Protein Supplementation and Muscle Recovery in Football (PRO-FOOTBALL)

Effect of Milk Protein Supplementation on Muscle Recovery and Football-specific Performance During an In-season Microcycle With Two Matches

Soccer is an intermittent sport including a high number of powerful actions such as accelerations, decelerations, changes of direction, jumps and impacts that incorporate a strong eccentric component and may therefore lead to skeletal muscle damage. Indeed, match activity is associated with the onset of muscle damage and an acute inflammatory response that result in attenuated performance for as long as 1 to 3 days. In competitive soccer though, multiple matches are performed within a small-time frame resulting in inadequate muscle recovery and reduced field performance. Supplementation with milk proteins following intense exercise protocols has been shown to stimulate protein synthesis and facilitate muscle recovery. Thus, the aim of the present investigation is to examine the effects of milk protein supplementation on muscle recovery and soccer-specific performance during an in-season microcycle with two matches performed three days apart.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Muscle Inflammation; Skeletal Muscle Damage; Soccer Performance; Muscle Recovery
• Intervention / Treatment: Dietary supplement: Placebo; Dietary supplement: Milk protein isolate

Detailed Description

In a double-blind, cross over, repeated measures design 20 men soccer players will receive either placebo (PLA) or milk protein isolate (PRO, 80% casein-20% whey) throughout recovery following two matches performed three days apart. On match days, players will receive a dose immediately after the match (PLA vs PRO: 25g of protein) and then at 3h (PLA vs PRO: 30g of protein) and 6h (PLA vs PRO: 25g of protein) post-match. On each day of the remaining days, players will consume a single dose of PLA or PRO (20g of protein) with breakfast. All players will participate in regular in-season training following matches. Field activity during both matches and daily practices will be monitored using GPS devices. Heart rate will be continuously recorded during each match and training session. Blood samples will be collected at baseline as well as 2 hours after the first match, daily for three days after the first match, 2 hours after the second match and daily for 3 days after the second match. Performance (isokinetic strength, 20-m speed, repeated sprint ability) and muscle soreness will be assessed at baseline daily for 3 days after both matches. Muscle biopsies from vastus lateralis will be collected at baseline and one day after each match.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 20
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Greece
  • Tríkala, Greece, 42100
    • Exercise Biochemistry Laboratory, School of Physical Education & Sports Sciences, University of Thessaly

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 25 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: Male

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• i) participation at elite level (top three division leagues) of soccer competition for at least five years, ii) abstain from consumption of performance-enhancing supplements, antioxidant supplements and medications (for at least 6 months before and during the study), iv) participate in at least six two-hour training sessions per week and played at least one match per week and v) non-smokers.

Exclusion Criteria:

