Energy Expenditure of Male Soccer Players from an English Premier League Team Does Not Differ between One-Game- and Two-Game-Per-Week Microcycles.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study is to determine the total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) of male English Premier League (EPL) players during one-game-per-week (1GW) and two-game-per-week (2GW) microcycles, thereby informing carbohydrate (CHO) guidelines aligned to the increasing physical demands of the game.

METHODS

Nine male players from an EPL club were assessed over a 15-day in-season period, including a 1GW followed by a 2GW. Measurements included TDEE (doubly labeled water (DLW)), energy intake (EI) (remote food photography method (RFPM)), and external physical loading.

RESULTS

Accumulative training and match duration was greater during 1GW (335 ± 22 min) compared with 2GW (307 ± 32 min, P = 0.013), whereas average speed was higher in 2GW (73 ± 7 m·min -1 ) versus 1GW (63 ± 4 m·min -1 , P = 0.012). No differences were observed in accumulative total (25552 ± 3502 m vs 26360 ± 5462 m), high-speed running (1744 ± 536 vs 1705 ± 752 m) and sprint distances (372 ± 150 vs 324 ± 252 m) between 1GW and 2GW (all P < 0.05). Mean TDEE was 3551 ± 507 kcal·d -1 , with no difference between 1GW (3554 ± 963 kcal·d -1 ) and 2GW (3467 ± 821 kcal·d -1 , P = 0.781). Self-reported EI using RFPM (2975 ± 292 kcal·d -1 ) underestimated DLW-derived EI estimates (3663 ± 665 kcal·d -1 ) by 724 ± 722 kcal·d -1 (18% error, P = 0.026).

CONCLUSIONS

TDEE in male EPL soccer players does not differ between 1GW and 2GW microcycles, likely because of the comparable external loads. Data provide further evidence that daily CHO intakes should likely range from 4 to 6 g·kg -1 on training days, increasing to 6 to 8 g·kg -1 for match day preparation, match day, and recovery.