NAC Supplementation and Soccer Specific Performance

Skeletal Muscle Damage Clinical Trial

Official title:

Effects of NAC Supplementation on Immune Function, Inflammatory and Performance Responses of Elite Soccer Players Participated in Three Repetitive Games.

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT04523675
• Other study ID #: NAC-SOCCER-2016
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: April 2016
• Est. completion date: December 2016

Study information

• Verified date: August 2020
• Source: University of Thessaly
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

In this investigation the investigators utilized NAC supplementation to boost GSH availability during an one-week-microcycle consisting of three soccer games, in order to test the hypotheses that: i) antioxidant supplementation may enhance the recovery of performance and physiological stress variables following multiple match-plays and ii) redox status perturbations are critical in regulating the inflammatory response and repair in skeletal muscle, following repetitive exercise-induced muscle injuries.

Description:

After exercise-induced muscle microtrauma the thiol/disulfide couple of reduced (GSH) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) is a key regulator of important transcriptional pathways that control the inflammatory response and recovery of skeletal muscle.

The objective was to examine how thiol-based antioxidant supplementation affects the muscle damage, oxidative stress, inflammatory and immune responses, as well as the level of post-game fatigue and muscle's recovery kinetics in response to three soccer games within a week. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups: i) Experimental-NAC [EXP-NAC, N=10, participated in daily training sessions and three games and received NAC (20 mg/kg/day)], ii) Experimental-Placebo (EXP-Pla, N=10, participated in daily training sessions and three games and received Placebo), iii) Control-NAC [CON-NAC, N=10, participated in daily training sessions only and received NAC(20 mg/kg/day)] and iv) Control-Placebo (CON-Pla, N=10, participated in daily training sessions only and received Placebo). Blood samples were collected at baseline, post-games and daily during recovery. Performance was assessed at baseline and daily during recovery.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 40
• Est. completion date: December 2016
• Est. primary completion date: July 2016
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: Male
• Age group: 18 Years to 28 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Participation at elite level (top three division leagues) of soccer competition for at least five years

• Abstained from consumption of performance-enhancing supplements, antioxidant supplements and medications (for at least 6 months before and during the study)

• Participation in at least six two-hour training sessions and one match per week

• Non-smokers

Exclusion Criteria:

• A known NAC intolerance or allergy

• A recent febrile illness

• History of muscle lesion

• Lower limb trauma

• Metabolic diseases

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Antioxidant Status
• Exercise-induced Aseptic Inflammation
• Inflammation
• Skeletal Muscle Damage
• Skeletal Muscle Performance

Intervention

Dietary Supplement:
• N-acetylcysteine
Orally in three daily dosages (morning-midday-evening), at 20 mg/kg/day, for seven consecutive days.
• Placebo
500 mL drink that contained water (375 mL), sugar-free cordial (125 ml), and 2 g of low-calorie glucose/dextrose powder. Orally in three daily dosages (morning-midday-evening), for seven consecutive days.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Greece	Exercise Biochemistry Laboratory, School of Physical Education & Sports Sciences, University of Thessaly	Tríkala

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of Thessaly

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Greece, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Change in total antioxidant capacity in serum		At baseline and daily throughout the study, up to 11 days
Primary	Change in protein carbonyls in serum		At baseline and daily throughout the study, up to 11 days
Primary	Change in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in serum		At baseline and daily throughout the study, up to 11 days
Primary	Change in reduced glutathione in red blood cells		At baseline and daily throughout the study, up to 11 days
Primary	Change in oxidized glutathione in red blood cells		At baseline and daily throughout the study, up to 11 days
Primary	Change in creatine kinase in activity in plasma		At baseline and daily throughout the study, up to 11 days
Primary	Change in white blood cell count in blood		At baseline and daily throughout the study, up to 11 days
Primary	Change in repeated sprint ability	Players' repeated sprint ability was assessed via a repeared sprint test. Each player performed 5 x 30 meters sprints interspersed by 25 seconds of active recovery. Sprint time was recorded by using infrared photoelectrical gates.	At baseline and daily throughout the study, up to 11 days
Primary	Change in high intensity running during the game	High intensity running (i.e. > 14km/h) during the games was monitored by utilizing high time-resolution GPS devices.	During games 1, 2 and 3
Secondary	Change in blood lactate concentration during the game		During games 1, 2 and 3
Secondary	Change in average heart rate during the game		During games 1, 2 and 3