THE EFFECT OF THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET ON PERIPHERAL AND CENTRAL FATIGUE DURING PHYSICAL EXERTION IN ATHLETES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/pub.health.2025.2.16Keywords:
Mediterranean diet, fatigue, peripheral fatigue, central fatigue, sports medicine, polyphenols, omega-3, nitratesAbstract
Topicality. The Mediterranean diet in the modern world is considered the basis of a healthy and high-quality dietamong all segments of the population. However, the effect of such nutrition on the effectiveness of athletes' training ispoorly studied. It is known that during active physical exertion the body requires enormous amounts of proteins, fatsand carbohydrates. The goal of this systematic review was to assess the effect of the Mediterranean diet (MDD) on the endurance of athletes during physical exertion. Materials and methods. А broad systematic literature search was conducted in the PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases, including randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Research results. The study found that the Mediterranean diet is often associated with reducedmarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation, faster recovery from intense exercise, and improved subjective fatigue in different groups of athletes. The physiological mechanisms underlying the observed effects include the antioxidant effect of polyphenols, the anti-inflammatory effect of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and improved vascular reactivitythrough nitrates from vegetables. However, due to the small sample sizes and the lack of placebo comparison in most of the reviewed publications, further studies are needed to determine the optimal nutrition in athletes during periods of intense physical activity. Conclusions. The Mediterranean diet is a promising dietary pattern for reducing peripheral and potentially central fatigue in athletes, but well-designed, long-term studies with standardized protocols and macronutrientcontrol are needed for definitive clinical recommendations.
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