Effectiveness of L-carnitine in the preparation of female football players

Aim: The aim of this paper is to study L-carnitine effect on various aspects of physical fitness and psychophysiological features of professional female football players during the competitive mesocycle. Materials and Methods: We studied the effect of Elkar L-carnitine (PIK-FARMA OOO, Russia) on functional parameters of professional female football players (n = 10, age 22 ± 1.7 years, body length 163.3 ± 5.5 cm, body weight 58.9 ± 6.8 kg). Participants from the experimental group (n = 6) received Elkar solution at a dose of 3 g/day (1.5 g twice a day) during 4 weeks of the competitive mesocycle. To study the drug effectiveness in the training process we estimated the body composition, functional state, anaerobic capacities, and psychophysiological status of female football players with the help of bioimpedanceometry, heart rate variability analysis, ergospirometry with the biochemical analysis of blood lactate content, and wingate test. Results: We established the optimization of body composition and a significant decrease in fat percentage. We also revealed an increase in the functional parameters of athletes from the experimental group: significant increase in VO 2max , normalization of SBP and adaptive capacities of the body, decrease in resting HR. Moreover, we also registered a insignificant increase in speed-strength capacities, stabilization of attention concentration, and normalization of psychophysiological parameters. Conclusion: L-carnitine is an effective and safe metabolic substance improving body composition, aerobic capacities, adaptive abilities, and attention concentration of female football players, which can be recommended as a supplement in remediation programs for professional athletes. © 2018 Human Sport Medicine.All right reserved.This work was supported by the Government of the Russian Federation [Act No. 211, contract No. 02.A03.21.0006]