Institute for Optimum Nutrition

Institute for Optimum Nutrition Since 1984. Accredited, university validated nutritional therapy training, short courses & CPD. All our courses are delivered online.

Founded in 1984 by Patrick Holford, the Institute for Optimum Nutrition (ION) is a leading educational establishment in the United Kingdom for training and supporting nutritional therapists, and one of the most respected and accredited bodies of its kind in Europe. Our mission is to educate and enthuse, instilling personalised nutrition as the foundation of health for all. We specialise in professional courses for adult learners seeking to change professions or add nutrition to their current practice. ION offers flexible routes to professional qualifications in personalised nutrition. Optional in-person enhancement days are available for case study workshops and meeting industry partners. All courses are delivered online giving a stimulating, challenging, and rewarding learning experience. We provide a unique fusion of education, professional practice and research. Our staff bring their professional practice experience, varied backgrounds and talents to build our creative global learning community. Our aim is to nourish, empower and transform people through our education and equip them to be able to make informed choices around nutrition and lifestyle decisions. Organisation accreditation: British Accreditation Council (BAC)

Course accreditation: Nutritional Therapy Education Council (NTEC)

Course validation: University of Portsmouth (UoP)

We are proud to announce that ION is now registered with the Office for Students 🎓This means eligible students can now a...
02/10/2026

We are proud to announce that ION is now registered with the Office for Students 🎓

This means eligible students can now apply for student finance to study with us.

As part of the registration process, independent academic assessors took a close look at our teaching, assessment and student support. Their report praises the "impressive range of support" we offer and confirms our courses meet sector-recognised standards.

For over 40 years, we've been training nutritional therapists and nutrition and lifestyle advisors. Now, a career in personalised nutrition is more accessible than ever.

🗓️ Want to find out more? Join us TOMORROW for our final in-person Open Day of the year in Richmond. Meet the ION team, hear from guest speakers, enjoy lunch on us and take home a wellness goody bag. https://www.ion.ac.uk/open-event/in-person-open-event?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=promo&utm_campaign=October+Open+Event&utm_id=Promo+Open+Event+October

đź“ž Can't make it? Our friendly course advisors are here to help with eligibility, course choice and funding:
+44 (0) 20 8614 7815
[email protected]
ion.ac.uk/speak-to-an-advisor

29/09/2026

Fasting has gone from ancient ritual to modern research topic, and practitioners need to know what the evidence actually says.

Join Layla Gordon on Wednesday 14 October for this live CPD session, exploring the history of fasting and its cultural and religious roots, before moving into the science behind time-restricted eating, 5:2 fasting, prolonged fasting and fasting-mimicking diets.

You'll come away able to:
🥑 Critically evaluate the evidence behind different fasting approaches and recommend the right strategy for each client
🧬 Explain the biological mechanisms of fasting, from metabolic switching to autophagy, in a way clients understand
🛡️ Safely implement fasting protocols, from screening and contraindications to preparation, monitoring and re-feeding
đź“‹ Apply the latest research on fasting, metabolic health and healthy ageing to build evidence-based, personalised programmes
🌟 Support clients with confidence through their fasting journey, including knowing when a structured fasting-mimicking diet is the right clinical option

Live CPD | BANT 5 hours | NNA 5 hours | ION CPD 5 hours

đź”— Book your place now! https://www.ion.ac.uk/cpd-live-online-event/fasting?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=promo&utm_campaign=CPD+Fasting&utm_id=CPD+Fasting

24/09/2026

We’re proud to be supporting the NMI Summit 2026, bringing together some of the world’s leading experts to explore this year’s timely theme:

Longevity and Biological Ageing: Enhancing Health into Advanced Age

📅 9–10 October 2026
đź“Ť Millennium Gloucester Hotel, London

This two-day event will feature insights from internationally recognised researchers, scientists, and clinicians, including Dr Jeff Bland, Professor Helene McNulty, Dr Felice Gersh, Dr Denise Furness, Dr Laurens Maas, Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel, Professor Anna Nicolaou, Dr Sally Moorcroft, Professor Kostas Tsintzas, Natalie Burrows, and Benjamin Brown.

What’s included:
✔️ 12 expert-led sessions focused on longevity and healthy ageing
✔️ Access to leading brands and services in the exhibition area
✔️ Healthy refreshments and lunch throughout the event
✔️ Conference tote bag and comprehensive course materials
✔️ Video recordings and supplementary research resources
✔️ 10 accredited CPD hours
✔️ Gala Evening social event included with your ticket

🎟️ Exclusive Offer

We have secured 20 discounted tickets available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Use code nmi26-ion-20 at checkout to receive 20% off:
• Full Price: £495 → £396

Tickets can be purchased at nmi.health/summit-2026

Please note that once all 20 discounted tickets have been claimed, the code will no longer be valid.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Our final in-person Open Day of the year is almost here! 🌱Thinking about a career in personalised nutrition? Join us on ...
23/09/2026

Our final in-person Open Day of the year is almost here! 🌱

Thinking about a career in personalised nutrition? Join us on Saturday 3 October in Richmond to explore our courses, meet the team and hear from people already doing the work.

