title: Iron status markers are only transiently affected by a football game.
abstract: We examined the temporal variation of iron's status markers during a 60 h period following a football game. Thirty-four male football players were randomly assigned to a control group (CG, N = 14, participated only in measurements and training) or an experimental group (EG, N = 20, took part in a football game one week after the completion of the competitive season). All participants trained regularly for two consecutive days after the game. Training and game load was monitored with high time-resolution global positioning system (GPS) devices. Blood samples were collected and muscle damage markers and repeated sprint ability (RSA) were assessed pre-game and at 2 h, 12 h 36 h and 60 h post-game. No changes were noted in CG. Iron concentration decreased (P < 0.05) 2 h post-game and normalised thereafter whereas total iron binding capacity increased (P < 0.05) 12-60 h of recovery (P < 0.05). Erythrocytes, haemoglobin (HGB) concentration, plasma volume, haematocrit, mean cell volume, mean cell HGB, mean cell HGB concentration, red cell width-SD, red cell width-CV, ferritin concentration and transferrin saturation remained unaltered during the intervention period. Creatine kinase activity and muscle soreness increased (P < 0.05) throughout recovery in EG. RSA declined (P < 0.05) until 36 h of recovery and normalised thereafter. Our data demonstrate that iron status markers are only transiently affected by a football game.
authors.affiliation: a School of Physical Education and Sports Science , University of Thessaly , Trikala , Greece.|b Institute Research and Technology - Thessaly , Trikala , Greece.
authors.forename: Athanasios Z
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: Jamurtas
authors.affiliation: c School of Physical Education and Sports Science , Democritus University of Thrace , Komotini , Greece.
authors.forename: Ioannis I
authors.initials: II
authors.lastname: Douroudos
authors.affiliation: a School of Physical Education and Sports Science , University of Thessaly , Trikala , Greece.
authors.forename: Chariklia K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Deli
authors.affiliation: c School of Physical Education and Sports Science , Democritus University of Thrace , Komotini , Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Draganidis
authors.affiliation: c School of Physical Education and Sports Science , Democritus University of Thrace , Komotini , Greece.
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chatzinikolaou
authors.affiliation: d Faculty of Natural and Health Science , University of the Faroe Islands , Tórshavn , Faroe Islands.|e Department of Food and Nutrition, and Sport Sciences , University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden.
authors.forename: Magni
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohr
authors.affiliation: c School of Physical Education and Sports Science , Democritus University of Thrace , Komotini , Greece.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Avloniti
authors.affiliation: f Campus of Melilla, University of Granada, Melilla , Spain.
authors.forename: Jose C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Barbero-Álvarez
authors.affiliation: c School of Physical Education and Sports Science , Democritus University of Thrace , Komotini , Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Margonis
authors.affiliation: c School of Physical Education and Sports Science , Democritus University of Thrace , Komotini , Greece.
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mavropalias
authors.affiliation: c School of Physical Education and Sports Science , Democritus University of Thrace , Komotini , Greece.
authors.forename: Theodoros
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stampoulis
authors.affiliation: c School of Physical Education and Sports Science , Democritus University of Thrace , Komotini , Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Giannakidou
authors.affiliation: b Institute Research and Technology - Thessaly , Trikala , Greece.
authors.forename: Andreas D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Flouris
authors.affiliation: a School of Physical Education and Sports Science , University of Thessaly , Trikala , Greece.|b Institute Research and Technology - Thessaly , Trikala , Greece.|g Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing , University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton , UK.
authors.forename: Yannis
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Koutedakis
authors.affiliation: c School of Physical Education and Sports Science , Democritus University of Thrace , Komotini , Greece.|g Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing , University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton , UK.
authors.forename: Ioannis G
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Fatouros
mesh_terms: D000886:Anthropometry; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000378:metabolism; D004435:Eating; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000293:injuries / Q000378:metabolism; D063806:Myalgia / Q000378:metabolism; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D012916:Soccer / Q000293:injuries / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007501:Iron; D003402:Creatine Kinase
keywords: inflammatory responses; iron deficiency; microcycle; recovery; soccer