代謝體學是指有系統地測量生物體代謝物分佈與含量之科學方法，為一項全面性解析代謝物圖譜之策略。代謝體學主要是運用質譜儀或核磁共振的分析技術平台，針對生物體液(如血液、尿液或腦脊髓液)或各項組織檢體的一次或二次小分子代謝物進行分析與檢測。藉由偵測小分子代謝物之消長差異情形，除了可以當作特定生物標記之外，亦可協助瞭解不同生化反應路徑之整體變化，進而反映出生物系統之整體表現。近年來，代謝體學放運用在運動科學研究的數量逐漸增加，藉由全面的分析其代謝物探討不同運動模式下所造成的生理或病理狀態的變化情形。此技術亦被應用於分析營養介入後生化代謝路徑變化情形。相較於傳統的分析技術僅能侷限於特定代謝物，新穎的代謝體學將可藉由分析全面代謝物分布狀況，對運動與營養介入後各種生化代謝路徑變化做全面性分析，故期望此技術平台所提供的代謝體資訊可以在未來運用於個人化運動營養或運動員訓練計畫等用途。

Metabolomics is the systematic and scientific study of biological metabolites and is a global characterization system of metabolic profiles, or chemical fingerprints, in biological samples. The nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS)-based metabolomic platforms are used for detecting primary or secondary small-molecule metabolites in biological fluids (e.g., blood, urine, or cerebrospinal fluid), as well as in tissue samples. The variations in small-molecule metabolites in biological samples could be key biomarkers for use as specific indicators of certain physical conditions as well as useful for the global profiling of metabolites involved in different metabolic pathways in individuals. The metabolome is a highly discriminatory platform. Thus, to better understand the physiological and pathological changes that occur under different exercise conditions, an increasing number of metabolomics-based studies has been conducted and published in sports science in recent years. This technology could also be applied to measure the biochemical/metabolic impact of nutritional intervention. The novel metabolomics technologies could be applied to unravel metabolic characteristics of individuals with nutritional or exercise intervention in ways superior to the traditional biochemical techniques that measure only a limited number of metabolites. The probable future applications of metabolomic information utilization are the creation of individualized exercise plans or athlete training programs.