Abstract
ObjectiveVarious nutritional strategies are adopted for athletes to maintain and to improve performance during the competition season. Betaine may enhance performance during a competitive season by increasing the testosterone to cortisol ratio and reducing systemic inflammation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of betaine supplementation on the bio-motor abilities in young professional soccer players.MethodsTwenty-nine young professional soccer players (age, 15.5±0.3 years) were matched by position and randomly assigned to one of two groups for 14 weeks: betaine (BG, 2 g/day; n=14) or placebo (PG n=15). Diet was standardized by a nutritionist, and measures of muscular power (countermovement jump: CMJ), change of direction: modified 5-0-5), acceleration (10 m sprint), sprint performance (30 m sprint time: SpT), muscular strength (leg press and bench press one repetition maximum: 1-RM), repeated sprint ability (running-based anaerobic sprint test: RAST), and aerobic capacity (30-15 intermittent fitness test) were assessed in the pre (P1), mid (P2) and post (P3) season over the course of 5 days. All subjects participated in one soccer match and five training sessions per week.ResultsSignificant (p < 0.05) group x time interactions were found for maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), anaerobic peak power, and muscular strength favoring BG at P2 and P3 compared to P1. There were meaningful (p < 0.05) group x time interactions for CMJ, SpT, and peak power during the RAST that favored the BG.Conclusions14-week of betaine supplementation increased predicted 1-RM, VO2max, and repeated sprint ability performance in youth professional soccer players. Betaine supplementation seems to be a useful nutritional strategy to improve and to maintain performance during a competitive soccer season.
Highlights
Soccer is the most popular spectator and participator sport worldwide [1], with over 15 million youth athletes playing annually [2], and 21 % of youth athletes highly specializing in the sport of soccer [3]
Post hoc analysis revealed countermovement jump (CMJ) was significantly (p < 0.001) greater at P2 and P3 compared to P1 for betaine group (BG)
Percent changes in CMJ between pre- and post-season were significantly (p=0.001) greater in BG than placebo group (PG) (Table 1)
Summary
Soccer is the most popular spectator and participator sport worldwide [1], with over 15 million youth athletes playing annually [2], and 21 % of youth athletes highly specializing in the sport of soccer [3]. Given the high eccentric involvement of the hamstrings in accelerations, decelerations and changes of direction [20, 21], as well as their involvement in the rapid transition from extension to flexion of the hips and knee during kicking [22], meaningful soccer-specific performance decrements may occur over the course of the season due to residual fatigue. This accumulation of fatigue associated with a professional youth soccer season [23] may partially suppress maturation and training induced performance increases in youth soccer players [24]
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