Abstract
The period of Ramadan induces changes in the usual eating patterns of individuals. During this period, Muslims must abstain from drinking and eating from dawn to dusk. Therefore, some research conducted on professional soccer players has observed that during and/or after Ramadan, performance, running speed, agility, dribbling speed, and endurance and/or skill performance in athletic events may be negatively affected by Ramadan intermittent fasting (RIF). The objective of this study was to analyze the influence of a dietary plan during RIF on performance and body composition in a professional soccer player. A 20-year-old elite player (86.0 kg, 188.5 cm) followed a dietary-nutritional plan with an isocaloric diet and was supplemented with glycerol. The athlete’s strength and power in the lower limbs was assessed by performing a countermovement jump (CMJ) and Abalakov vertical jump (ABK) before and after Ramadan. After nutritional planning, the patient’s body composition improved in terms of fat loss (6.61 to 5.70%) and muscle mass gain (50.26 to 51.50%). In addition, this translated into improvements in performance tests, both in the CMJ (36.72 to 40.00 cm) and ABK (39.16 to 49.34 cm). In conclusion, during a period of fasting, personalised nutritional planning and an appropriate supplementation and rest protocol can improve the body composition and performance of soccer players.
Highlights
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutralThe period of Ramadan induces changes in the usual dietary patterns of individuals; during this period, Muslins must abstain from drinking and eating from sunrise to sunset [1]
It has been shown that, during and/or after Ramadan, performance, running speed, agility, dribbling speed, and endurance and/or skill performance in athletic tests can be negatively affected by Ramadan intermittent fasting (RIF) [3,4]
In order to respond to all these gaps in the scientific literature, the main objective of this research was to describe the effects of RIF with personalized dietary-nutritional planning on the athletic performance and body composition of an elite soccer player
Summary
The period of Ramadan induces changes in the usual dietary patterns of individuals; during this period, Muslins must abstain from drinking and eating from sunrise to sunset [1]. According to the Holy Quran, it takes place in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and, as a lunar month, it lasts between 29 and 30 days [2]. According to the Federation International Football Association (FIFA), soccer has promoted fair play, heterogeneity and fairness and is an internationally recognized sport [1]. The month of Ramadan often coincides with the calendars of many soccer leagues [1]. Researchers have proceeded to conduct studies on adult and youth Muslim soccer players because of their commitment to their faith and the game. It has been shown that, during and/or after Ramadan, performance, running speed, agility, dribbling speed, and endurance and/or skill performance in athletic tests can be negatively affected by Ramadan intermittent fasting (RIF) [3,4]
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