International Journal of Applied Exercise Physiology, cilt.9, sa.9, ss.210-216, 2020 (ESCI)
Regular and long-term exercises create changes in the physical and physiological characteristics of
athletes. As a result of the exercises, it forms important changes especially in the muscle and element
metabolism of the athletes and affects the performance of the athletes. In this context, it is determined to
detect the changes of the long-term exercises in the muscle damage and element metabolism of the athletes.
The study consists of 16 male volunteer athletes in the field of athletics. In the research, an exercise program
for competitions was applied to the athletes for 3 times a week during 12 weeks. Blood samples were taken
from the athletes at rest, before the exercises were started and at the end of the exercises. In the samples
taken from athletes, muscle damage markers and element metabolism levels were determined. The data
obtained from the research were analyzed by using SPSS 22 package program. Significance was accepted as
p<0,05.When the data obtained from the research were analyzed; in the element metabolism of the athletes
participating in the research, statistically differences were observed in sodium, calcium, potassium, chlorine,
phosphorus, magnesium, glucose and creatinine levels (p<0,05), however there was no statistically
significant difference in urea level (p> 0,05). When the muscle damage values of the athletes were examined;
a statistically significant difference was found in the pretest-posttest values of CK and CK-MB values
(p<0,05). As a result; the changes that occur by performing long-term and regular exercise programs in
muscle damage markers and element metabolism of athletes were determined. We believe that considering
the changes that occur in athlete's metabolism, the exercise programs to be applied will positively affect the
performance of athletes