Effects of Soluble Dietary Fiber on Sport Efficiency and Fatigue Delay in Top Basketball Players
Condition: Dietary Fiber; Sports; Sports Nutrition; Microbiota; Nutrition Surveys
MeSH terms: Fatigue
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Athlete nutrition is becoming an increasingly important factor on the path to achieving top
      results. Nutrients such as soluble fiber can alter the intestinal microbiota, resulting in
      metabolites with a positive effect on metabolism. Thus, the fibers become available, an
      additional source of energy to the host, have an anti-stress effect and delay the feeling of
      fatigue. The primary goal of the study is to determine the impact of soluble dietary fiber on
      increasing athletic efficiency, the secondary goal is to determine the impact of fiber on
      delaying fatigue. Subjects will be randomly divided into experimental and control group. The
      sample of variables will consist of genome microbiota genome sequencing data, measures to
      assess morphological characteristics, lower extremity explosive strength tests, and
      cardiovascular endurance. The statistical package SPSS will be used for data processing. The
      expected scientific contribution of this research is to expand the scientific knowledge about
      the importance of dietary fiber in the diet of athletes with the aim of improving sports
      performance.
    

Detailed description: 
      Material, participants, methodology and research plan The material will be soluble fiber
      NUTRIOSE and placebo. Nutriose, derived from corn, is generally well tolerated and no
      allergic reactions are known. Participants will be made aware of this in informed consent.
      If, however, there will be any adverse reactions in participant, participant will withdraw
      from the study immediately.

      The participants will be 14 adult, professional basketball players. The sample of subjects
      was determined by the size of the group in the same training process in order to exclude the
      influence of different training processes on the research results. Participants who have used
      antibiotics in the last 3 months, participants with type 1 and 2 diabetes, and also who have
      used other ergogenic aids in the last 30 days and still using them are excluded.

      Participants will be randomly divided into two groups: the experimental group that will
      consume the tested fibers and the control group that will consume placebo. Design is a
      double-blind study where an independent statistician will be entrusted with the randomization
      of subjects into the two groups.

      Sample variables:

      Methods: dietary methods, anthropometric methods, fatigue assessment questionnaire and fecal
      samples analysis.

      The sample of variables consists of: fecal sample for intestinal microbiota sequencing,
      measures to assess morphological characteristics (body height, body weight, triceps skinfold,
      subscapular skinfold, chest skinfold, abdomen skinfold, suprailiocristal skinfold, thigh
      skinfold, axillary skinfold, fat percentage calculated by the seven skinfolds algorithm).

      Dietary methods will be used to control eating habits and fiber intake prior to testing and
      to control diet during testing. The methods will be a food diary (three-day) and as an
      unannounced control of daily food intake once a week will be a 24-hour dietary recalls. The
      three-day food diary will show diet and average fiber intake just before the start of testing
      and unannounced control of daily food intake as evidence of unchanged eating habits during
      the study. All collected dietary data will be processed using Croatian food tables in
      addition to American tables for all foods whose chemical composition is not available in
      national tables.

      In assessing the athletic performance of basketball players, emphasis will be placed on the
      explosive power of the lower extremities (concentric and eccentric contractions).
      Anthropometric methods will use tests to assess vertical explosive power (squat jump,
      countermovement jump, one legged countermovement jump, maximal countermovement jump,
      continuous jumps with straight egs, continuous jump with bent legs) with Optojump system and
      explosive power - sprint (5m, 10m and 20m sprint) with the Powertimer Newtest system. Aerobic
      endurance tests (BEEP test with sound signal) and anaerobic endurance test (300 m (15x20))
      with Powertimer Newtest system will be used to assess cardiovascular endurance. Laboratory
      measurements will be performed within the Sports Diagnostic Center of the Faculty of
      Kinesiology, University of Zagreb.

      Fecal samples will be collected at the Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology,
      University of Zagreb. Analysis of the composition of the intestinal microbiota by DNA
      sequencing from fecal samples will be performed using an Illumina NGS device.

      Participants will complete a questionnaire on a daily basis in subjective feeling of fatigue
      on a scale of 1 to 10 (rate of perceived exertion).

      Participants will have a daily short questionnaire on: bloating, change in stool consistency,
      nausea and weakness.

