Blood Biomarkers of Recovery Efficiency in Soccer Players

Abstract

Physical exercise strongly affects human metabolism and causes biochemical changes. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between routine plasma biomarker levels and recovery efficiency in soccer players during an entire competitive match season. The players participating in the study were divided into a midfielder/defender group (seven midfielders and seven defenders) and a goalie/substitute group (six persons—goalkeepers and players with a short cumulative match-time). The fasting capillary blood samples were taken 17–24 h after each competitive match. The blood plasma was used to determine the creatinine, urea, alkaline phosphatase, creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate and alanine aminotransferase, iron and magnesium levels of the athletes. The levels of (AST) (aspartate aminotransferase), (ALT) (alanine aminotransferase) and (Cr) creatinine were higher in the midfielder/defender group than in the control group, but only AST and Cr significantly varied over time (AST decreased, and Cr increased with time). The (LDH) (lactate dehydrogenase) activity and urea level were significantly lower in the midfielder/defender group than in the goalie/substitute group, and it significantly varied over time (LDH decreased, and urea increased with time). No differences in the (CK) creatine kinase and (ALP) alkaline phosphatase activities between the groups was found, although CK increased significantly with time in the midfielder/defender group (particularly midfielders in the spring round). In midfielders, the AST activity and the iron level were significantly lower in the spring than in the autumn round. On the contrary, ALT, CK, urea and magnesium levels were significantly higher in the spring than in autumn round. A long-term measurement of biochemical parameters in elite soccer players indicated that AST, CK, LDH and creatinine levels, when analyzed together, could constitute a useful set of markers for monitoring recovery periods.

The Influence of a Health-Related Fitness Training Program on Motor Performance as Well as Hematological and Biochemical Parameters

“…This study provides further evidence that among former athletes, interpretation of blood aminotransferases activities should consider the release of aminotransferases from skeletal muscle, especially given that no other significant changes in liver clinical parameters (e.g., GGT, bilirubin total and direct, total protein, albumin) during the 4-month-long study were observed. It is also worth noting that in comparison to our previous results [8,35,36], the current findings confirm that changes in AST and ALT activities emerge before any increase in CK activity. LDH activity is often considered a marker of muscle cell damage, as a rise in its concentration is concomitant with disruption to the sarcoma [37][38][39].…”

“…In the case of both aminotransferases and LDH activities, the increase observed was related to the training program, since we could exclude any pathological cause. Generally, the increase in AST and ALT activity is related to liver or skeletal muscle injuries or heart attack [32], but there is increasing evidence that the increase in AST and ALT activity in professional athletes, specifically, is associated with the release of enzymes from muscle cells rather than liver pathology [8,[33][34][35]. This study provides further evidence that among former athletes, interpretation of blood aminotransferases activities should consider the release of aminotransferases from skeletal muscle, especially given that no other significant changes in liver clinical parameters (e.g., GGT, bilirubin total and direct, total protein, albumin) during the 4-month-long study were observed.…”

Effects of Exercise on Biomarkers in Health and Disease: Some New Insights with Special Focus on Extreme Exercise and Healthy Ageing

“…The establishment of biochemical markers that are able to quantify muscle fatigue and enable the control of training adaptations in sportsmen was addressed by the study of Nowakowska et al [18]. While testing a number of blood markers, they concluded that aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, and creatinine levels, when analyzed together, could constitute a useful set of markers for monitoring recovery periods in soccer players.…”

Athlete’s Passport: Prevention of Infections, Inflammations, Injuries and Cardiovascular Diseases

“…Exercise, intense training and sports competitions can induce changes in the serum concentrations of numerous laboratory parameters [4]. Enzymes such as creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), which regulate muscle metabolism, are generally increased after exercise [5][6][7][8][9]. A CK increase represents a marker of cell necrosis and acute or chronic muscle damage [5], in which the serum concentration of CK increases proportionally with exercise and tissue damage [3].…”

“…In particular, the increased CK is closely related to the exercise's duration rather than its intensity [6]. In athletes undergoing intense training, CK usually increases after 24-36 h, making it an essential biomarker for monitoring recovery efficiency [7].…”