Failure of fluid ingestion to improve self-paced exercise performance in moderate-to-warm humid environments

Ad libitum ice slurry ingestion and half-marathon performance in a hot environment: A study comparing the effects of the amount and moment of ingestion between ice slurry and water at 37 °C

Ice slurry ingestion during prolonged exercises may improve performance in hot environments; however, the ideal amount and timing of ingestion are still uncertain. We determined whether ad libitum ice slurry ingestion influences physiological and perceptual variables and half-marathon performance while comparing the effects of the amount and moment of ingestion between ice slurry and water at 37 °C. Ten trained participants (28 ± 2 years; mean and SD) were required to run two half marathons while consuming either ice slurry (-1 °C; Ad-1) or water (37 °C; 37 CE) ad libitum. They then performed two other half marathons where, during one, they were required to ingest an amount of water equivalent to the amount consumed during the Ad-1 trial (Pro37), and in the other, to ingest ice slurry in the amount consumed during the 37 CE trial (Pro-1). During the half marathons, dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity were controlled at 33.1 ± 0.3 °C and 60 ± 3%, respectively. Ad-1 ingestion (349.6 ± 58.5 g) was 45% less than 37 CE ingestion (635.5 ± 135.8 g). Physical performance, heart rate, perceived exertion, body temperatures, and thermal perception were not influenced by the temperature or amount of beverage ingestion. However, a secondary analysis suggested that lower beverage ingestion was associated with improved performance (Ad-1 + Pro37 vs. 37 CE + Pro-1: -4.0 min, Cohen's d = 0.39), with a significant relationship between lower beverage ingestion and faster running time (b = 0.02, t = 4.01, p < 0.001). In conclusion, ice slurry ingestion does not affect performance or physiological or perceptual variables during a half marathon in a hot environment. Preliminary evidence suggests that lower beverage ingestion (ice slurry or warm water) is associated with improved performance compared to higher ingestion.

Exercise under heat stress: thermoregulation, hydration, performance implications, and mitigation strategies

A rise in body core temperature and loss of body water via sweating are natural consequences of prolonged exercise in the heat. This review provides a comprehensive and integrative overview of how the human body responds to exercise under heat stress and the countermeasures that can be adopted to enhance aerobic performance under such environmental conditions. The fundamental concepts and physiological processes associated with thermoregulation and fluid balance are initially described, followed by a summary of methods to determine thermal strain and hydration status. An outline is provided on how exercise-heat stress disrupts these homeostatic processes, leading to hyperthermia, hypohydration, sodium disturbances, and in some cases exertional heat illness. The impact of heat stress on human performance is also examined, including the underlying physiological mechanisms that mediate the impairment of exercise performance. Similarly, the influence of hydration status on performance in the heat and how systemic and peripheral hemodynamic adjustments contribute to fatigue development is elucidated. This review also discusses strategies to mitigate the effects of hyperthermia and hypohydration on exercise performance in the heat by examining the benefits of heat acclimation, cooling strategies, and hyperhydration. Finally, contemporary controversies are summarized and future research directions are provided.

Hydration Status After an Ironman Triathlon: A Meta-Analysis

The Ironman is one of the most popular triathlon events in the world. Such a race involves a great number of tactical decisions for a healthy finish and best performance. Dehydration is widely postulated to decrease performance and is known as a cause of dropouts in Ironman. Despite the importance of hydration status after an Ironman triathlon, there is a clear lack of review and especially meta-analysis studies on this topic. Therefore, the objective was to systematically review the literature and carry out a meta-analysis investigating the hydration status after an Ironman triathlon. We conducted a systematic review of the literature up to June 2016 that included the following databases: PubMed, SCOPUS, Science Direct and Web of Science. From the initial 995 references, we included 6 studies in the qualitative analysis and in the meta-analysis. All trials had two measures of hydration status after a full Ironman race. Total body water, blood and urine osmolality, urine specific gravity and sodium plasma concentration were considered as hydration markers. Three investigators independently abstracted data on the study design, sample size, participants’ and race characteristics, outcomes, and quantitative data for the meta-analysis. In the pooled analysis, it seems that the Ironman event led to a moderate state of dehydration in comparison to baseline values (SMD 0.494; 95% CI 0.220 to 0.767; p = 0.001). Some evidence of heterogeneity and consistency was also observed: Q = 19.6; I² = 28.5%; τ² = 2.39. The results suggest that after the race athletes seem to be hypo-hydrated in comparison to baseline values.