      Research plan:

      The research lasts a total of 8 weeks. Initial measurements before the start of
      supplementation include anthropometric testing and taking the first microbiota sample. This
      is followed by taking another microbiota sample 2 weeks after the start of supplementation.
      Final measurements follow at the end of 4 weeks of supplementation that include
      anthropometric testing and taking a third microbiota sample. Finally, the fourth microbiota
      sample will be 4 weeks after the final and 8 weeks after the initial measurements,
      respectively. After getting acquainted with the basics of testing, participants will sign a
      consent to participate.

      Three days before the initial testing, participants will be explained how collect feces and
      the collection containers will be distributed. Each participant will be subjected to a
      dietary method of measuring food intake, a three-day diet diary and unannounced controls of
      daily food intake, once a week. Initial measurements will begin by collecting fecal-sampled
      containers. After measuring the morphological characteristics, tests to assess explosive
      power and aerobic and anaerobic capacities will be approached. After the initial testing,
      during the regular competition season, the participants of both groups will continue the
      training process without the possibility of additional training or changes in the training
      process. The experimental group (n = 7) will consume 2x8.5 g/day of soluble dietary fiber
      over four weeks, while the control group (n = 7) will consume the same amount of placebo
      carbohydrates. The dose was determined by previous studies with a proven effect on the
      morphological characteristics of participants and without side effects.

      Participants will be taken by the respondents after the training in the presence of the
      research leader, and on the day off they will send a picture of an empty bag in mobile phone
      application. This will resolve "compliance." The training process will be the same for both
      groups, and participants will be advised not to change their diet pattern for two weeks prior
      to the test as well as for the duration of the experiment. After each training session and
      basketball game, respondents will complete a questionnaire in subjective feeling of fatigue
      on a scale of 1 to 10 (rate of perceived exertion). The final measurements are equal to the
      initial ones.

      Data processing methods:

      The sample size in the study was estimated through a test power of 70 % and a significance
      level of 5 %. The statistical program SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Science),
      version 17.0., SPSS, Inc. will be used for data processing. Descriptive statistical
      parameters of the monitored variables will be calculated: arithmetic mean (AS), standard
      deviation (SD), minimum (MIN), maximum (MAX) and range result (RAS) and curvature (KURT) and
      distribution asymmetry (SKEW), and normality distribution by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test.
      Multivariate and univariate analysis of variance (MANOVA and ANOVA) will be used to analyze
      the effects of training between initial and final measurements within groups, as well as to
      analyze differences in effects between groups. In case of statistically significant
      differences between groups, Tukey post hoc analysis will be used to determine the difference
      between specific groups. All conclusions will be drawn at the level of statistical error p
      <0.05.
    

Intervention name(s): Soluble dietary fiber with prebiotic properties; Placebo
Intervention type(s): Dietary Supplement; Dietary Supplement
Intervention description(s): 14 adult professional baskeyball players will be divided randomly in two groups, each containing 7 players. One group shall receive Nutriose fiber, two times per day 10 grams per dose in total duration of 4 weeks. Second group shall receive same amount of Placebo in form of Maltodextrin. Each group will undergo a series of sports performance tests and questionnaires and shall donate their feces several times during the study in order to monitor gut microbiota changes. The Nutriose group in this particular intervention contains 7 randomy selected players.; 14 adult professional baskeyball players will be divided randomly in two groups, each containing 7 players. One group shall receive Nutriose fiber, two times per day 10 grams per dose in total duration of 4 weeks. Second group shall receive same amount of Placebo in form of Maltodextrin. Each group will undergo a series of sports performance tests and questionnaires and shall donate their feces several times during the study in order to monitor gut microbiota changes. This second (Placebo) group also consists of the 7 players and receives Maltodextrin supplementation. Since the study type is "double-blind", neither the participants (players) nor the person handing out the supplementation know the exact nature of fiber substance being handed during the entire duration of the trial. Independent statistician is handling the randomization of both interventions.
Other intervention name(s): Nutriose; Maltodextrin
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: Double-blind study of defined prebiotic supplementation for active basketball players investigating fiber effect on microbiota composition and delayed feeling of fatigue. There are two arms, active one receiving prebiotic fibre and control one receiving placebo. Each arm contains 7 randomly selected participants who signed informed consent and will receive supplementation during 4 weeks in total while being in the same training camp and under same training conditions.
Masking: Double (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Other
Keywords: Fiber; Gastrointestinal Microbiota; Nutrition; 16S rRNA sequencing; Performance