11): E1658. doi: 10.3390/nu10111658.
• Wentz LM, Liu PL, Ilich JZ, Haymes EM. Female distance runners training in southeastern United States have adequate vitamin D status. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2016; 26(5): 397-403.
• Wentz LM, Berry-Cabán CS, Wu Q, Eldred JD. Vitamin D correlation with testosterone concentration in male soldiers and veterans. JMVH. 2016; 24(3): 17-23.
• Hiserote AM, Berry-Cabán CS, Wu Q, Wentz LM. Correlations between Vitamin D Concentrations and Lipid Panels in Active Duty and Veteran Military Personnel. Int J Sports Exerc Med. 2016; 2(1): 2:034.
• Wentz LM, Berry-Caban CB, Eldred JD, Wu Q. Vitamin D Correlation with Testosterone Concentration in US Army Special Operations Personnel. FASEB J. 2015; 29: Suppl 733.5.
• Wentz LM. Does vitamin D status affect resilience and recovery from mild traumatic brain injury in military personnel? Austin J Nutr Food Sci. 2014; 2(5): 4.
• Wentz LM, Eldred JD, Henry MD, Berry-Caban CB. Clinical relevance of optimizing vitamin D status in soldiers to enhance physical and cognitive performance. J Spec Oper Med. 2014; 14(1): 58-66.
• Wentz L, Liu PL, Ilich JZ, Haymes EM. Dietary and training predictors of stress fractures in female runners. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2012; 22(5): 374-82.
• Wentz L, Liu PL, Haymes EM, Ilich JZ. Females have a greater incidence of stress fractures than males in both military and athletic populations: A systematic review. Mil Med. 2011; 176(4): 420-30.

COURSES TAUGHT

• NUT 2202 Nutrition and Health
• NUT 4000 Nutrition Counseling
• NUT 4200 Advanced Nutrition I
• NUT 4206 Advanced Nutrition II

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

• American College of Sports Medicine
• Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietetics Association