The effect of nutrition on blood parameters in football players

Aim: To investigate the effects of a nutrition plan applied to football players on blood parameters. Materials and Methods: The study included 20 voluntary male football players with a mean age of 18.3 ± 0.2 years, a mean height of 178.6 ± 6.7 cm, and a mean body weight of 66.5 ± 6.7 kg. The effects of an eight-week nutrition plan on blood parameters were investigated. Within the scope of the study, players' descriptive characteristics, three-day dietary intake records (including training, match, and rest days), physical activity levels, and anthropometric measurements were assessed. Routine clinical parameters (glucose, albumin, hemoglobin, lipid profile, AST, ALT, etc.) and additional biochemical parameters evaluated within the study (creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, ferritin, sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, chloride, etc.) were analyzed. Results: The average intake levels of nutrients obtained from the assessment of dietary intake were compared with the ISSN reference requirement values. It was observed that vitamin D and vitamin K intakes were insufficient on match days, while on training days, vitamin E intake was additionally found to be insufficient. On rest days, intakes of vitamins A, D, E, K, and thiamine, as well as the minerals folate, calcium, and magnesium, were inadequate and did not meet the recommended levels. As a result of the study, statistically significant increases were observed in MCHC (p<0.05), lymphocyte (LYM) percentage (p<0.05), ferritin (p<0.05), total protein (p<0.05), calcium (p<0.05), HDL-C (p<0.05) and vitamin B12 (p<0.05). In contrast, statistically significant decreases were detected in neutrophil (NEU) percentage (p<0.05), TIBC (p<0.05), BUN (p<0.05), total cholesterol (p<0.05) and triglyceride levels (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study reveals the effects of nutrition on hematological and biochemical blood parameters in football players, emphasizing its role in overall health, performance, and physiological adaptations, and provides a strong scientific contribution to the literature in the field of sports nutrition.