Circadian Rhythm, Exercise, Physical Performance
Conditions
Keywords
Exercise1, Cortisol2, Creatine Kinase3, Circadian Rhythm4, Testosterone5,
Brief summary
This study aims to investigate whether the time of day at which acute exercise is performed influences physical performance and acute hormonal and biochemical responses in healthy young male soccer players. Participants will complete the same standardized exercise protocol in the morning (08:00-09:30) and evening (17:00-18:30), with a 96-hour interval between sessions. Performance will be assessed using vertical jump and Yo-Yo shuttle run tests. Blood samples will be collected before exercise, immediately after exercise, and two hours after exercise to assess testosterone, cortisol, creatine kinase, AST, ALT, LDH, and troponin levels. The study will examine whether exercise responses differ between morning and evening sessions and whether these differences are consistent with circadian variation.
Detailed description
The purpose of this study is to examine the acute effects of exercise performed at different times of the day on physical performance, hormonal responses, and biochemical markers associated with exercise-induced muscle stress and recovery in healthy young male soccer players. The study uses a single-group, repeated-measures pre-test/post-test design in which the same participants complete an identical standardized exercise protocol on two separate occasions. One exercise session will be performed in the morning between 08:00 and 09:30, and the other will be performed in the evening between 17:00 and 18:30. The two experimental sessions will be separated by 96 hours (4 days) to reduce the influence of the preceding exercise session on subsequent measurements. Before each exercise session, participants will undergo anthropometric assessment and provide a resting blood sample. Participants will then complete standardized physical performance assessments, including a vertical jump test and a Yo-Yo shuttle run endurance test. Immediately after completion of the exercise protocol, a second blood sample will be collected. A third blood sample will be collected two hours after exercise to assess the early recovery response. Blood samples will be analyzed for hormonal and biochemical parameters, including testosterone and cortisol as hormonal markers, and creatine kinase (CK), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and troponin as biochemical markers of exercise-related physiological and metabolic responses. The primary purpose of the comparison is to determine whether the acute physiological responses to the same exercise stimulus differ according to the time of day. The study will also explore the potential relationship between exercise timing and circadian variation in physical performance, hormonal responses, and biochemical markers. All participants will complete the same exercise and measurement procedures under standardized conditions. The study population consists of healthy male soccer players who regularly participate in sports. Participants must be physically able to safely complete the exercise and assessment protocols and must not have medical or musculoskeletal conditions that could affect exercise performance or the safety of the study procedures. This study is designed to provide information about the influence of exercise timing on acute performance and physiological responses and may contribute to the development of time-of-day considerations in exercise programming and sports training.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALStandardized Acute Exercise Protocol
Participants completed a standardized acute exercise protocol consisting of a vertical jump test and a Yo-Yo shuttle run endurance test. The protocol was performed twice, once in the morning (08:00-09:30) and once in the evening (17:00-18:30), with a 96-hour washout period between sessions. Blood samples were collected before exercise, immediately after exercise, and 2 hours after exercise to assess hormonal (testosterone and cortisol) and biochemical (CK, AST, ALT, LDH, and troponin) responses.
Sponsors
Firat University
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Masking description
This is an open-label, single-group repeated-measures study. No masking or blinding procedures are used. Participants, investigators, and outcome assessors are aware of the exercise session and the time of day at which each assessment is performed.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
MALE
Age
18 Years to 25 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Healthy male soccer players. * Age between 18 and 25 years. * Regular participation in organized soccer training. * Free from musculoskeletal injury during the previous 6 months. * Able and willing to provide written informed consent.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Yo-Yo Shuttle Run Performance | Immediately after completion of the exercise performance assessment during each experimental session. | Change in endurance performance measured by the Yo-Yo shuttle run test following the standardized acute exercise protocol performed in the morning and evening. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Vertical Jump Performance | Baseline (pre-exercise), immediately post-exercise, and 2 hours post-exercise. | Explosive lower-extremity performance will be assessed using the vertical jump test during the morning and evening experimental sessions. |
| Serum Testosterone Concentration | Baseline (pre-exercise), immediately post-exercise, and 2 hours post-exercise. | Serum testosterone concentration will be assessed from blood samples collected before exercise, immediately after exercise, and 2 hours after exercise during the morning and evening experimental sessions. |
| Serum Cortisol Concentration | Baseline (pre-exercise), immediately post-exercise, and 2 hours post-exercise. | Serum cortisol concentration will be assessed from blood samples collected before exercise, immediately after exercise, and 2 hours after exercise during the morning and evening experimental sessions. |
| Serum Creatine Kinase (CK) Concentration | Baseline (pre-exercise), immediately post-exercise, and 2 hours post-exercise. | Serum creatine kinase concentration will be assessed as a biochemical marker of exercise-related physiological response using blood samples collected before exercise, immediately after exercise, and 2 hours after exercise. |
| Serum Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) Concentration | Baseline (pre-exercise), immediately post-exercise, and 2 hours post-exercise. | Serum AST concentration will be assessed from blood samples collected before exercise, immediately after exercise, and 2 hours after exercise during the morning and evening sessions. |
| Serum Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) Concentration | Baseline (pre-exercise), immediately post-exercise, and 2 hours post-exercise. | Serum ALT concentration will be assessed from blood samples collected before exercise, immediately after exercise, and 2 hours after exercise during the morning and evening sessions. |
| Serum Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) Concentration | Baseline (pre-exercise), immediately post-exercise, and 2 hours post-exercise. | Serum LDH concentration will be assessed from blood samples collected before exercise, immediately after exercise, and 2 hours after exercise during the morning and evening sessions. |
| Serum Troponin Concentration | Baseline (pre-exercise), immediately post-exercise, and 2 hours post-exercise | Serum troponin concentration will be assessed from blood samples collected before exercise, immediately after exercise, and 2 hours after exercise during the morning and evening experimental sessions. |
Countries
Turkey (Türkiye)
Outcome results
None listed