Dr. Claire Badenhorst.
Sport and Health Physiologist- Grafton Lab + Online
Claire completed a Bachelor of Science (Exercise and Health) in 2011 at the University of Western Australia. She went on to complete honours in Exercise Physiology in 2012, before getting a scholarship to complete her PhD in Exercise Physiology from 2013-2017. Her PhD focused on iron status and metabolism in endurance athletes, with a particular focus on dietary changes and hormones that would affect iron stores. As well as her work here at the Lab, Claire also lectures and supervises students in the BSc in Sport and Exercise Science, Nutrition and Dietetics, at Massey University.
Claire has worked in a number of roles in sport throughout her studies. During her initial studies she completed her Australian Strength and Conditioning Coaching Qualification and has worked as a manager and strength and conditioning coach throughout her undergraduate degree in Rugby Union national, state and development squads in Western Australia. Throughout her research degree and currently she works closely with a range of endurance athletes to monitor training, nutrition and physiology.
As a lecturer as Massey University, Claire co-ordinates the BSc (Sport and Exercise Science) and teaches Sport Nutrition, Exercise Physiology, Functional Anatomy, Biology and some special topics in the post-graduate Masters programmes. She currently supervises a number of PhD and Masters students that are researching topics in strength training in endurance athletes, iron and vitamin D status in females and low energy availability/ RED-S in recreationally active females.
Claire’s special interests lie in iron status in active individuals and females. Her research career had largely focused on this area and she likes to address the larger picture of an athlete’s health. With her research evolving, she now delves into iron and other vitamin interactions and how this impacts health. Other topics of expertise are female adolescent health and well-being, and Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S).
Claire believes that a healthy individual is one that will adapt and perform at their best. This healthy performance will be seen in the every day work, activity or sport, emotional and social interactions. Her focus is always health first and then performance, and this is applicable to people of all abilities. She likes to give people small actionable points that people can understand and take away and use to improve their health and physiology and ultimately help anyone achieve their goals.
Outside of the lab Claire has a ‘full-time’ hobby as a triathlete. She has completed in all distances from sprint through to Ironman. She loves the challenge that the half and full ironman distance and really enjoys the variability of triathlon (juggling 3 sports can be fun).
Check Out Some of Claire’s Research Work:
https://twitter.com/claire_bades
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Claire_Badenhorst