Diagnostic and prognostic role of the Ca/Mg (ion.) quotient in sport

Abstract

Before and after a trial mn for the selection of participants in a patrolrun competition, capillary blood samples of about 100 microliters were taken from the fingertips of 18 male participants from which pH, Mg+"^, Ca"^ lactate and blood glucose were determined with a Phox -M analyzer of the NOVA Biomédical corporation. Comparatively low average Mg values before the trial run became even lower after the contest. A correlation of the individual Ca/Mg quotients in the blood before the run with the recorded running times afterwards showed a significant positive correlation, meaning that participants with low Ca/Mg quotients before the contest had the best chances for high scoring. This was underlined by a highly significant polynomial graph of the delta values of the quotient (Ca/Mg before -Ca/Mg after contest), with a nadir close to the shortest running times. Similar to our findings at the occasion of a short but intensive obstacle run [1] it turned out, that those contestants with the least trial -induced differences in their Ca/ Mg tumover have the best chances for high scoring. Thus it seems possible, that either Mg or Ca/Mg quotient changes could be generally used as prognostic and diagnostic instruments in sportive contests.