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

6 months