Background & Aim: Intense physical activity is known to induce muscle damage and inflammation, prompting interest in nutritional interventions such as curcumin to mitigate these effects and enhance biochemical and functional outcomes in athletes. Accordingly, the present study aimed to investigate the impact of the FIFA interval test combined with curcumin supplementation on serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatine kinase (CK), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in male football assistant referees.
Methodology: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 20 active male assistant referees aged 25–35 from Bushehr Province. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 18 participants were randomly assigned to either the “Test” group or the “Test + Supplement” group. In addition to performing standard physical fitness assessments—including the Repeated Sprint Ability (RSA) test, the FIFA interval running test, and the Change of Direction Ability (CODA) test—the supplement group received 5 grams of curcumin daily (2.5 g in the morning and evening) for five consecutive days. Blood samples were collected at three time points: 2.5 days before the test, immediately after the test, and 48 hours post-test. Serum enzyme levels were measured using an autoanalyzer. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc tests at a significance level of p ≤ 0.05.
Results: Post-test levels of CK, LDH, ALT, and AST significantly increased in both groups compared to baseline (p < 0.001). However, in the curcumin-supplemented group, ALT (p = 0.006) and AST (p = 0.003) levels showed a significant decline in the second post-test phase compared to the first, whereas these enzymes continued to rise in the non-supplemented group. Between-group comparisons revealed significant differences in ALT (p < 0.001), AST (p < 0.001), and CK (p = 0.005) levels, while LDH changes were not statistically significant (p = 0.084).
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