Change in body composition in collegiate male judo athletes following weight reduction and recovery

Abstract

This study examined changes in body mass (BM), fat free mass (FFM), and fat mass (FM) in 10 male collegiate judo athletes following weight reductions when preparing for competition and after a 1-week recovery period. BM, FFM and FM were measured with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. The BM and FFM significantly decreased after the weight reduction period (P<0.05), though the BM did not recover fully after the 1-week recovery period. In contrast, the FFM was restored after the 1-week recovery period. The FM decreased significantly when compared to before the reduction period (P<0.05), and the FM after recovery was also significantly lower (P<0.05) when compared with before reduction. The FM did not return to the former level even after the 1-week recovery period had passed. These results show that a decrease in FFM due to weight reduction was unavoidable. However, FFM recovers during the 1-week recovery period.