Effect of eight-week controlled dietary modification trial on nutritional biomarkers in young Indian athletes

Monalisa Debnath; Surojit Sarkar; Moumita Das; Swapan Kumar Dey; Gouriprosad Datta; Amit Bandyopadhyay

doi:10.47447/tjsm.0788

Monalisa Debnath¹, Surojit Sarkar¹, Moumita Das², Swapan Kumar Dey³, Gouriprosad Datta¹, Amit Bandyopadhyay⁴

¹Physiology Department, Rammohan College, Kolkata, India
²Applied Nutrition and Dietetics Department, Sister Nivedita University, Kolkata, India
³Sports Sciences Faculty, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India
⁴Physiology Department, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India

Keywords: Controlled dietary modification, nutritional biomarkers, nutrient intake, nutritional status, physiological profile

Abstract

Objective: Present study was intended to examine the effects of dietary modification on nutritional biomarkers in young Indian male athletes.

Methods: Eighty-eight footballers and hockey players were randomly segregated into ad-libitum group (ALG) and nutrition counselling group (NCG). Eight weeks of dietary modification trial was implemented on NCG, resulting in 9.5, 2.6, and 2.1 g/kgbw/day of carbohydrate, protein, and fat respectively. Rate of changes in daily nutrient intake and nutrition biomarkers were captured.

Results: NCG revealed significant increases in total serum protein (5.6%, p<0.001), haemoglobin (3.9%, p<0.001) and vitamin E (2.9%, p<0.001). They also exhibited rises in serum vitamin C (6%, p=0.004), folate (4.5%, p=0.004), ferritin (4.8%, p=0.003), calcium (4.2%, p=0.009), serum vitamins B12 (3.9%, p=0.012) and D (12.3%, p<0.001). Haemoglobin levels were positively correlated with daily protein (p<0.01), iron (p<0.05), vitamins B12 and vitamin C (p<0.05 both) intakes. Serum calcium positively correlated with daily calcium (p<0.01), phosphorus and protein (p<0.05 both) intakes. Serum zinc was positively correlated with daily protein, calcium, vitamin B9 and vitamin D intake, while serum ferritin and vitamin B12 were positively correlated with protein and iron intake. Post-intervention, NCG reported optimal blood levels of calcium, zinc, protein, Hb, ferritin, vitamins B12, C and E, whereas the folate and vitamin D values were suboptimal. On the other hand, the ALG revealed marginal levels of zinc and total protein as well as noticeably low levels of calcium, folate, and vitamin D.

Conclusion: Enhanced blood levels of nutritional biomarkers noted after eight-weeks of controlled dietary modification was supported by positive correlations observed with the daily nutrient intakes.

Cite this article as: Debnath M, Sarkar S, Das M, Kumar Dey S, Datta G, Bandyopadhyay A. Effect of eight-week controlled dietary modification trial on nutritional biomarkers in young Indian athletes. Turk J Sports Med. 2024;59(1):9-16; https://doi.org/10.47447/tjsm.0788

Ethics Committee Approval

The approval for this study was obtained from University of Calcutta, Institutional Human Ethical Committee Deperatment of Physiologoy, Kolkata, India (Decision no: IHEC/AB/P83/2019, Date: 27/02/2019).

Author Contributions

Concept: MD, SKD; Design: MD, AB; Supervision: AB, SKD, GD; Materials: MD, SKD, GD; Data Collection and/or Processing, MD; Analysis and Interpretation: MD; Literature Review: MD, GD; Writing Manuscript: MD, AB; Critical Reviews: AB

Conflict of Interest

The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to authorship and/or publication of the article.

Financial Disclosure

This study was supported by funding received from Department of Physiology, Rammohan College, University of Calcutta.

Acknowledgments

Authors acknowledge all the players who participated in the study for their time and co-operation. Rammohan College is highly acknowledged for the resource support and funding.