Recovery during Successive 120-min Football Games: Results from the 120-min Placebo/Carbohydrate Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

ABSTRACT Purpose This study aimed to examine the recovery kinetics (i.e., time-dependent changes) of performance-related variables between two 120-min male football games performed 3 d apart with and without carbohydrate supplementation. Methods Twenty male players (20 ± 1 yr; body fat, 14.9% ± 5.1%; maximal oxygen consumption, 59.4 ± 3.7 mL·kg−1·min−1) participated in two 120-min football games (G1, G2) according to a randomized, two-trial, repeated-measures, crossover, double-blind design. Participants received carbohydrate/placebo supplements during recovery between games. Field activity was monitored during the games. Performance testing and blood sampling were performed before and at 90 and 120 min of each game. Muscle biopsies were collected at baseline and at 90 and 120 min of G1 and pre-G2. Results Compared with G1, G2 was associated with reduced total distance (10,870 vs 10,685 m during 90 min and 3327 vs 3089 m during extra 30 min; P = 0.007–0.038), average (6.7 vs 6.2 km/h during extra 30-min game-play; P = 0.007) and maximal speed (32.2 vs 30.2 km/h during 90 min and 29.0 vs 27.9 km/h during extra 30 min; P < 0.05), accelerations/decelerations (P < 0.05), and mean heart rate (P < 0.05). Repeated sprint ability (P < 0.001), jumping (P < 0.05), and strength (P < 0.001) performance were compromised before and during G2. Muscle glycogen was not restored at G2 baseline (P = 0.005). Extended game-play reduced lymphocyte, erythrocyte counts, hematocrit, hemoglobin, reduced glutathione (P < 0.05) and increased delayed onset of muscle soreness, creatine kinase activity, blood glycerol, ammonia, and protein carbonyls (P < 0.05) before and during G2. Pax7+ (P = 0.004) and MyoD+ cells (P = 0.019) increased at baseline G2. Carbohydrate supplementation restored performance and glycogen, reduced glycerol and delayed onset of muscle soreness responses, and increased leukocyte counts and Pax7+ and MyoD+ cells. Conclusions Results suggest that extended football games induce a prolonged recovery of performance, which may be facilitated by carbohydrate supplementation during a congested game fixture.