Effects of Octacosanol During Taekwondo Training



Status:Completed
Conditions:High Cholesterol, Other Indications
Therapuetic Areas:Cardiology / Vascular Diseases, Other
Healthy:No
Age Range:17 - 19
Updated:6/17/2018
Start Date:August 1, 2017
End Date:March 1, 2018

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Octacosanol Supplementation Improves Lipid Profiles and Oxidative Stress During Rapid Weight Loss and High-Intensity Exercise in Taekwondo Athletes

Taekwondo players undergo rapid reductions of body weight prior to their competition in order
to gain a size advantage over the opponent. However, these large weight changes with
concomitant high intensity exercise training induce poor lipid profiles and high levels of
oxidative stress, which can be detrimental to health and sports performance. Therefore, the
purpose of this study was to investigate the ability of the nutritional supplement
octacosanol to combat the physiological detriments that can occur from these rapid weight
changes paired with high intensity exercise training.

Athletes that participate in weight division sports such as taekwondo, boxing, judo, and
wrestling regularly reduce their body weight severely prior to competition in order to gain a
size advantage over the opponent while simultaneously meeting their weight division
requirements. In general, athletes have acute weight loss of 4-7 kg within 3-4 days of
competition, while longer periods of more gradual weight loss of 15-22 kg lasting 3-4 weeks.
Although this kind of extreme weight loss can induce metabolic dysfunction, it is repeatedly
performed by athletes of weight division sports in order to acquire a more advantageous
condition for play. Furthermore, athletes participating in matches tend to obtain excessive
weights compared to their weight division during the offseason in order to lift heavier
weights during training, and then rapidly lose that weight over a short period of time prior
to competition, resulting in the deterioration of physiological function and possibly sports
performance.

Rapid weight loss with high intensity exercise training also increases oxygen free radical
production to a point that exceeds the defense mechanism of antioxidant enzymes in the body
and ultimately results in damage to the cells, specifically, the lipid peroxidation of cell
membranes. Not only does this decrease physiological function, but sports performance can
also decrease as oxidative stress increases due to an interference in metabolic activity, a
reduction in vascular function and an increase in systemic inflammation. Octacosanol, a
straight-chain, high-molecular-weight, primary aliphatic alcohol minimally contained in the
germinal disks of rice bran, wheat and sugar cane, may be able to prevent these
deteriorations as it has been shown to provide various health benefits. In fact, previous
studies reported that pre-exercise octacosanol intake contributed to enhanced muscular
strength, muscular endurance and oxygen transport ability. Additionally, octacosanol
supplementation has been shown to improve cardiovascular endurance and heart function in
patients with peripheral artery disease, improve levels of low-density and high-density
lipoprotein-cholesterol in patients with hypercholesterolemia, and increase glycogen
accumulation in mice9. However, the potential beneficial effects of octacosanol intake for
reducing free radical production and preventing detrimental physiological function from
excessive weight loss with high intensity exercise has not been examined. Thus, the purpose
of this study was to investigate the effects of octacosanol supplementation during acute
weight loss with high-intensity exercise training on lipid profiles and markers of oxidative
stress in taekwondo players.

Inclusion Criteria:

- at least 3 years of experience in national taekwondo competitions

- abstain from caffeinated drinks, alcohol, and antioxidant supplements during the whole
period of the study

Exclusion Criteria:

- no history of chronic use of antioxidants, chronic aspirin, and nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

- No cardiovascular, neurological, metabolic or renal diseases

- no musculoskeletal injuries
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