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. 2025 May 20.
doi: 10.1007/s00421-025-05808-z. Online ahead of print.

Metabolomic profiles and antioxidant intake in female soccer players: a cross-sectional study

M M S Gouveia  1 , M B A Nascimento  1 , A C Crispim  2 , E R da Rocha Jr  2 , M P P Santos  3 , E S Bento  2 , T M Aquino  2 , P Balikian Jr  3 , N A Rodrigues  3 , T Ataide-Silva  1   3 , G G de Araujo  1   3 , F A B Sousa  4   5
Affiliations

Metabolomic profiles and antioxidant intake in female soccer players: a cross-sectional study

M M S Gouveia et al. Eur J Appl Physiol. .

Abstract

Purpose: Excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production during sports can impair performance and recovery. A diet rich in exogenous antioxidants plays a key role in counteracting oxidative stress, and its complex interactions with various circulating compounds can be explored through metabolomics. With the rising popularity of women's soccer, a deeper understanding of dietary intake and its metabolic interactions in female athletes is needed. The study's aims are to assess the habitual dietary intake of antioxidant micronutrients and their associations with oxidative/antioxidant metabolites in female professional soccer players through NMR-based metabolomics.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 14 professional female soccer players. Urine samples were collected before and immediately after six games (three per championship) and analyzed by NMR-based metabolomics. Habitual food intake was recorded through 11 food diaries during the preseason. The focus was on vitamins A, C, and E, selenium, zinc, and magnesium. Associations were assessed using Pearson correlations and the DIABLO model.

Results: Among the antioxidant micronutrients, only vitamin C and selenium met adequate intake levels. The metabolomics analysis identified 41 metabolites, with key markers of oxidative stress-malonic acid, pyruvate, and glycine-showing strong associations with vitamin E, magnesium, selenium, and zinc, particularly before the game.

Conclusion: The antioxidant micronutrient intake of most athletes did not meet the recommended levels. Malonic acid showed positive correlations, while glycine had negative correlations with these micronutrients before the game, suggesting a potential link between antioxidant activity at rest and habitual nutrient intake.

Keywords: Metabolomics; Micronutrients; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Oxidative stress; Soccer.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Ethical standards: Before the start of the study, the athletes were informed about all procedures to be performed during the research, as well as the potential risks and benefits. They then signed the Free and Informed Consent Term (TCLE). This study is part of a larger project entitled “Analysis and Improvement of Athlete Performance” approved by the Research Ethics Committee (CEP) of the Federal University of Alagoas (UFAL) under the number CAAE: 29269020.8.0000.5013 and Protocol: 4297907, in accordance with the ethical principles of the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki. The project was supported by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq)—code 408972/2021-1.

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