Objective: To examine the association between phase angle (PhA) and bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) and components of physical performance in male youth soccer players. Design: Cross-sectional. Methods: Sixty-two players from two professional soccer academies were recruited. Electrical bioimpedance was used to obtain the PhA and BIVA. Body fat (BF) and lean soft tissue mass (LSTM) were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. All players completed physical tests including the standing long jump (SLJ), Carminatti’s test (peak speed at the end of the test, PS_T-CAR), 10 m and 30 m straight-line sprints, and repeated-sprint ability (RSA) test (RSAbest and RSAmean times). Results: Adjusting for chronological age, BF, and LSTM, multiple regression analysis outputs showed that PhA remained inversely related to RSAmean (β = −0.362; p < 0.001), RSAbest (β = −0.239; p = 0.020), 10 m (β = −0.379; p = 0.012), and 30 m (β = −0.438; p < 0.001) sprint times, while the association with PS_T-CAR and SLJ performance were statistically non-significant. In addition, BIVA showed that differences in confidence ellipses were found between athletes in the reference population and the study sample (p < 0.05). The tolerance ellipses indicated that the athletes in the present study had more total body water (TCW) and lower proportions of intracellular water (ICW) to extracellular water (ECW). The reference population had more TCW and ICW/ECW. Conclusions: Our results suggest that young soccer players with higher PhA values, indicating better cell integrity and functionality, have better performance in typical anaerobic running activities, such as sprinting speed and RSA performance, adjusted to age and body composition characteristics.

Bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) is able to identify differences in hydration status and body composition components, such as body cell mass (BCM) by means of plotting individuals in ellipses, when comparing groups with different characteristics. Compare the confidence and tolerance ellipses of BIVA in individual and team sports athletes with a non-athlete reference population. One hundred sixty-seven college athletes (team sports: 117 athletes, individual sports: 50 athletes) aged between 18 and 35 years. Bioelectrical impedance was used to measure resistance (R) and reactance (Xc) values that were used in the BIVA analysis to identify hydration status and BCM, respectively. Hotelling’s t-test was used to identify differences between groups in the confidence ellipses and the comparison was made with a non-athlete Italian reference population. There were no differences between male team sports and individual athletes (p = 0.151) and for female athletes (p = 0.624). Most athletes were located in the 50% tolerance ellipses, indicating adequate hydration. Compared to the Italian a non-athlete population, athletes of both sexes presented left impedance vector deviation in the minor axis (Xc) of the tolerance ellipses, indicating higher BCM. There were no differences in BIVA between team and individual sports athletes, but most athletes presented an adequate hydration state and, compared to a non-athlete population, the athletes of the present study presented higher BCM.

To compare indicators of fluid distribution and cellular integrity in university athletes through a cross-sectional study of 167 university athletes (18-35 years) who competed in team sports and individual sports. Bioimpedance was used to estimate total body water (TBW), intracellular water (ICW), extracellular water (ECW), ECW/ICW ratio, impedance (Z), reactance (Xc), resistance (R), phase angle, body cell mass (BCM) and ECW/BCM ratio at a frequency of 50 kHz. X-ray absorptiometry was used to determine lean soft tissue mass and body fat. As covariables, sex, age, time of practice and type of modality were obtained by questionnaire. Individual male athletes presented higher values of ECW/ICW ratio (means difference MD = 0.006, p = 0.020) and ECW/BCM ratio (MD = 0.006, p = 0.017) than team sports male athletes. Values of Z (MD = 24.988, p = 0.009), Xc (MD = 3.327, p = 0.008) and R (MD = 24.755, p = 0.09) were higher in male athletes practicing team sports than individual sports. Female team sports athletes presented higher values of Z (MD = 32.029, p = 0.015) and R (MD = 31.987, p = 0.015) than individual female athletes. It was concluded that ECW/ICW and ECW/BCM ratios were higher in male athletes who practiced individual sports. For the Z, R, and Xc values, the athletes in team sports presented higher values. The female athletes who practiced team sports presented higher values of Z and R than did individual female athletes. ECW/ICW and ECW/BCM ratios were higher in male athletes who practiced individual sports. For the Z, R, and Xc values, the athletes in team sports presented higher values. The female athletes who practiced team sports presented higher values of Z and R than did individual female athletes.