Nutritional and Physiological Studies on the Rapid Weight Reduction in Wrestlers

Abstract

Seven wrestlers, whose body weights should be reduced about ten per cent in relatively short period of time to be acknowledged for intercollegeate competition, were selected, and their daily food intakes in reduction through recovery period of body weight were estimated. Simultaneously, some blood and urine components were analysed, performance capacities (grip and back strength power) were measured, and gross balances of nitrogen and potassium were calculated as the difference between their intakes and urinary outputs, to discuss the influence of rapid weight reduction. For several days of the last stage of reduction period, the average intakes per kg body weight per day were about 20 kcal for energy, about 1.7 g for protein, about 20 g for food moisture and drinking water, total intakes per day were about 2 g for sodium and about 1 g for potassium respectively. During about seven days of recovery period, these intakes were increased to higher level, which were as average about 60 kcal for energy, about 2 g for protein, 46-73 g for food moisture and drinking water per kg body weight, about 5 g for sodium and about 3 g for potassium per day, respectively. During reduction period, the negative balances of nitrogen and potassium, slight reduction of performance capacities and dehydration symptoms in blood components (Ht value, and contents of Hb, plasma protein plasma urea nitrogen) were observed. During recovery period, the body weights were recovered rapidly to normal level, nitrogen and potassium were turned to positive balance, but some components (Ht value, plasma protein) were not completely recovered to their normal level. As far as the average food composition in recovery period was concerned, not so remarkable deficiency was observed, but the personal deviations in their intakes were distinct. From these results, it is suggested that by better balanced combination of food intake, personal body conditions of these young sportsmen with high physical strength would recover to their normal level more quickly and more completely. © 1984, The Japanese Society of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine. All rights reserved.