Fat Oxidation Rates in Professional Soccer Players
Abstract
Purpose Large interindividual variation exists in maximal fat oxidation (MFO) rates and the exercise intensity at which it occurs (FATMAX). However, there are no data describing the shape of the fat oxidation curve or if individual differences exist when tested on separate occasions. Furthermore, there are limited data on fat metabolism in professional team sport athletes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to test-retest the concavity (shape) and intercept (height) of fat oxidation curves within a group of professional soccer players. Method On two occasions, 16 professional male soccer players completed a graded exercise test in a fasted state (≥5 h). Rates of fat oxidation were determined using indirect calorimetry. Maximal oxygen uptake (V˙O2max) was measured to calculate FATMAX (%V˙O2max). The shape of the fat oxidation curves were modeled on an individual basis using third-degree polynomial. Test-by-test differences, in the shape and vertical shift of the fat oxidation curves, were established to assess within-individual variability. Results Average absolute MFO was 0.69 ± 0.15 g·min (range, 0.45-0.99 g·min). On a group level, no significant differences were found in MFO between the two tests. No differences were found (P > 0.05) in the shape of the fat oxidation curves in 13 of 16 players (test 1 vs test 2). There were also no differences (P > 0.05) in the vertical shift of the fat oxidation curves in 10 players. Conclusions In general, the shape of the fat oxidation…
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Increasing reliance on fat oxidation has yet to illustrate improvements in performance.
“There is some debate regarding strategies to increase reliance on fat oxidation to support physical activity at a range of VO2max, but increasing reliance on this pathway has yet to illustrate improvements in performance [61].”
From Considerations of Low Carbohydrate Availability (LCA) to Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) in Female Endurance Athletes: A Narrative Review (2023) · cites this paper as [61]
As exercise intensities increase above ~60-65% VO2max, a progressive increase in the relative oxidation of CHO will support the activity.
“As exercise intensities increase above ~60–65% VO2max, a progressive increase in the relative oxidation of CHO will support the activity [61].”
From Considerations of Low Carbohydrate Availability (LCA) to Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) in Female Endurance Athletes: A Narrative Review (2023) · cites this paper as [61]
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Muscle and Blood Metabolites during a Soccer Game: Implications for Sprint Performance
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Determination of the exercise intensity that elicits maximal fat oxidation
ACHTEN, J., GLEESON, M., & JEUKENDRUP, A. E. (2002) · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise · doi:10.1097/00005768-200201000-00015 · Cited by 551 · cited 3× · see citing works
“A single incremental exercise test can be used to determine substrate utilization, commonly known as a FATMAX test (6,7).”
MethodSelf-citationDeterminants of fat oxidation during exercise in healthy men and women: a cross-sectional study
Venables, M. C., Achten, J., & Jeukendrup, A. E. (2005) · Journal of Applied Physiology · doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00662.2003 · Cited by 503 · cited 7× · see citing works
“A PLIED SC EN C ES the majority of studies that have reported MFO as the single end-point finding (14,15,20,21).”
BackgroundMethodInfluentialSelf-citationA Step Towards Personalized Sports Nutrition: Carbohydrate Intake During Exercise
Jeukendrup, A. (2014) · Sports Medicine · doi:10.1007/s40279-014-0148-z · Cited by 412 · see citing works
Self-citationMaximal fat oxidation during exercise in trained men
(2003) · International Journal of Sports Medicine · doi:10.1055/s-2003-43265 · Cited by 253 · cited 1× · see citing works
“After validation of the protocol (6,7,9), Venables et al.”
MethodSelf-citationCarbohydrate Nutrition and Team Sport Performance
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Self-citationCarbohydrate Dependence During Prolonged, Intense Endurance Exercise
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Maximal Fat Oxidation Rates in an Athletic Population
RANDELL, R. K., ROLLO, I., ROBERTS, T. J., DALRYMPLE, K. J., JEUKENDRUP, A. E., & CARTER, J. M. (2017) · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise · doi:10.1249/mss.0000000000001084 · Cited by 101 · see citing works
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Sebastiá-Rico, J., Soriano, J. M., González-Gálvez, N., & Martínez-Sanz, J. M. (2023) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu15051160 · Cited by 66 · see citing works
Brun, J.-F., Myzia, J., Varlet-Marie, E., Raynaud de Mauverger, E., & Mercier, J. (2022) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu14081605 · Cited by 48 · see citing works
- Authors
- RANDELL, R. K., CARTER, J. M., JEUKENDRUP, A. E., LIZARRAGA, M. A., YANGUAS, J. I., & ROLLO, I.
- Affiliations
- PepsiCo (United Kingdom) (GB)
- Loughborough University (GB)
- FC Barcelona (ES)
- Venue
- Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise
- Published
- 2019-03-06
- Volume
- 51
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 1677-1683
- ISSN
- 0195-9131 (ISSN-L)
- 1530-0315
- OpenAlex
- W2920972969
- Cited by
- 14
- References
- 9
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 1
- FWCI
- 0.96
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports Performance and Training
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Muscle metabolism and nutrition
- Keywords
- fat oxidation, maximal fat oxidation, Fatmax, test-retest reliability, within-person variability, professional football players, team sport athletes, fat metabolism, training status, body composition, personalized nutrition
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Body Composition, Calorimetry, Indirect, Dietary Fats, Exercise Test, Humans, Male, Oxidation-Reduction, Oxygen Consumption, Soccer, Young Adult, Physical Conditioning, Human
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