Author(s)

Brahima Ouedraogo¹, Simplice Innocent Moussouami², Kiki Djivoh Sidonie Mahougnon³, Issiako Bio Nigan³, Amidou Sawadogo⁴

¹Institute of Sciences and Techniques of Physical and Sports Activities (ISTPSA), Higher Normal School (HNS), Koudougou, Burkina Faso.
²Laboratory of Physiology of Effort and Biomechanics (LPB), Higher Institute of Physical Education and Sport (ISEPS), University Marien Ngouabi, Brazzaville, Congo.
³National Institute for Youth, Physical Education and Sport, University of Abomey-Calavi, Porto-Novo, Republic of Benin.
⁴Institute of Sports Sciences and Human Development (ISSDH), Joseph Ki-Zerbo University (UJKZ), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Background: Playing football in a hot, humid environment increases the risk of dehydration in youth footballers, which can adversely affect their performance. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of hydration strategies on physical test performance in youth elite football players in Benin. Methods: Thirty-two youth footballers (18.7 ± 0.5 years; 172.3 ± 5.3 cm; 63.6 ± 5.5 kg; 55.2 ± 3.3 ml/min/kg; 56 ± 6 bpm), previously hydrated and randomly divided into two groups, underwent tests of countermovement jump, repeated sprint capacity, and Illinois agility before and after a 60-minute training session during which the intervention group (IG), subjected to imposed hydration, consumed 250 ml of bottled still water every 20 minutes, while the control group (CG) drank ad libitum. Urine density of each player before and after exercise was determined with a PEN-Urine 75 S.G clinical refractometer. Results: Performance declined less in repeated sprint capacity tests in IG (p = 0.02) than in CG (p = 0.0009) and in the Illinois agility test between IG (+0.6%) and CG (+3.1%). Conclusion: As part of the quest for physical performance, the imposed hydration strategy seems more suited to youth footballers in hot and humid environments.

Performance Analysis of Sport, Hydration, Environments, Youth, Football, Male

Ouedraogo, B., Moussouami, S.I., Ma-hougnon, K.D.S., Nigan, I.B. and Sawadogo, A. (2025) Effects of Hydration Strategies on Physical Test Performance in Elite Youth Footballers. Food and Nutrition Sciences, 16, 1691-1702. doi: 10.4236/fns.2025.1611098.