Here's who you'll meet:

✨ Sally Temple, our Acting Head of Undergraduate Courses, will open the day with a warm welcome to ION
✨ Marjolein Dutry van Haeften, ION graduate and founder of Hormoniously, a clinic specialising in endometriosis, PCOS, PMDD and fibroids, will share her journey into practice
✨ Claire Gardin from Doctors Data will explain how functional testing supports personalised care, and introduce a new Doctors Data bursary for Nutritional Therapy students

You'll also get a full course overview, a live Q&A, a complimentary lunch and a goody bag to take home.

đź“… Saturday 3 October, 9:30am to 2:30pm
đź“Ť Richmond and Hillcroft Adult Community College, Parkshot, TW9 2RE

Places are limited. Book now https://www.ion.ac.uk/open-event/in-person-open-event?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=promo&utm_campaign=October+Open+Event&utm_id=Promo+Open+Event+October đź”—

On 30 October, join us at BMA House in London for a tribute to Heather, followed by a seminar on Mitochondria: Cellular ...
21/09/2026

On 30 October, join us at BMA House in London for a tribute to Heather, followed by a seminar on Mitochondria: Cellular Motherboard. Far more than the powerhouse of the cell, mitochondria influence energy, metabolism, immune health, ageing and disease.

Hear from:
Emma Beswick on the three genomes: host, mitochondria and microbiome
Dawn Waldron on life, death and SOD
Moira Newiss on mood, mind and mitochondria

🗓️30 October 2026, 3.30pm to 7.45pm
đź“ŤBMA House, Tavistock Square, London
ÂŁ60 per ticket

Book your place at the link in our bio, or at ion.ac.uk/live-events/mitochondria

18/09/2026

Nicole Rose Taylor, our Assistant Head of Undergraduate Courses, headed to RAF Benson to deliver a talk on insulin resistance: The Silent Crisis, at their health and wellness event.

She spoke in place of our much-loved Dean, Heather Rosa, and paused at dawn to honour her before the day began as Heather loved her sunrise walks. đź’š

The takeaway? Insulin resistance isn't just a type 2 diabetes issue. It can build quietly for around 20 years before blood glucose shifts on a test, and it's shaped by far more than macros. Sleep and stress play a huge part too.

Thank you to everyone at RAF Benson for the warm welcome and the brilliant conversations.

The September ION newsletter lands in your inbox at 6pm today: how daylight sets your body clock, Season 5 of the Optimu...
17/09/2026

The September ION newsletter lands in your inbox at 6pm today: how daylight sets your body clock, Season 5 of the Optimum Nutrition Podcast kicking off with Patrick Holford on whether Alzheimer's is genetic and how nutrition can support brain health, a graduate's journey from epidemiology to nutritional therapy, and a low-carb kedgeree to try tonight!

Don't miss it! https://ion740.activehosted.com/f/37?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAcGRvZgJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA85MzY2MTk3NDMzOTI0NTkAAafonnqsWJX_iLfr4ahlW36Q_jyXKU1s5emWF6jMZrwCcxdtr6EGa3NLXzBDaA_aem_W-hMGz0LduxNYlAVaBgmPQ

We're proud to be supporting the NMI Summit 2026 on 9–10 October at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel, London!This year's ...
15/09/2026

We're proud to be supporting the NMI Summit 2026 on 9–10 October at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel, London!

This year's theme, "Longevity and Biological Ageing: Enhancing Health into Advanced Age," brings together world-leading researchers, scientists, and clinicians to explore the latest advances in healthy ageing and longevity.

Exclusive 20% discount available using code nmi26-ion-20 at checkout.
We have 20 discounted tickets available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Secure your place at nmi.health/summit-2026

We’re at the Health Optimisation Summit — come find us at Stand C14!Great to see so many industry partners, ION students...
12/09/2026

We’re at the Health Optimisation Summit — come find us at Stand C14!

Great to see so many industry partners, ION students and graduates stopping by, and a brilliant turnout for our trustee Christine Bailey’s talk on menopause and metabolic health.

Drop by if you’re at the show today, we’d love to say hello and talk with you about all things personalised nutrition! 💚

Day 2 at the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine Conference brought two brilliant ION graduates to the stage. Yesterda...
12/09/2026

Day 2 at the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine Conference brought two brilliant ION graduates to the stage.

Yesterday, Debbie Pyke spoke on “Moving Beyond the Myth of the Perfect Diet”, challenging the idea that there’s one “right” way to eat.

Neetha Lobo, one of our most recent graduates, took to the stage at 2pm to present her research on Nutritional Assessment of Diet Quality and Potential Deficiencies in Individuals Using GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Medications — timely work as GLP-1 use continues to grow.

So proud to see our community leading these conversations. Well done, Debbie and Neetha! đź‘Ź

Address

Lower Ground, Evergreen Studios, Little Green
London
TW91QE

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 5:30pm
Thursday 9am - 5:30pm
Friday 9am - 5:30pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Institute for Optimum Nutrition posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organisation

Send a message to Institute for Optimum Nutrition:

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category