Oxidative Stress, Testosterone, Cortisol, and Vitamin D: Differences in Professional Soccer Players of African and Caucasian Origin

Overview

Journal Med Princ Pract

Publisher Karger

Specialties General Medicine
Medical Education

Date 2022 Jun 28

PMID 35764054

Authors

Michele Abate

Vincenzo Salini

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Under conditions of intense exercise, the production of free radicals and cortisol increases, whereas blood levels of testosterone and vitamin D decrease. The aim of the study was to evaluate the behavior of these parameters, ethnic differences, and their relationships with overtraining.

Materials And Methods: Fifty professional soccer players were studied. Oxidative stress, testosterone, cortisol, and vitamin D were collected in pre- and mid-competitive season, and their differences in Africans and Caucasians were evaluated.

Results: An increase in oxidative stress was observed in mid-season in both groups, but this was more significant in Africans (386 ± 162.6 vs. 277.8 ± 106.9 UCarr, p = 0.005; 2,965.4 ± 815.8 vs. 2,560.6 ± 608.1 BAP, p = 0.035). Levels of testosterone and vitamin D were higher in August compared to February in all participants; in both months, testosterone levels were higher in Africans (11.5 ± 2.4 vs. 9.1 ± 2.6, p = 0.004; 10.3 ± 1.6 vs. 7.7 ± 2.3, p = 0.000), whereas vitamin D levels were higher in Caucasians (39.4 ± 11.1 vs. 33.4 ± 9.7, p = 0.048; 31.8 ± 9.7 vs. 27.4 ± 9.4, in August and February, respectively). Insufficient/deficient levels of vitamin D were more frequently observed in Africans, but the difference was close to significance only in August.

Conclusions: Although lower levels of vitamin D and higher levels of cortisol and oxidative stress in mid-season in Africans could have a negative influence on performance, no symptoms of overtraining were observed, probably due to higher levels of testosterone which enable homeostatic balance.

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