Abstract details
| Abstract-ID: | 1779 |
| Title of the paper: | The Effect of Macular Carotenoids and Omega-3 Supplementation on Performance in Shooting and Archery: The Sport Nutrition Intervention in Performance Exercise (SNIPE) Study |
| Authors: | Sivaperuman, P., Horn, F.C. 2,3, Roche, W. 2, Stringham, J.M. 2, Nolan, J.M. 2 |
| Institution: | 1High Performance Sport Institute, Sport Singapore; 2Nutrition Research Centre Ireland, South East Technological University; 3College of Optometry at Pacific University, Oregon |
| Department: | Sport Science and Sport Medicine, High Performance Sport Singapore |
| Country: | Singapore |
| Abstract text | INTRODUCTION: Athletes engaged in precision sports often experience extended and varying short-wavelength visible blue light (SBL) exposure during training and competition. As a result, it may negatively impact the athlete’s visual function and overall performance. Current data have shown that the dietary eye carotenoid (lutein (L), zeaxanthin (Z), meso-zeaxanthin (MZ)) along with omega-3 dietary fatty acids (?3) enhance visual performance in healthy eye (free of retinal disease) populations, but this has yet to be tested in athletes. The Sport Nutrition Intervention in Performance Exercise (SNIPE) study is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial aimed at investigating the impact of a supplement containing L, Z, MZ with ?3 over a 9-month period on vision and sport performance among Singapore shooting and archery athletes. METHODS: A total of 51 shooting and archery athletes, with a mean (±SD) age of 28 (± 8.01) years, took part in this study. The active group received a supplement containing L, Z, MZ + ?3, while the placebo contained sunflower oil. Carotenoid status was assessed by measuring blood serum L, Z and MZ concentration (S-L, Z, MZ levels) as well as skin carotenoid concentrations (SCS). Visual function was evaluated by measuring visual acuity (VA) and contrast sensitivity (CS) at 6 and 12 cycles per degree (cpd) under both photopic and mesopic conditions for the dominant eye. Subjective visual function was evaluated with the VF questionnaire (VFQ). Sport performance was measured by recording shooting score (SS) and total aiming time (TAT) for every 10-shot intervals, up to 60 shots, during simulated competitions. RESULTS: Statistically significant difference with large effect size was observed in the active group for time-over-treatment interaction effect on carotenoid status (SCS and S-L, Z, MZ levels p <0.001 for all, ?2 for SCS = 0.209 and S-L, Z, MZ= 0.276, 0.305, and 0.320, respectively), dominant eye CS at 6 cpd under mesopic conditions (p=0.008, ?2 = 0.141) , and score for last 50 shots (p = 0.019, ?2 = 0.112), last 60 shots (p = 0.046, ?2 = 0.082) and total of 60 shots (p = 0.047, ?2 = 0.081), in comparison to the placebo group for both sports. No significant differences were observed for TAT, VA, and VFQ (p>0.05 for all, ?2 for TAT=0.010, VA=0.002, VFQ=0.000). CONCLUSION: The findings above, which indicate improvements in sporting performance among archers and shooters following carotenoid and omega-3 enrichment, are novel and likely attributable to the optical and antioxidant properties of these dietary carotenoids. |
| Topic: | Nutrition |
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