Definition of the total antioxidant capacity and vitamin Dlevels in professional athletes who play football in Giresunspor

The aim of the study was to determine serum vitamin D and total antioxidant capacity of professional football players. The work group consists of 56 professional football players (26 teams A, 30 substructure teams) playing in Giresunspor Football Club. The control group consisted of 30 volunteer healthy male subjects. The SPSS 21 package program was used to calculate and interpret the survey data applied face to face to the study group. In addition, the body composition of the players was determined by the InBody 230 device which works with the principle of BIA. Serum vitamin D levels of the soccer players were compared with reference values (≥30 ng / ml). Serum total antioxidant capacity was compared with 30 healthy volunteers in the control group. As a result of the study, mean serum 25 (OH) D levels of the players were determined as 31.68 ng / ml. A sufficient amount of vitamin D levels; While protein synthesis, muscle strength, jumping height, speed, exercise capacity and physical performance increase; stress fractures cause a decrease in the rates of injury, fall, muscle relaxation, muscle pain and weakness. Serum 25 (OH) D levels are very important for maintaining and improving optimal performance in football players. The formation of free radicals and oxidative stress during exercise is known to affect optimal performance and recovery period after exercise. The mean serum antioxidant capacity of the participants was found to be 1.97. The mean serum antioxidant capacity of the control group was 1.94. There is an increase in metabolic rate during training, which leads to a rapid release of free radicals. Despite this thought, there was no significant difference in serum total antioxidant capacity between the study and control groups. Keywords: athletes, sports nutrition, soccer players, vitamin D, total antioxidant capacity