| Συγγραφείς: |
Ateş, Osman1 (AUTHOR), Ulupınar, Süleyman2 (AUTHOR) kaan.kaya@yeniyuzyil.edu.tr, Kaya, Kaan3 (AUTHOR) kaan.kaya@yeniyuzyil.edu.tr, Tortu, Erkan4 (AUTHOR), Türksoy Işım, Ayşe1 (AUTHOR), Kesler, Alay1 (AUTHOR), İnce, İzzet5 (AUTHOR), Gençoğlu, Cebrail2 (AUTHOR), Çabuk, Salih2 (AUTHOR), Demirli, Abdullah1 (AUTHOR), Özbay, Serhat2 (AUTHOR) |
| Περίληψη: |
Ramadan-type diurnal fasting, which restricts both food and fluid intake from dawn to sunset, may influence physiological, metabolic, and perceptual responses during high-intensity exercise. However, its acute effects under matched external workload conditions in field-based soccer training remain unclear. This study examined the physiological, neuromuscular, metabolic, and perceptual responses to a matched high-intensity intermittent training session performed under fed and Ramadan-type fasting conditions. Twenty male university-level soccer players completed two counterbalanced sessions. External load was matched using 10-Hz GPS monitoring. Physiological variables, including oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide production, respiratory exchange ratio, minute ventilation, and heart rate, along with blood lactate concentration, session rating of perceived exertion, perceptual scales (thermal discomfort and thirst), neuromuscular performance assessed via countermovement jump height and power, and body mass were measured before and after exercise. External mechanical load did not differ between conditions. Ramadan-type fasting elicited significantly higher minute ventilation, mean and maximal heart rate, and session rating of perceived exertion, whereas carbon dioxide production, respiratory exchange ratio, and peak blood lactate concentration were significantly lower. Oxygen uptake did not differ between conditions. Thermal discomfort and thirst increased from pre- to postexercise in both trials (time effect), with perceived thirst showing a greater increase under fasting conditions (interaction effect). Countermovement jump height and power demonstrated significant pre-to-post reductions (time effect) without condition or interaction effects. Body mass decreased significantly from pre- to postexercise in both trials (time effect), with no condition or interaction effects. These findings indicate that Ramadan-type fasting increases internal physiological and perceptual load during high-intensity intermittent soccer training despite identical external workloads, while neuromuscular performance and exercise-induced body mass loss remain preserved. Practitioners should consider that athletes may experience higher internal strain during fasting-based sessions even when mechanical output is maintained. Soccer players are often required to perform repeated bouts of high-intensity running, sprinting, and rapid changes of direction. During Ramadan, many Muslim athletes observe daytime fasting, which involves abstaining from both food and fluids from dawn until sunset. This raises practical concerns for coaches and practitioners about whether fasting affects training quality, physical performance, or the way athletes experience demanding training sessions. The purpose of this study was to examine how Ramadan-type daytime fasting influences physiological responses, muscle performance, and perceived effort during a high-intensity intermittent soccer training session. Importantly, the training workload was carefully matched between fasting and fed conditions, meaning that players performed the same amount of running, sprinting, and acceleration in both trials. This approach allowed us to determine whether fasting changes the body's internal response to exercise, rather than simply reducing performance or work output. Twenty trained male soccer players completed the same high-intensity intermittent training session on two separate occasions: once after eating and drinking normally and once after approximately 12–14 hours of daytime fasting. During each session, we measured heart rate; breathing responses; oxygen use; blood lactate levels; muscle performance using vertical jumps; body mass changes; and players' perceptions of effort, thirst, and thermal discomfort. The results showed that players were able to maintain the same external training output in both conditions. Running distance, sprint distance, and high-speed activity were nearly identical whether players were fasted or fed. Muscle performance, assessed through countermovement jump height and power, declined slightly after training in both conditions, which is expected after intense exercise, but fasting did not worsen this fatigue. However, despite performing the same amount of work, fasting substantially increased the internal strain experienced by the players. Heart rate and breathing responses were higher during fasting, and players reported greater overall effort during the session. Feelings of thirst and thermal discomfort also increased more during fasting, even though the amount of body mass lost during exercise was similar between conditions. At the same time, markers related to carbohydrate use, such as respiratory exchange ratio and blood lactate concentration, were lower during fasting, suggesting a shift in how energy was produced during exercise. These findings indicate that Ramadan-type fasting does not reduce the ability of trained soccer players to complete high-intensity intermittent training when workloads are matched. However, fasting makes the same training session feel more demanding and places greater physiological strain on the body. In practical terms, this means that coaches should not judge training load solely by external measures such as distance or speed during fasting periods. Monitoring internal load indicators, such as heart rate and perceived exertion, may be especially important when athletes are fasting. Overall, this study shows that high-intensity soccer training can be maintained during Ramadan fasting, but athletes experience greater internal and perceptual stress. Adjustments in recovery, session timing, or load monitoring may help optimize training quality and athlete well-being during fasting periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |