Fluctuation in body composition and urine specific gravity of Turkish wrestlers in a top-level official wrestling competition.

Abstract

Purpose: This research aimed to examine the fluctuations in body composition and Urine-Specific Gravity (U_SG) of elite wrestlers in a high-level official wrestling competition.

Method: Thirty-one wrestlers in the Türkiye Senior Greco-Romen Wrestling national team participated in this research. Wrestlers were divided into weight loss and non-weight loss groups, and changes in their body composition and U_SG were measured at three different times (beginning of the camp, weigh-in, and before the competition). The duration between the beginning of the camp and the competition weigh-in time was considered as a dehydration process and the duration between the competition weigh-in time and before the competition was regarded as a rehydration process. In the data analysis, 3 × 2 repeated measures ANOVA was used.

Results: It was determined that during the dehydration process of wrestlers who lost weight, there was a decrease of 4.02%, 2.50%, 14.62%, and 2.66% in body weight, FFM, FM, and TBW, whereas, during the rehydration process, there was a gain of 1.85%, 1.77%, 2.63%, and 1.87%, respectively. In addition, it was determined that wrestlers who lost weight had a 0.87% increase in U_SG during the dehydration process and a 0.41% decrease in the rehydration process. The results show that wrestlers cannot regain body weight and FM lost in the hydration fluctuation during a competition, but they can regain FFM, TBW, and U_SG. However, although it was determined that the wrestlers were statistically able to regain FFM, TBW, and U_SG, they could not return to the levels at the beginning of the camp.

Conclusion: It was determined that before a high-level official wrestling competition, wrestlers still preferred weight loss practices and it was determined that they were exposed to fluctuations in their body composition and U_SG. It is thought that this result may negatively affect the wrestlers' health and competition performance during a high-level competition.