Analysis of Overtime in Soccer (SOCCER-120)

Performance and Physiological Analysis of Overtime in Soccer: Implications for Recovery and Training

A randomized, two-trial (placebo vs. supplement consumption), cross-over, double-blind, repeated measures design will be applied to study i) the performance, metabolic and inflammatory overload of overtime in soccer and ii) how carbohydrate supplementation affects recovery following a football match with overtime. The study will be performed during a brake of the in-season period to mimic a real life setting. A 10-day washout period will be utilized between trials.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Metabolic Stress
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Control Diet; Other: Experimental Diet

Detailed Description

Initially and before the familiarization period, measurement of descriptive variables will be performed: body composition, maximal oxygen consumption, football-specific endurance via YO-YO IE2 and IR2, technical performance, daily diet intake, resting metabolic rate (canopy method), and daily physical activity (IPAQ questionnaire). At this time, volunteers (of equal technical, tactical and physical potential) will be randomly assigned (equally representing all field positions) to two teams.

A 7-day familiarization period will be applied initially during which participants will be accustomed with research procedures, match tactics, and diet (a standard diet will be given based on their dietary analysis, RMR measurement and daily energy expenditure). During this adaptive period, volunteers will participated in light training aimed at developing team cohesion.

Thereafter, the two experimental trials will take place. Each trial will include administration of either a high carbohydrate diet (CHO trial) or standard diet (control trial) and they will be carried out in a random order for each participant. Each trial will included two 120-min matches (M1 and M2) performed 3 days apart according to UEFA official schedules for National teams' tournaments. On match days, volunteers will participate only in morning testing sessions but not practice. Prior to each game, a standard breakfast and meal will be consumed. During each match, players will be allowed to drink only water ad libitum and their water intake will be recorded. Sweat loss during the match will be determined by measuring players' body mass wearing dry shorts immediately before the match, at half time, immediately after the match and immediately after each half of the overtime. Two practice sessions will take place on days 1 and 2 between M1 and M2 designed according to the training model routinely adapted by national football teams during the UEFA EURO tournament. Matches will be organized according to official UEFA regulations. Field activity during matches and practices will be recorded using high time-resolution GPS instrumentation and heart rate monitoring. Following M1 and for the next 3 days until M2, participants will receive either carbohydrate or placebo. Diet intake will be monitored daily throughout the study.

Performance assessments will be performed post-matches and daily between matches.

Blood samples will be collected at baseline as well as at 90 and 120 min of each match and before M2.

Muscle biopsies will be collected at baseline as well as at 90 and 120 min of M1 and before M2.

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

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Greece
  • Trikala, Greece, 42100
    • University of Thessaly, School of Physical Education and Sports Science

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 20 years to 26 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• competitive level for ≥4 years (≥5 training sessions/week, ≥1 match/week)
• no recent history of febrile illness, muscle lesions, lower limb trauma, and metabolic diseases
• no use of ergogenic supplements and medication (for ≥6 prior to the study)
• non-smokers

Exclusion Criteria:

• recent history of febrile illness, muscle lesions, lower limb trauma, and metabolic diseases
• use of ergogenic supplements and medication (for ≥6 prior to the study)
• smoking
• competitive level for < 4 years

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
Active Comparator: Normal CHO	Other: Control Diet; Players during the control trial will be instructed to maintain their normal food intake (~55% CHO) and the type and amount of ingested food will be recorded.
Experimental: High CHO	Other: Experimental Diet; The experimental diet will be administered by the investigators after M1, daily for the next 48 hours (three main meals, i.e. breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and snacks such as energy bars and raisins), and before M2 (breakfast and lunch)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Measurement of countermovement jump height		Change from baseline to 90 minutes and 120 minutes of the game.
Measurement of maximal sprinting speed over 10 meters	10-m sprinting speed will be assessed on the soccer field by utilizing light cells	Change from baseline to 90 minutes and 120 minutes of the game.
Measurement of maximal sprinting speed over 30 meters	30-m sprinting speed will be assessed on the soccer field by utilizing light cells	Change from baseline to 90 minutes and 120 minutes of the game.
Measurement of the capacity to perform repeated sprints	5 x 30m repeated maximal sprints will be performed with 30 sec rest in between. Speed will be recorded by utilizing light cells.	Change from baseline to 90 minutes and 120 minutes of the game.
Measurement of isometric maximal voluntary contraction	Isometric maximal voluntary contraction will be assessed on an isokinetic dynamometer	At baseline
Measurement of total protein content	Total protein content will be assessed on muscle biopsy samples	Change from baseline to 90 minutes and 120 minutes of the game.
Measurement of muscle glycogen content	Muscle glycogen content will be assessed on muscle biopsy samples	Change from baseline to 90 minutes and 120 minutes of the game.
Measurement of muscle phosphocreatine content	Muscle phosphocreatine levels will be assessed on muscle biopsy samples	Change from baseline to 90 minutes and 120 minutes of the game.
Measurement of muscle lactate concentration	Muscle lactate concentration will be assessed on muscle biopsy samples	Change from baseline to 90 minutes and 120 minutes of the game.
Measurement of Na+ - K+ ATPase levels	Muscle Na+ - K+ ATPase levels will be assessed on muscle biopsy samples	Change from baseline to 90 minutes and 120 minutes of the game.
Measurement of creatine kinase activity	Creatine kinase activity will be measured on blood samples	Change from baseline to 90 minutes and 120 minutes of the game.
Measurement of C-reactive protein levels	C-reactive protein levels will be measured on blood samples	Change from baseline to 90 minutes and 120 minutes of the game.
Measurement of leukocyte counts	Leukocyte counts will be measured on blood samples	Change from baseline to 90 minutes and 120 minutes of the game.
Measurement of Interleukin-6 levels	Interleukin-6 levels will be measured on blood samples	Change from baseline to 90 minutes and 120 minutes of the game.
Measurement of Tumor necrosis factor - α levels	Tumor necrosis factor - α levels will be measured on blood samples	Change from baseline to 90 minutes and 120 minutes of the game.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Measurement of reactive strength index		At baseline
Measurement of blood lactate concentration	Lactate concentration will be measured on blood samples	Change from baseline to 90 minutes and 120 minutes of the game.
Measurement of glucose concentration in blood	Glucose concentration will be measured on blood samples	Change from baseline to 90 minutes and 120 minutes of the game.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Thessaly
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Ioannis G Fatouros, Prof, University of Thessaly

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Nuevo M, Mahdavi H, Rodriguez D, Faura T, Fabrellas N, Balocco S, Conti M, Castagna A, Prat S. Evaluation of Safety and Efficacy of ReHub in Patients Who Underwent Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. Int J Surg Protoc. 2021 Apr 19;25(1):34-41. doi: 10.29337/ijsp.138.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 30, 2019
• Primary Completion (Actual): October 17, 2019
• Study Completion (Actual): January 30, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 10, 2019
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 8, 2019
• First Posted (Actual): November 12, 2019

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 18, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 14, 2023
• Last Verified: September 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: recovery; soccer; performance; overtime
• Other Study ID Numbers: SOCCER-OVERTIME-UTH 2019

Drug and device information, study documents

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