Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2024 Jun 1;56(6):1094-1107.
doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003398. Epub 2024 Jan 30.

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

Georgios Ermidis  1 , Magni Mohr, Athanasios Z Jamurtas  2 , Dimitrios Draganidis  2 , Athanasios Poulios  2 , Konstantinos Papanikolaou  2 , Jeppe F Vigh-Larsen  3 , Georgios Loules  2 , Apostolos Sovatzidis  4 , Theofano Nakopoulou  5 , Panagiotis Tsimeas  2 , Ioannis I Douroudos  6 , Constantinos Papadopoulos  7 , Giorgos Papadimas  7 , Anastasia Rosvoglou  2 , Christina Liakou  2 , Chariklia K Deli  2 , Kalliopi Georgakouli  8 , Athanasios Chatzinikolaou  9 , Peter Krustrup, Ioannis G Fatouros  2
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

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

Georgios Ermidis et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc. .

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.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04159194.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Nassis GP, Massey A, Jacobsen P, et al. Elite football of 2030 will not be the same as that of 2020: preparing players, coaches, and support staff for the evolution. Scand J Med Sci Sports . 2020;30(6):962–4.
    1. Krustrup P. The physical, tactical and mental challenge of 120-minute matches in elite football—historical development, coaches’ perception and up-to-date match analyses. UEFA Pro-Licence assignment Danish FA . 2017;1–86.
    1. Field A, Corr LD, Haines M, et al. Biomechanical and physiological responses to 120 min. of football-specific exercise. Res Q Exerc Sport . 2020;91(4):692–704.
    1. Mohr M, Ermidis G, Jamustas AZ, et al. Extended match time exacerbates fatigue and impacts physiological responses in male football players. Med Sci Sports Exerc . 2023;55(1):80–92.
    1. Field A, Page RM, Corr L, et al. Lower-limb muscle excitation, peak torque, and external load responses to a 120-minute treadmill-based football-specific simulation. Res Q Exerc Sport . 2022;93(2):368–78.

Publication types

Associated data