PMID- 38306312 OWN - NLM STAT- Publisher LR - 20240202 IS - 1530-0315 (Electronic) IS - 0195-9131 (Linking) DP - 2024 Jan 31 TI - Recovery During Successive 120-min Football Games: Results from the 120-min Placebo/Carbohydrate Randomized Controlled Trial. LID - 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003398 [doi] AB - PURPOSE: To examine the recovery kinetics (i.e. time-dependent changes) of performance-related variables between two 120-min male football games performed three days apart with and without carbohydrate (CHO) supplementation. METHODS: 20 male players (20 +/- 1 years; body fat: 14.9 +/- 5.1%; VO2max: 59.4 +/- 3.7 mL*kg-1*min-1) participated in two 120-min football games (G1, G2) according to a randomized, two-trial, repeated measures, cross-over, double-blind design. Participants received carbohydrate/Placebo supplements during recovery between games. Field activity was monitored during the games. Performance testing and blood sampling were performed before, at 90- and 120-min of each game. Muscle biopsies were collected at baseline, 90- and 120-min of G1 and pre-G2. RESULTS: Compared to G1, G2 was associated with reduced total distance (10,870 vs. 10,685 m during 90-min and 3,327 vs. 3,089 m during extra 30-min; p = 0.007-0.038), average (6.7 vs. 6.2 m*s-1 during extra 30-min match-play; p = 0.007) and maximal speed (32.2 vs. 30.2 m*s-1 during 90-min and 29.0 vs. 27.9 m*s-1 during extra 30-min; p < 0.05), accelerations/decelerations (p < 0.05) and mean HR (p < 0.05). Repeated sprint ability (p < 0.001), jumping (p < 0.05) and strength (p < 0.001) performance were compromised before and during G2. Muscle glycogen was not restored at G2-baseline (p = 0.005). Extended game-play reduced lymphocyte, erythrocyte counts, hematocrit, hemoglobin, reduced glutathione (p < 0.05) and increased DOMS, creatine kinase activity, blood glycerol and ammonia (p < 0.05) and protein carbonyls (p < 0.05) before and during G2. Pax7+ (p = 0.004) and MyoD+ cells (p = 0.019) increased at baseline-G2. Carbohydrate supplementation restored performance and glycogen, reduced glycerol and DOMS responses, and increased leukocyte counts and Pax7+ and MyoD+ cells. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that extended football games induce a prolonged recovery of performance which may be facilitated by carbohydrate supplementation during a congested game fixture. CI - Copyright (c) 2024 by the American College of Sports Medicine. FAU - Ermidis, Georgios AU - Ermidis G AD - Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, SDU Sport and Health Sciences Cluster (SHSC), University of Southern Denmark, Odense, DENMARK. FAU - Mohr, Magni AU - Mohr M FAU - Jamurtas, Athanasios Z AU - Jamurtas AZ AD - Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Karies, Trikala, GREECE. FAU - Draganidis, Dimitrios AU - Draganidis D AD - Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Karies, Trikala, GREECE. FAU - Poulios, Athanasios AU - Poulios A AD - Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Karies, Trikala, GREECE. FAU - Papanikolaou, Konstantinos AU - Papanikolaou K AD - Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Karies, Trikala, GREECE. FAU - Vigh-Larsen, Jeppe AU - Vigh-Larsen J AD - Department of Public Health, Section of Sport Science, Aarhus University, Aarhus, DENMARK. FAU - Loules, Georgios AU - Loules G AD - Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Karies, Trikala, GREECE. FAU - Sovatzidis, Apostolos AU - Sovatzidis A AD - Department of Surgery, Giannitsa General Hospital, Giannitsa, GREECE. FAU - Nakopoulou, Theofano AU - Nakopoulou T AD - Ygia Polyclinic Private Hospital. Limassol, CYPRUS. FAU - Tsimeas, Panagiotis AU - Tsimeas P AD - Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Karies, Trikala, GREECE. FAU - Douroudos, Ioannis I AU - Douroudos II AD - PAS Giannina football club, Ioannina, GREECE. FAU - Papadopoulos, Constantinos AU - Papadopoulos C AD - First Department of Neurology, Aeginition Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University, Athens, GREECE. FAU - Papadimas, Giorgos AU - Papadimas G AD - First Department of Neurology, Aeginition Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University, Athens, GREECE. FAU - Rosvoglou, Anastasia AU - Rosvoglou A AD - Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Karies, Trikala, GREECE. FAU - Liakou, Christina AU - Liakou C AD - Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Karies, Trikala, GREECE. FAU - Deli, Chariklia K AU - Deli CK AD - Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Karies, Trikala, GREECE. FAU - Georgakouli, Kalliopi AU - Georgakouli K AD - Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Thessaly, Trikala, GREECE. FAU - Chatzinikolaou, Athanasios AU - Chatzinikolaou A AD - Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Democritus University of Thrace, Komotini, GREECE. FAU - Krustrup, Peter AU - Krustrup P FAU - Fatouros, Ioannis G AU - Fatouros IG AD - Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Karies, Trikala, GREECE. LA - eng PT - Journal Article DEP - 20240131 PL - United States TA - Med Sci Sports Exerc JT - Medicine and science in sports and exercise JID - 8005433 SB - IM COIS- Conflict of Interest and Funding Source: This study was supported by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and the Novo Nordisk Foundation grant to Team Denmark (PRoKIT network). The authors report no conflicts of interest. EDAT- 2024/02/02 18:42 MHDA- 2024/02/02 18:42 CRDT- 2024/02/02 13:13 PHST- 2024/02/02 18:42 [medline] PHST- 2024/02/02 18:42 [pubmed] PHST- 2024/02/02 13:13 [entrez] AID - 00005768-990000000-00462 [pii] AID - 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003398 [doi] PST - aheadofprint SO - Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2024 Jan 31. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003398.