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News|Articles|March 26, 2026

Non-Targeted LC-MS/MS Reveals Metabolic Adaptations in Elite Water Polo Athletes

Author(s)John Chasse

Researchers utilized non-targeted liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to analyze the serum metabolic profiles of elite male water polo athletes before and after an intensive training week. The LC-MS/MS analysis successfully screened 363 metabolites, revealing significant shifts in 33 out of the total metabolites evaluated—specifically those tied to lysine degradation and vitamin B6 metabolism. Ultimately, the study establishes LC-MS/MS as a highly effective analytical tool for monitoring molecular-level metabolic changes, providing valuable baseline data for optimizing athletic training and nutritional programming.

In a joint study conducted by researchers at the College of Sport and Education ofChengdu Normal University and the School of Sport and Physical Education of North University of China (Taiyuan, China), non-targeted liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC‒MS/MS) was used to characterize serum metabolic profiles in elite male water polo athletes, thereby assessing physiological adaptation to high-intensity training. The researchers wished to provide a scientific basis for evaluating physical fitness and optimizing performance capacity in elite athletes. A paper based on their efforts was published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.1

Responses to whole-body exercise have been extensively studied extensively to comprehend the health, advantages it provides, especially concerningmetabolism and exercise physiology.2 The examination of metabolite biomarkers as they correspond to the training process offers insights which improve our comprehension of training-related adaptations, reveal physiological changes connected to athletic performance, and can possibly validate the development of evidence-based approaches regarding the monitoring and nutritional programming of athletes.3-5

A physically demanding sport that combines swimming, handball, and volleyball, water polo has been identified as an intermittent sport wherebursts of activity occur and last for less than 15 seconds are combined with lower-intensity intervals that average less than 20 seconds, and involve a mix of the body’s metabolic energy systems, such as the phosphagen system, anaerobic glycolysis, and the aerobic oxidation system.6,7

Sixteen male water polo athletes of the Chinese national team were recruited for this study, with all athletes undergoing a one-week complete break following the end of the previous competitive season to mitigate accumulated fatigue and establish a true resting metabolic baseline. Fasting venous blood samples (5 mL) were collected at 7:00 AM on two time points: the first sample (E1) was collected before commencement of the official training week, and the second sample (E2) was collected immediately after the completion of that week of training.1

The team’s analysis identified 363 metabolites in total, 33 of which were differentially expressed between pre- and post-training time points. After one week of routine training, 11 metabolites were significantly up-regulated (p < 0.01), and 22 were significantly down-regulated (p < 0.01). (2) KEGG pathway analysis identified the top eight metabolic pathways, with MetPA further highlighting lysine degradation (p < 0.01) and vitamin B6 metabolism (p < 0.05) as key altered pathways. Three metabolites were identified as potential markers associated with the training week changes in water polo athletes based on significant alterations post-training. N6, N6, N6-trimethyl-L-lysine (p < 0.01) and 2-aminoadipic acid (p < 0.01) were significantly decreased, whereas 4-pyridoxic acid (p < 0.01) was significantly increased.1

“Non-targeted LC‒MS/MS provides a valuable tool for monitoring metabolic adaptations at the molecular level in aquatic athletes,” wrote the authors of the study.1 “In this exploratory study, we observed associated changes in the serum metabolome following intensive training, pointing to adjustments in amino acid and lipid metabolism. These findings offer preliminary insights for guiding fitness and performance optimization.”

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References

  1. Sun, Z.; Wang, L. Blood Metabolic Profiling Associated with a Short-Term Intensive Training Period in Elite Male Water Polo Athletes: An Exploratory Metabolomics Study. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2026, 23 (1), 2646628. DOI: 10.1080/15502783.2026.2646628
  2. Hoffman, N. J. Omics and Exercise: Global Approaches for Mapping Exercise Biological Networks. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med. 2017, 7 (10), a029884. DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a029884
  3. Qi, S.; Li, X.; Yu, J. et al. Research Advances in the Application of Metabolomics in Exercise Science. Front Physiol. 2024, 14, 1332104. DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1332104
  4. Belhaj, M. R.; Lawler, N. G.; Hoffman, N. J. Metabolomics and Lipidomics: Expanding the Molecular Landscape of Exercise Biology. Metabolites 2021, 11 (3), 151. DOI: 10.3390/metabo11030151
  5. Moreira, L. P.; Silveira, L/ Jr.; Pacheco, M. T. T. et al. Detecting Urine Metabolites Related to Training Performance in Swimming Athletes by Means of Raman Spectroscopy and Principal Component Analysis. J Photochem Photobiol B 2018, 185, 223-234. DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2018.06.013
  6. Smith, H. K. Applied Physiology of Water Polo. Sports Med. 1998, 26 (5), 317-34. DOI: 10.2165/00007256-199826050-00003
  7. Wang, L. L.; Chen, A. P.; Li, J. Y. et al. Mechanism of the Effect of High-Intensity Training on Urinary Metabolism in Female Water Polo Players Based on UHPLC-MS Non-Targeted Metabolomics Technique. Healthcare (Basel). 2021, 9 (4), 381. DOI: 10.3390/healthcare9040381

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