Abstract:
Purpose : The aim of this study was to assess the effects of Ramadan fasting on the physiological and the metabolic responses of the football players. Methods: 12 football players (age: 19,83 ±2,39, tall: 176,08 ±3,82) were tested in two situations: during the period of control ©; just before Ramadan, and during the fourth week of the month ®. In each period, the subjects realized a maximal proof of effort to evaluate, according to Wasserman’s protocol (1986), the ventilator threshold (SV) and the maximal of oxygen uptake (O2max), and a submaximal exercise with progressive loads (20, 30, 40, 50, 60%) of the PMA calculated during the first test. This proof of effort assessed the oxidation of the energetic substrates by the indirect calorimetry. Anthropometric measures and take samples of blood were realized during this proof. Results: The anthropometric measures showed significant diminutions of the corporal mass and the fatty mass during Ramadan (P<0,05). The dietetic data revealed significant diminutions in the daily caloric shares and hydromineral shares (P<0,05). However, the rate of lipids in the alimentary shares significantly raised (P<0,05). The Ramadan didn’t influenced the O2max, while, the SV appeared later and the QR had significantly decreased (P<0,01) at the end of the effort. The plasmatic concentrations of haemoglobin had significantly raised during the fasting Ramadan (P<0,05). On the other hand, the diminution of the plasmatic volume at the end of effort remained insignificant. The crossover’s and lipoxmax’s points were significantly raised during Ramadan. These points were higher among the football players during the two periods. Conclusion: The practice of fasting Ramadan decreased the energizing shares. Therfore, the consumption of lipids, their oxidization and the amont of energy use, during the submaximal exercise, were proved to be increasing. The growth of the use of lipids was accompanied by the decrease of the corporal mass and the fatty mass. Contrary to the O2max, which was not influenced by Ramadan fasting, the SV appeared later and QR reduced at the end of the maximal exercise.