• i) a known milk intolerance or allergy, ii) a recent febrile illness, iii) history of muscle lesion, iv) lower limb trauma and v) metabolic diseases.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Protein; On the match day, 25g of protein consumed immediately after the match and then 30g at 3h (+3h) and 25g at 6h (+6h). On each day of the remaining days, 20 g of protein consumed with breakfast.	Dietary supplement: Milk protein isolate; Milk protein isolate in a powder form consisted of 80% casein and 20% whey protein. 20g were diluted into 500 ml water
Active Comparator: Placebo; On the match day, 500 ml received received orally immediately post-match and then at +3h and +6h. On the remaining days, 500 ml daily with breakfast.	Dietary supplement: Placebo; 500 mL drink that contained water (375 mL), sugar-free cordial (125 mL) and 2 g of low-calorie glucose/dextrose powder.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in creatine kinase in plasma	Concentration of creatine kinase will be measured in plasma	At baseline, at 24h, 48h and 72h post-Match 1 as well as at 24h, 48h and 72h post-Match 2
Change in uric acid in plasma	Concentration of uric acid will be measured in plasma	At baseline, at 24h, 48h and 72h post-Match 1 as well as at 24h, 48h and 72h post-Match 2
Change in protein carbonyls in blood	Concentration of protein carbonyls will be measured in red blood cells	At baseline, at 24h, 48h and 72h post-Match 1 as well as at 24h, 48h and 72h post-Match 2
Change in total antioxidant capacity	Total antioxidant capacity will be measured in plasma	At baseline, at 24h, 48h and 72h post-Match 1 as well as at 24h, 48h and 72h post-Match 2
Change in reduced glutathione in blood	Concentration of reduced glutathione will be measured in in red blood cells	At baseline, at 24h, 48h and 72h post-Match 1 as well as at 24h, 48h and 72h post-Match 2
Change in oxidized glutathione in blood	Concentration of oxidized glutathione will be measured in red blood cells	At baseline, at 24h, 48h and 72h post-Match 1 as well as at 24h, 48h and 72h post-Match 2
Change in malondialdehyde in blood	Concentration of malondialdehyde will be measured in serum	At baseline, at 24h, 48h and 72h post-Match 1 as well as at 24h, 48h and 72h post-Match 2
Change in catalase activity	Catalase activity will be measured in red blood cells	At baseline, at 24h, 48h and 72h post-Match 1 as well as at 24h, 48h and 72h post-Match 2
Change in protein carbonyls in muscle	Concentration of protein carbonyls will be measured in muscle	At baseline, 24h post-Match 1 and 24h post-Match 2
Change in intracellular signaling proteins in muscle	Phosphorylation levels of Akt, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and p70S6K will be measure using western blotting.	At baseline, 24h post-Match 1 and 24h post-Match 2
Change in proteasome activities in muscle	Chymotrypsin-like (CT-L), caspase-like (C-L) and trypsin-like (T-L) proteasome activities will be assayed with hydrolysis of the fluorogenic peptide LLVY-AMC, LLE-AMC and LSTR-AMC, respectively.	At baseline, 24h post-Match 1 and 24h post-Match 2
Change in satellite cells in muscle	Pax7, Myf5, MyoD and Myogenin will be measured in order to quantify quiescent, activated, proliferated-differentiated and fused satellite cells respectively.	At baseline, 24h post-Match 1 and 24h post-Match 2
Change in repeated Sprint Ability	5 x 30 m sprints will be performed with 25 seconds rest in-between. Mean time for 5 sprints and fatigue index will be calculated.	At baseline, at 24h, 48h and 72h post-Match 1 as well as at 24h, 48h and 72h post-Match 2
Change in countermovement jump	Countermovement jump will be assessed on a contact platform	At baseline, at 24h, 48h and 72h post-Match 1 as well as at 24h, 48h and 72h post-Match 2
Change in isokinetic strength of lower limbs	Isokinetic strength will be assessed on an isokinetic dynamometer for both knee extensors and knee flexors at 120 and 180 degrees.	At baseline, at 24h, 48h and 72h post-Match 1 as well as at 24h, 48h and 72h post-Match 2
Change in match activity	Match activity will be continuously recorded during both matches using GPS technology.	During Match 1 and Match 2
Change in heart rate	Heart rate will be continuously recorded during both matches using the Team Polar system.	During Match 1 and Match 2

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Dietary intake	Dietary intake will be assessed using 7-day diet recalls.	Over a 7-day period at baseline.
Change in delayed onset of muscle soreness	Muscle soreness will assessed during palpation of the muscle belly and the distal region of relaxed vastus medialis, vastus lateralis and rectus femoris following three repetitions of of a full squat. Subjects will rate their DOMS on a visual analogue scale (0-10).	At baseline, at 24h, 48h and 72h post-Match 1 as well as at 24h, 48h and 72h post-Match 2
Change in white blood cell count.	White blood cell count will be measured using an automatic blood analyzer.	At baseline, immediately after Match 1, at 24h, 48h and 72h post-Match 1 as well as immediately after Match 2 and at 24h, 48h and 72h post-Match 2.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Thessaly
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: ATHANASIOS POULIOS, PhDc, UNIVERSITY OF THESSALY, SCHOOL OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION & SPORTS SCIENCES

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): May 1, 2016
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 30, 2016
• Study Completion (Actual): September 15, 2016

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 15, 2017
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 17, 2017
• First Posted (Actual): November 20, 2017

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): January 30, 2018
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 26, 2018
• Last Verified: January 1, 2018

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Nervous System Diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Muscular Diseases; Neuromuscular Diseases; Inflammation; Myositis; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Chelating Agents; Sequestering Agents; Caseins
• Other Study ID Numbers: PROTEIN-FOOTBALL RECOVERY-UTH

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No