Effectiveness of Sport Drink on the Physical Performance of Junior Male Soccer Players

Abstract

Dehydration prior to exercise leads to excess heat storage due to a reduction in sweat sensitivity when individuals were not allowed to drink fluids during exercise. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of a sport drink on the physical performance in junior male soccer players. Thirty boys (mean ±SD: age 13.1±0.4 yr; body mass index of 20.7 ± 1.5 kg/m²; stature: 161 ± 0.5 m) from international school in Malaysia, with 3.8 ± 1.2 years playing experience, participated. Players were randomly assigned to three groups experimental (EXP-1, n = 10), (EXP-2, n = 10), and control (CON, n = 10). The EXP-1 and EXP-2 groups followed “The 11” training programme 3 days per week, for 6 weeks, completing all but one of the 10 exercises and the CON group perform usual training 3 days per week, for 6 weeks. The EXP-1 group consumed sport drink, EXP-2 group consumed water and the CON group consumed water. Participants and parental informed consent was obtained prior to participation. All participants were interviewed at baseline to obtain the health history using a checklist (medical questionnaire). The assigned physical performance variables was tests at baseline, (pre-test) and after the intervention, (post-test). All groups performed a battery of soccer-specific physical tests included 5 activities such as explosive leg power, agility, core stability, sprinting, and dribbling. The results for analysis of repeated measures ANOVA, showed the EXP-1 and EXP-2 groups was significantly higher (p<0.05) in the all physical performance variables, than the CON group. The sport drink indirectly might help improve physical performance in the EXP-1 groups. Therefore, proper hydration requires fluid intake before and after exercise or activity.

Keywords: Sport drink, Physical performance, Soccer players, Functional variables.