MEDICAL AREA   

Medicina dello Sport 2019 March;72(1):47-58

DOI: 10.23736/S0025-7826.18.03407-5

Copyright © 2018 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English, Italian

Effects of Ramadan observance combined with two training programs on plasma lipids and testosterone/cortisol ratio in male senior basketball players

Seifeddine BRINI ^{1, 2} ✉, Hamza MARZOUKI ¹, Nejmeddine OUERGHI ¹, Ibrahim OUERGUI ¹, Carlo CASTAGNA ^{3, 4}, Anissa BOUASSIDA ¹

¹ Research Unit, Sportive Performance and Physical Rehabilitation, High Institute of Sports and Physical Education of Kef, University of Jendouba, Kef, Tunisia; ² Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, University of Carthage, Zarzouna, Bizerte, Tunisia; ³ Tor Vergata University of Rome, Rome, Italy; ⁴ Laboratory of Fitness Training and Biomechanics, Technical Department, Italian Football Federation (FIGC), Coverciano, Florence, Italy

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the variations in the lipid profile and testosterone (T)/cortisol (C) ratio during the observance of Ramadan (R) in addition to two training programs (small-sided games [SSG] and repeated sprint ability [RSA]) in basketball players.
METHODS: Sixteen male basketball players (mean±SD: age: 23.4±2.3years; height: 1.86±0.09 m; body mass: 78.3±11.0 kg and VO2max: 51.0±2.7 mL/min/kg) who were randomLy allocated to one of two training groups (GSSG, N.=8 and GRSA, N.=8) participated in the study during R and one month after Ramadan (AR) with fifteen days of total recovery between the training periods. Lipids, glucose, T and C were measured on six occasions: before R (P1), at the end of the second week of R (P2), at the end of R (P3), before the AR training period (P4), at the end of the second week AR (P5) and at the end of the AR training period (P6).
RESULTS: Glucose and the T/C ratio were higher for GRSA than for GSSG after two weeks of training in R (P=0.039 and P=0.048, respectively). Cortisol was higher for GSSG than for GRSA after two weeks of training during R (P=0.005). No differences were found in the measured parameters between the groups at the end of R. Additionally; the delta changes for Glucose, cortisol and the T/C ratio were higher AR than they were during R (P<0.0001, P<0.0003 and P<0.006, respectively).
CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that an intermittent fasting period has a beneficial effect on some metabolic and hormonal parameters in basketball players submitted to SSG and RSA training.

KEY WORDS: Basketball - Lipids - Religion - Testosterone