Clinical Study

Dark Chocolate Intake Positively Modulates Redox Status and Markers of Muscular Damage in Elite Football Athletes: A Randomized Controlled Study

Table 1

Baseline characteristics of controls and elite football players.

Controls ()Football elite players ()

Age (years)24.8 ± 3.517.2 ± 0.7<0.001
Gender (male/female)15/024/01
WBC (×103μl)7.1 ± 1.45.6 ± 1.30.001
PLT (×103μl)233.8 ± 48.4228 ± 39.70.357
RBC (×106μl)5.3 ± 0.35.8 ± 0.30.559
Cholesterol (mg/dl)185.1 ± 30.8172.3 ± 29.40.130
BMI24.3 ± 1.422.5 ± 1.5<0.01
Glycaemia (mg/dl)89.0 ± 28.883.5 ± 15.20.276
LDH (U/l)179.5 ± 23.5387.0 ± 50.7<0.01
CK (U/l)192.3 ± 28.7342.6 ± 70.2<0.01
Myoglobin (ng/ml)50.6 ± 11.3100.1 ± 42.9<0.01
sNox2-dp (pg/ml)13.8 ± 7.719.5 ± 6.9<0.01
H2O2 (μM)22.6 ± 13.238.8 ± 7.3<0.0001
HBA (%)52.9 ± 23.037.5 ± 11.4<0.0001
Training per week (h)7.2 ± 1.518 ± 2<0.0001
Football practice (yrs.)010 ± 1.2<0.0001

WBC: white blood cells; PLT: platelet; RBC: red blood cells; BMI: body mass index; LDH: lactate dehydrogenase; CK: creatine kinase; HBA: hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) breakdown activity.