Effect of Thirst-Driven Fluid Intake on 1 H Cycling Time-Trial Performance in Trained Endurance Athletes

A meta-analysis demonstrated that programmed fluid intake (PFI) aimed at fully replacing sweat losses during a 1 h high-intensity cycling exercise impairs performance compared with no fluid intake (NFI). It was reported that thirst-driven fluid intake (TDFI) may optimize cycling performance, compared with when fluid is consumed more than thirst dictates. However, how TDFI, compared with PFI and NFI, impacts performance during a 1 h cycling time-trial performance remains unknown. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of NFI, TDFI and PFI on 1 h cycling time-trial performance. Using a randomized, crossover and counterbalanced protocol, 9 (7 males and 2 females) trained endurance athletes (30 ± 9 years; Peak V · O₂∶ 59 ± 8 mL·kg^-1·min^-1) completed three 1 h cycling time-trials (30 °C, 50% RH) with either NFI, TDFI or PFI designed to maintain body mass (BM) at ~0.5% of pre-exercise BM. Body mass loss reached 2.9 ± 0.4, 2.2 ± 0.3 and 0.6 ± 0.2% with NFI, TDFI and PFI, respectively. Heart rate, rectal and mean skin temperatures and ratings of perceived exertion and of abdominal discomfort diverged marginally among trials. Mean distance completed (NFI: 35.6 ± 1.9 km; TDFI: 35.8 ± 2.0; PFI: 35.7 ± 2.0) and, hence, average power output maintained during the time-trials did not significantly differ among trials, and the impact of both PFI and TDFI vs. NFI was deemed trivial or unclear. These findings indicate that neither PFI nor TDFI are likely to offer any advantage over NFI during a 1 h cycling time-trial.

The Efficacy of Ingesting Water on Thermoregulatory Responses and Running Performance in a Warm-Humid Condition

The understanding that fluid ingestion attenuates thermoregulatory and circulatory stress during exercise in the heat was based on studies conducted in relatively dry (∼50% RH) environments. It remains undetermined whether similar effects occur during exercise in a warm and more humid environment, where evaporative capacity is reduced. Nine well-trained, unacclimatised male runners were randomly assigned to perform four experimental trials where they ran for 60 min at an intensity of 70% VO2max followed by an incremental exercise test until volitional exhaustion. The four trials consisted of non-fluid ingestion (NF) and fluid ingestion (FI) in a warm-dry (WD) and warm-humid condition (WH). Time to exhaustion (TTE), body temperature (Tb), whole body sweat rate, partitional calorimetry measures, heart rate and plasma volume were recorded during exercise. There was no significant difference in Tb following 60 min of exercise in FI and NF trial within both WD (37.3°C ± 0.4 vs. 37.4°C ± 0.3; p > 0.05) and WH conditions (38.0°C ± 0.4 vs. 38.1°C ± 0.4; p > 0.05). The TTE was similar between FI and NF trials in both WH and WD, whereas exercise capacity was significantly shorter in WH than WD (9.1 ± 2.8 min vs. 12.7 ± 2.4 min, respectively; p = 0.01). Fluid ingestion failed to provide any ergogenic benefit in attenuating thermoregulatory and circulatory stress during exercise in the WH and WD conditions. Consequently, exercise performance was not enhanced with fluid ingestion in the warm-humid condition, although the humid environment detrimentally affected exercise endurance.

Efficacy of Heat Mitigation Strategies on Core Temperature and Endurance Exercise: A Meta-Analysis

Background: A majority of high profile international sporting events, including the coming 2020 Tokyo Olympics, are held in warm and humid conditions. When exercising in the heat, the rapid rise of body core temperature (T_c) often results in an impairment of exercise capacity and performance. As such, heat mitigation strategies such as aerobic fitness (AF), heat acclimation/acclimatization (HA), pre-exercise cooling (PC) and fluid ingestion (FI) can be introduced to counteract the debilitating effects of heat strain. We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of these mitigation strategies using magnitude-based inferences.

