A Metabolomic Approach and Traditional Physical Assessments to Compare U22 Soccer Players According to Their Competitive Level

Author(s)

da Cruz, Joao Pedro ; dos Santos, Fabio Neves ; Rasteiro, Felipe Marroni ; Marostegan, Anita Brum ; Manchado-Gobatto, Fulvia Barros ; Gobatto, Claudio Alexandre

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: BIOLOGY-BASEL; v. 11, n. 8, p. 16-pg., 2022-08-01.

Abstract

Simple Summary Different physical tests are applied in the sports context for athlete selection and training prescriptions. Recently, the metabolomics approach has been used to understand biological systems; it has shown high potential to answer integrated questions, including with regard to soccer. Our study is the first to combine traditional physical assessment protocols with metabolomics to detail and compare the physiological profiles of two soccer teams (under-22 soccer players) at different competitive levels. Using anthropometric measurements and the critical velocity model, no differences were observed between elite and non-elite soccer players. However, the metabolomic analysis was able to differentiate among the fasting serum metabolic profiles of athletes of different competitive levels. Our results suggest that the application of metabolomics combined with traditional physical assessment protocols can improve characterizations of athletes, strengthening the differentiation of the physiological profiles of soccer teams. Thus, the metabolomic approach can contribute by offering additional data in individual characterizations of athletes, improving training programs, and consequently, increasing the performance of players during competitions. The purpose of this study was to use traditional physical assessments combined with a metabolomic approach to compare the anthropometric, physical fitness level, and serum fasting metabolic profile among U22 soccer players at different competitive levels. In the experimental design, two teams of male U22 soccer were evaluated (non-elite = 20 athletes, competing in a regional division; elite = 16 athletes, competing in the first division of the national U22 youth league). Earlobe blood samples were collected, and metabolites were extracted after overnight fasting (12 h). Untargeted metabolomics through Liquid Chromatograph Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis and anthropometric evaluation were performed. Critical velocity was applied to determine aerobic (CV) and anaerobic (ARC) capacity. Height (non-elite = 174.4 +/- 7.0 cm; elite = 176.5 +/- 7.0 cm), body mass index (non-elite = 22.1 +/- 2.4 kg/m(2); elite = 21.9 +/- 2.3 kg/m(2)), body mass (non-elite = 67.1 +/- 8.8 kg; elite = 68.5 +/- 10.1 kg), lean body mass (non-elite = 59.3 +/- 7.1 kg; elite = 61.1 +/- 7.9 kg), body fat (non-elite = 7.8 +/- 2.4 kg; elite = 7.3 +/- 2.4 kg), body fat percentage (non-elite = 11.4 +/- 2.4%; elite = 10.5 +/- 1.7%), hematocrit (non-elite = 50.2 +/- 4.0%; elite = 51.0 +/- 4.0%), CV (non-elite = 3.1 +/- 0.4 m/s; elite = 3.0 +/- 0.2 m/s), and ARC (non-elite = 129.6 +/- 55.7 m; elite = 161.5 +/- 61.0 m) showed no significant differences between the elite and non-elite teams, while the multivariate Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) model revealed a separation between the elite and non-elite athletes. Nineteen metabolites with importance for projection (VIP) >1.0 were annotated as belonging to the glycerolipid, sterol lipid, fatty acyl, flavonoid, and glycerophospholipid classes. Metabolites with a high relative abundance in the elite group were related in the literature to a better level of aerobic power, greater efficiency in the recovery process, and improvement of mood, immunity, decision making, and accuracy, in addition to acting in mitochondrial preservation and electron transport chain maintenance. In conclusion, although classical physical assessments were not able to distinguish the teams at different competitive levels, the metabolomics approach successfully indicated differences between the fasting metabolic profiles of elite and non-elite teams. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 19/02286-5 - Metabolomic and proteomic analysis in soccer players: relationships with aerobic and anaerobic capacities
• Grantee: João Pedro da Cruz
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• FAPESP's process: 19/20894-2 - Maximal tethered running applied to soccer players and active subjects in two scenarios: investigations about mechanical power and oxygenation in more and less active muscles by complex network model
• Grantee: Anita Brum Marostegan
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• FAPESP's process: 16/50250-1 - The secret of playing football: Brazil versus the Netherlands
• Grantee: Sergio Augusto Cunha
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 19/10666-2 - Can pre-activation of inspiratory muscles potentiates the force, velocity and power of soccer players? Analysis using mechanical and physiological signals by computational model
• Grantee: Felipe Marroni Rasteiro
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)