Dietary supplements and exercise capacity in professional rugby players

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: We started from the idea that the association of dietary supplements recommended by specialists and approved by the World Anti-Doping Agency with natural honey-based products, is beneficial for improving body composition and effort capacity in elite rugby players. The main purpose of this study was to determine the type of carbohydrates with the most beneficial effects for recovery and performance. Materials and methods: The study lasted 30 days and included 30 rugby players from SCM Timisoara Saracens Rugby team. They were randomly divided into 2 groups: the study group who consumed dietary supplements based on apiculture and herbal products, along with classical nutritional supplements and the control group that only used classical supplements. With the help of the InBody 720 Body Composition Analyzer, we evaluated the body composition parameters, and the player’s ability to repeatedly perform high-intensity aerobic work was established with the intermittent Recovery Level 2 YO-YO test. Results: The results show a significant increase in the average running distance in the fitness test for the study group (p = 0.021) and also for the control group (p = 0.008), with a considerable difference between the groups in terms of running distance (increase by 300 meters versus 208 meters in the control group) but without a significant difference between groups at the end of the study (p = 0.789). Improvements in body composition parameters were found in both groups, but significant differences between groups occurred only in terms of extracellular fluids/total body fluids ratio (p = 0.047) and extracellular water/total water ratio (p = 0.042). The study group showed a significant decrease in total body fat (p = 0.054) and visceral fat area (p = 0.002) and an increase in extracellular water (p = 0.013). The control group experienced a significant decrease in body fat and body fat percentage (p = 0.013 and p = 0.017 respectively), and increase in terms of skeletal muscle mass (p = 0.03), intracellular water (p = 0.03) and total water = 0.032). Conclusion: The results of this study highlight the importance of the type and quality of nutritional supplements in professional athletes training.