Methods: A computer-based literature search was performed up to 24 July 2018 using the electronic databases: PubMed, SPORTDiscus and Google Scholar. After applying a set of inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 118 studies were selected for evaluation. Each study was assessed according to the intervention's ability to lower T_c before exercise, attenuate the rise of T_c during exercise, extend T_c at the end of exercise and improve endurance. Weighted averages of Hedges' g were calculated for each strategy.

Results: PC (g = 1.01) was most effective in lowering T_c before exercise, followed by HA (g = 0.72), AF (g = 0.65), and FI (g = 0.11). FI (g = 0.70) was most effective in attenuating the rate of rise of T_c, followed by HA (g = 0.35), AF (g = −0.03) and PC (g = −0.46). In extending T_c at the end of exercise, AF (g = 1.11) was most influential, followed by HA (g = −0.28), PC (g = −0.29) and FI (g = −0.50). In combination, AF (g = 0.45) was most effective at favorably altering T_c, followed by HA (g = 0.42), PC (g = 0.11) and FI (g = 0.09). AF (1.01) was also found to be most effective in improving endurance, followed by HA (0.19), FI (−0.16) and PC (−0.20).

Conclusion: AF was found to be the most effective in terms of a strategy's ability to favorably alter T_c, followed by HA, PC and lastly, FI. Interestingly, a similar ranking was observed in improving endurance, with AF being the most effective, followed by HA, FI, and PC. Knowledge gained from this meta-analysis will be useful in allowing athletes, coaches and sport scientists to make informed decisions when employing heat mitigation strategies during competitions in hot environments.

Deviation from goal pace, body temperature and body mass loss as predictors of road race performance

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between pacing, gastrointestinal temperature (T_GI), and percent body mass loss (%BML) on relative race performance during a warm weather 11.3km road race.

DESIGN

Observational study of a sample of active runners competing in the 2014 Falmouth Road Race.

METHODS

Participants ingested a T_GI pill and donned a GPS enabled watch with heart rate monitoring capabilities prior to the start of the race. Percent off predicted pace (%_OFF) was calculated for seven segments of the race. Separate linear regression analyses were used to assess the relationship between pace, T_​GI, and %BML on relative race performance. One-way ANOVA was used to analyse post race T_GI (≥40°C vs <40°C) on pace and %_OFF.

RESULTS

Larger %BML was associated with faster finish times (R²=0.19, p=0.018), faster average pace (R²=0.29, p=0.012), and a greater %_OFF (R²=0.15, p=0.033). %_OFF during the first mile (1.61km) significantly predicted overall finish time (R²=0.64, p<0.001) while %_OFF during the second mile (3.22km) (R² change=0.18, p<0.001) further added to the model (R²=0.82, p<0.001). Body temperature (pre race T_GI and post race T_GI) was not predictive of overall finish time (p>0.05). There was a trend in a slower pace (p=0.055) and greater %_OFF (p=0.056) in runners finishing the race with a T_GI>40°C.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, finish time was influenced by greater variations in pace during the first two miles of the race. In addition, runners who minimized fluid losses and had lower T_GI were associated with meeting self-predicted goals.

The influence of hydration state on thermoregulation during a 161-km ultramarathon

It is advised that individuals should avoid losing >2% of their body mass during exercise in order to prevent hyperthermia. This study sought to assess whether a loss of >2% body mass leads to elevations in core temperature during an ultramarathon. Thirty runners agreed to take part in the study. Body mass and core temperature were measured at the start, at three locations during the race and the finish. Core temperature was not correlated with percent body mass change (p = 0.19) or finish time (p = 0.11). Percent body mass change was directly associated with finish time (r = 0.58, p < 0.01), such that the fastest runners lost the most mass (~3.5-4.0%). It appears that a loss of >3% body mass does not contribute to rises in core temperature. An emphasis on fluid replacement for body mass losses of this magnitude during prolonged exercise is not justified as a preventative measure for heat-related illnesses.

