2023, Volume 19

Effect of rapid weight loss in combat sports: systematic review



Cecilia Castor-Praga1, Javier Sanchez-Lopez2, Jeanette M. Lopez-Walle1, María Cristina Enríquez-Reyna1, Alberto Garrido-Esquivel1, Marina Medina-Corrales1

1Facultad de Organización Deportiva, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolás de los Garza, Mexico
2Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad Juriquilla, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, Mexico


Author for correspondence: Javier Sanchez-Lopez; Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad Juriquilla, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, Mexico; email: javiersanchezlopez@unam.mx



Jeanette M. Lopez-Walle: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1552-7756

María Cristina Enríquez-Reyna: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7720-4269

Alberto Garrido-Esquivel: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1496-6511

Marina Medina-Corrales: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8446-9188



Full text

Abstract

Background and Study Aim: Rapid Weight Loss (RWL) is a process usually practiced by combat athletes. The objective of this review was to know the effects of RWL on cardiac response, executive functions, and mood state, as well as the study methodologies used.

Material and Methods: The search was conducted in Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar, in English and Spanish from 2015 to 2022 using the keywords: “rapid weight loss”, “acute weight loss”, “RWL”, “heart rate variability”, “HRV”, “sympathetic response”, “sympathetic cardiac modulation”, “executive functions”, “cognition”, “cognitive”, “mood states”, and “combat sports”. Articles where athletes practiced RWL were included, and the amount of weight lost and at least one variable of interest were reported, considering criteria 1, 10 and 11 of the Spanish’s version of the PEDro scale and the PRISMA guidelines.

Results: Seven articles reported an increased heart rate; in terms of executive performance, no significant effects on inhibitory control and reaction time were reported in two articles. Finally, seven articles reported, an increase in tension, depression, anger and fatigue, and a decrease in vigour.

Conclusions: No papers evaluating simultaneously all three variables of interest were found. The effects of RWL appear to be unclear in the analysed articles used, considering the diversity in the methodologies used, it is recommended to carry out studies involving biopsychosocial factors, such as the level of sports and competitive experience of the participants; as well as having standard indicators and methodologies to know the real effect of RWL.


Key words: cardiac response, flight or fight, health


Cite this article as:

AMA:

Castor-Praga C, Sanchez-Lopez J, Lopez-Walle J et al. Effect of rapid weight loss in combat sports: systematic review. ARCH BUDO. 2023;19

APA:

Castor-Praga, C., Sanchez-Lopez, J., Lopez-Walle, J.M., Enríquez-Reyna, M.C., Garrido-Esquivel, A., & Medina-Corrales, M. (2023). Effect of rapid weight loss in combat sports: systematic review. ARCH BUDO, 19

Chicago:

Castor-Praga, Cecilia, Sanchez-Lopez Javier, Lopez-Walle Jeanette M., Enríquez-Reyna María Cristina, Garrido-Esquivel Alberto, Medina-Corrales Marina. 2023. "Effect of rapid weight loss in combat sports: systematic review". ARCH BUDO 19

Harvard:

Castor-Praga, C., Sanchez-Lopez, J., Lopez-Walle, J.M., Enríquez-Reyna, M.C., Garrido-Esquivel, A., and Medina-Corrales, M. (2023). Effect of rapid weight loss in combat sports: systematic review. ARCH BUDO, 19

MLA:

Castor-Praga, Cecilia et al. "Effect of rapid weight loss in combat sports: systematic review." ARCH BUDO, vol. 19, 2023

Vancouver:

Castor-Praga C, Sanchez-Lopez J, Lopez-Walle JM et al. Effect of rapid weight loss in combat sports: systematic review. ARCH BUDO 2023; 19