Salivary nitrite content, cognition and power in Mixed Martial Arts fighters after rapid weight loss: a case study

Abstract

Background and Aim: Rapid weight loss (RWL) is extensively practiced by combat sports athletes, including Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), but its effects on performance are not well established with different magnitudes of RWL, including those higher than 5% of total body weight. The aim of the present study was to follow MMA athletes during RWL with subsequent weight regain to evaluate the responses of isometric strength, power, cognition and salivary nitrite (NO2 -) content. Methods:Two professional male MMA fighters, same age, competing in the same weight category underwent two magnitudes of RWL before a simulated competition period. Anthropometric measures, records of nutritional status, training, voluntary dehydration strategies, salivary samples, cognition response, isometric strength and muscular power were obtained: (I) 7 days before combat, (II) at the weigh-in moment, and (III) in the combat day. Results and Conclusions: Athlete 1 lost 7.2 kg (9.1% of total bodyweight) and Athlete 2 lost 4.0 kg (5.3% of total bodyweight). Athlete 1 had a lower and misbalanced caloric ingestion (708 ± 428 kcal), ingested 6 L of water during the first 5 days of RWL, underwent 2 days of fasting, water and sodium restriction before weigh-in. Athlete 2 was supervised by a nutritionist, had a balanced diet (1600 ± 0 kcal), ingested 2 L of water during the first 6 days of RWL, underwent only 1 day of fasting and water restriction, and did not restrict sodium. As expected, there was a negative effect of RWL in the evaluated parameters at the weigh-in moment, while in the combat day, salivary NO2 -was not completely reestablished at baseline levels (decreased by 35.9% in Athlete 1 and, 25.2% in Athlete 2, as compared with 7 days before). The athlete who underwent a lower weight loss (5.3%) presented better recovery of cognition and upper limbs power on the combat day as compared with the athlete who lost 9.1% of body weight. Although we cannot precisely conclude, this case report led us to believe that the recovery period between weigh-in and competition may be insufficient for total reestablishment of salivary NO2 -after RWL, and higher amounts of RWL have negative impacts on average power and cognition when compared with lower RWL. Relevance for patients: Scientific aspects related with performance in MMA athletes brought to light the absence of studies investigating the recovery of isometric strength, power, cognition and salivary NO2 -during RWL with subsequent weight regain. This study revealed that athletes from the same categories can adopt different magnitudes of weight loss, and that this procedure impacts several important measures, for example, the reduction of salivary NO2 -is associated with the lower O2 transport capacity, decreasing muscle performance.

Multilevel Evaluation of Rapid Weight Loss in Wrestling and Taekwondo

“…There are three positions on sport performance and RWL. The first posits an improvement in sport performance (Reale et al, 2016b;Coswig et al, 2018), the second suggests no changes (Choma et al, 1995;Yang et al, 2018), while the third supports a decrease in sport performance (e.g., Camarço et al, 2016;de Fortes et al, 2017;Zubac et al, 2017).…”

Outbreak of Bovine Physical Capacity for Extensibility, Knee Flexion, Isometric Force and Lower Limb Power

“…Strength training is more conducive to the improvement of the activity ability of the exercises used in training.It does not make other forms of activity ability synchronously improve.Seveleville of the United States believes that super-isometric training such as single-foot jumps and step jumps can be effective. Link pure strength training with practical skills for competition [8]. A large number of research results at home and abroad have confirmed the effect of ultra-isometric training.…”

Relações da hidratação no período pré e pós competições em atletas de artes marciais: revisão narrativa da literatura

“…Os autores concluíram então que, são necessários mais estudo com atletas de MMA para que se consiga um entendimento da perda rápida de peso e seus efeitos na cognição e performance dos atletas, uma vez que o atleta 2 performou melhor nos testes cognitivos mesmo antes das restrições alimentares e de líquidos, o autor também afirma que 36h parece ser o suficiente para a recuperação cognitiva, muscular e também do nitrito salivar em indivíduos que perdem até 5,3% da massa corporal total (atleta 2), enquanto não se mostra suficiente para indivíduos que perdem 9,1% da massa total (atleta 1), porém os autores reforçam que mais estudos são necessários Camarço et al (2016).…”