Biochemical profile in mixed martial arts athletes

Abstract

The study aimed to evaluate changes in selected biochemical indicators among mixed martial arts competitors in subsequent periods of the training cycle. The research involved 12 mixed martial arts athletes aged 25.8 ± 4.2 years competing in the intermediate category. Selected somatic indicators were measured twice. Biochemical indicators were assessed five times during the 14-week study period. Serum concentrations of testosterone, cortisol, uric acid, myoglobin, total protein, interleukin 6, and tumor necrosis factor, as well as creatine kinase activity were determined. One hour after sparring completion, there were significant increases in cortisol (by 54.9%), uric acid (22.0%), myoglobin (565.0%), and interleukin 6 (280.3%) as compared with the values before the simulated fight. The highest creatine kinase activity (893.83 ± 139.31 U/l), as well as tumor necrosis factor (3.93 ± 0.71 pg/ml) and testosterone (5.83 ± 0.81 ng/ml) concentrations (p = 0.00) were recorded 24 hours after the simulation. Systematic observation of selected blood biochemical indicators in the training process periodization in mixed martial arts helps understand adaptive, compensatory, and regenerative mechanisms occurring in training athletes.

Criteria for assessing the adaptive changes in mixed martial arts (MMA) athletes of strike fighting style in different training load regimes

“…The lack of a clear understanding of the overall strategy for optimizing the comprehensive control system in mixed martial arts is one of the controversial issues for scientists in physical education and sports physiology ( James et al, 2016a ; James et al, 2016b ; Kirk et al, 2021 ; Chernozub et al, 2019 ; Tota & Wiecha, 2022 ). One of the directions of this problem is related to the need to identify the most informative criteria for assessing the adaptive body changes in MMA athletes of strike fighting style and to find effective regimes of power training in the process of special training.…”

“…Investigating the structure of complex control in martial arts, a number of researchers ( Chernozub et al, 2019 ; Kirk et al, 2021 ; Tota & Wiecha, 2022 ) found out that changes in biochemical indicators of blood were the most informative markers of adaptation compensatory reactions of athletes to stressful physical stimuli. Taking into account the complexity and high cost of conducting comprehensive biochemical blood tests to study adaptation processes in different training load regimes, most leading experts in biology and sports ( Marques et al, 2017 ; Philippou et al, 2017 ; Wochyński & Sobiech, 2017 ) used only a small number of markers (2–4).…”

“…Leading experts in sports and physical training ( James et al, 2016a ; James et al, 2016b ; Kirk et al, 2021 ; Tota & Wiecha, 2022 ) have recently showed great interest in optimizing the system of integrated control of athletes’ adaptation processes in mixed martial arts (MMA) to increase the body functional reserves, to improve the mechanisms of training activity correction, and to maximize performance in the shortest possible time. The complexity of the process of developing an optimal set of criteria for assessing adaptive body changes of MMA athletes is connected with taking into account their individual characteristics, level of training, the style of fighting, and parameters of training load regimes used during training ( Matthews & Nicholas, 2017 ; Slimani et al, 2017 ; Chernozub et al, 2019 ).…”

“…Extensive use of biochemical control indicators (hormones, enzymes, microelements, etc .) to assess the adaptive-compensatory reaction of athletes in training and competitive activities is an integral part of the training system in martial arts and fitness ( Marques et al, 2017 ; Philippou et al, 2017 ; Wochyński & Sobiech, 2017 ; Titova et al, 2018 ; Kılıc et al, 2019 ; Tota & Wiecha, 2022 ) in recent decades. At the same time there is no clear definition which indicators of biochemical blood control reliably reflect the course of adaptive changes depending on the structure of special strength training and the peculiarities of the training load regime for MMA athletes of strike fighting style.…”

The Character of Changes in the Strike Training Indicators of MMA Athletes Depending on the Features of the Strength Load Regimes

“…Однією з актуальних та одночасно не до кінця вирішених проблем дослідження ефективних механізмів удосконалення тренувального процесу в змішаних єдиноборствах під час спеціальної підготовки, є визначення особливостей впливу різних за інтенсивністю навантажень та обсягом роботи на рівень тренованості спортсменів [4,5,6]. Одночасно, відкритим залишається питання дослідження характеру адаптаційних змін в організмі спортсменів ММА та інших єдиноборств в умовах м'язової діяльності з використанням анаеробних (лактатних та алактатних) та аеробних режимів енергозабезпечення, особливо в поєднані з різними параметрами компонентів силового навантаження [7,8,9].…”