THE EFFECT OF GOAT MILK CONSUMPTION ON BLOOD CALCIUM AND HEMOGLOBIN IN SOCCER PLAYERS

Calcium and iron are the main minerals needed to support performance and also to improve the physical components of soccer players. This study aims to analyze the effect of goat milk consumption on calcium and blood hemoglobin levels in junior soccer players. This study was an experimental study with a pretest-posttest design. Research subjects were 22 soccer players, male, aged 12-14 years. The treatment was 250 mg fresh goat milk, given 3 times a week (every Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays), between 06.00 pm-06.30 pm) after playing football for 90-120 min and given for 21 days. Examination of blood calcium levels was conducted using O-cresolphthalein complexone. Examination of hemoglobin levels was performed using the method of calorimetry. Data were analyzed using homogeneity of variance (p<0.05), a test of normality (p<0.05) and paired t-test (p<0.05). The results showed that the average calcium level increased about 1.72% from 9.43 mg/dL to 9.50 mg/dL; (p=0.05) and the mean blood hemoglobin level increased about 9.2% from 14.25 g/dl to 14.55 g/dl (p=0.05) after consuming goat’s milk. We conclude that regular consumption of fresh goat milk can maintain the adequacy of calcium and also hemoglobin within the normal limits in soccer players. Although our study found that fresh goat’s milk does not significantly increase calcium levels and blood hemoglobin in soccer players, we suppose that if taken at doses greater than 250 mg per day, more than 21 days may be better to increase the calcium and blood hemoglobin.