The Effect of Intermittent Fasting on Acute Subconcussive Head Impacts

A standardized and reliable soccer heading protocol will be used for the experiment. A triaxial accelerometer embedded in a head-band pocket and positioned directly below the external occipital protuberance (inion) to monitor linear and rotational head accelerations. A JUGS soccer machine will be used to simulate a soccer throw-in with a standardized ball speed of 25mph. The ball speed is similar to when soccer players make a long throw-in from the sideline to mid-field. Soccer players frequently perform this maneuver during practice and games. Subjects will stand approximately 40ft away from the machine to perform the heading. Participants perform 20 standing headers with 1 header per 30 seconds. The subjects will be instructed to direct the ball back toward the JUGS soccer machine in the air.

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of intermittent fasting on the acute neural responses to subconcussive head impacts. The study is designed to identify the effects of 20 controlled soccer headings in college-aged soccer players in one of four groups (fasted, pre-fasted, post-fasted, or control) through the use of neural-injury blood biomarkers, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, functional, and diffusion MRI, and ocular-motor function across 4 acute time points. Participants will be randomly designed to one of the four groups which consist of an 8 day fast, 5 day fast, 3 day fast, or the non-fasted control group.