Soccer teams scheduled to take part in the next World Cup in Japan and Korea, particularly those traveling to the games from South and North America, are expected to run into jet lag before any other rival.

But a group of Argentine scientists has shown that a strategy using melatonin, light and exercise can help reset elite athletes' body clocks after they travel across 12 time zones.

Jet lag, which occurs when a person flies across multiple time zones and then tries to adjust to local time, not only involves headaches and digestive problems, but can also have a negative impact on athletic performance.

One of the scientists of the University of Buenos Aires said in February that the
treatment's effects are "impressive" and allow traveling athletes to recover their physical condition rapidly.

To overcome such drawbacks, Argentine researchers designed a travel plan including the timely use of different factors that affects the circadian clock, which orchestrates the body's daily rhythms.

The chance to test the approach came in November 2000, when the Boca Juniors, Argentina's most popular soccer team, had to face Spain's Real Madrid in Tokyo for the Toyota World Club Cup.

The 22 Boca Juniors players and coaches took a daily capsule of melatonin half an hour before their expected sleeping time in Tokyo. They started taking it as soon as they left Buenos Aires and continued for 6 days until the match. Taking melatonin, which is released naturally by the pineal gland at night, is thought to help shift the circadian clock to a new time environment.

Lighting conditions in the aircraft and in-flight meal schedules were also set at Tokyo time from the beginning of the journey.

Upon arrival at Tokyo, players exercised outdoors twice each day, from 8 AM to 11 AM and 1 PM to 4 PM. "Exposure to outdoor light or physical activity at other time of the day was avoided," the researchers reported in a recent issue of the Journal of Pineal Research.

At the match, Boca Juniors defeated Real Madrid, 2-1.

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Khorsheed.com - Mar 2002