Effects of Ramadan observance combined with two training programs on plasma lipids and testosterone/cortisol ratio in male senior basketball players

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the variations in the lipid profile and testosterone (T)/cortisol (C) ratio during the observance of Ramadan (R) in addition to two training programs (small-sided games [SSG] and repeated sprint ability [RSA]) in basketball players. METHODS: Sixteen male basketball players (mean +/- SD: age: 23.4 +/- 2.3years; height: 1.86 +/- 0.09 m; body mass: 78.3 +/- 11.0 kg and VO2max: 51.0 +/- 2.7 mL/min/kg) who were randomLy allocated to one of two training groups (G(SSG), N.=8 and G(RSA), N.=8) participated in the study during R and one month after Ramadan (AR) with fifteen days of total recovery between the training periods. Lipids, glucose, T and C were measured on six occasions: before R (P1), at the end of the second week of R (P2), at the end of R (P3), before the AR training period (P4), at the end of the second week AR (P5) and at the end of the AR training period (P6). RESULTS: Glucose and the T/C ratio were higher for G(RSA) than for G(SSG) after two weeks of training in R (P=0.039 and P=0.048, respectively). Cortisol was higher for G(SSG) than for G(RSA) after two weeks of training during R (P=0.005). No differences were found in the measured parameters between the groups at the end of R. Additionally; the delta changes for Glucose, cortisol and the T/C ratio were higher AR than they were during R (P<0.0001, P<0.0003 and P<0.006, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that an intermittent fasting period has a beneficial effect on some metabolic and hormonal parameters in basketball players submitted to SSG and RSA training.