Repeated familiarisation with hypohydration attenuates the performance decrement caused by hypohydration during treadmill running

This study examined the effect of repeated familiarisation to hypohydration on hypohydrated exercise performance. After familiarisation with the exercise protocol, 10 recreationally active males completed a euhydrated (EU-pre) and hypohydrated (HYPO-pre) trial, which involved a 45-min steady state run at 75% peak oxygen uptake (45SS) followed by a 5-km time trial (TT). Euhydration and hypohydration were induced by manipulating fluid intake in the 24-h pre-exercise and during the 45SS. Subjects then completed 4 habituation sessions that involved replication of the HYPO-pre trial, except they completed 60 min of running at 75% peak oxygen uptake and no TT. Subjects then replicated the euhydrated (EU-post) and hypohydrated (HYPO-post) trials. Body mass loss pre-TT was 0.2 (0.2)% (EU-pre), 2.4 (0.3)% (HYPO-pre), 0.1 (0.1)% (EU-post), and 2.4 (0.3)% (HYPO-post). TT performance was 5.8 (2.4)% slower during the HYPO-pre trial (1459 (250) s) than during the EU-pre trial (1381 (237) s) (p < 0.01), but only 1.2 (1.6)% slower during the HYPO-post trial (1381 (200) s) than during the EU-post trial (1366 (211) s) (p = 0.064). TT performance was not different between EU-pre and EU-post trials, but was 5.1 (2.3)% faster during the HYPO-post trial than the HYPO-pre trial (p < 0.01). Heart rate was greater during HYPO trials than EU trials (p < 0.001), whilst rating of perceived exertion (RPE) response was similar to TT time and was lower in the HYPO-post trial than the HYPO-pre trial (p < 0.01). In conclusion, hypohydration impaired 5-km running performance in subjects unfamiliar with the hypohydration protocol, but 4 familiarisation sessions designed to habituate subjects with the hypohydration protocol attenuated the performance decrement, seemingly via an attenuation of RPE during hypohydrated exercise.

Pre-exercise hyperhydration-induced bodyweight gain does not alter prolonged treadmill running time-trial performance in warm ambient conditions

This study compared the effect of pre-exercise hyperhydration (PEH) and pre-exercise euhydration (PEE) upon treadmill running time-trial (TT) performance in the heat. Six highly trained runners or triathletes underwent two 18 km TT runs (~28 °C, 25%–30% RH) on a motorized treadmill, in a randomized, crossover fashion, while being euhydrated or after hyperhydration with 26 mL/kg bodyweight (BW) of a 130 mmol/L sodium solution. Subjects then ran four successive 4.5 km blocks alternating between 2.5 km at 1% and 2 km at 6% gradient, while drinking a total of 7 mL/kg BW of a 6% sports drink solution (Gatorade, USA). PEH increased BW by 1.00 ± 0.34 kg (P < 0.01) and, compared with PEE, reduced BW loss from 3.1% ± 0.3% (EUH) to 1.4% ± 0.4% (HYP) (P < 0.01) during exercise. Running TT time did not differ between groups (PEH: 85.6 ± 11.6 min; PEE: 85.3 ± 9.6 min, P = 0.82). Heart rate (5 ± 1 beats/min) and rectal (0.3 ± 0.1 °C) and body (0.2 ± 0.1 °C) temperatures of PEE were higher than those of PEH (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in abdominal discomfort and perceived exertion or heat stress between groups. Our results suggest that pre-exercise sodium-induced hyperhydration of a magnitude of 1 L does not alter 80–90 min running TT performance under warm conditions in highly-trained runners drinking ~500 mL sports drink during exercise.

Drinking behaviors of elite male runners during marathon competition

OBJECTIVE

To describe the drinking behaviors of elite male marathon runners during major city marathons.

DESIGN

Retrospective analysis of drinking behaviors.

SETTING

Institutional.

PARTICIPANTS

Ten (9 winners and 1 second position) male marathon runners during 13 major city marathons.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Total drinking durations and fluid intake rates during major city marathons.

RESULTS

The ambient conditions during the 13 studied marathon races were 15.3°C ± 8.6°C and 59% ± 17% relative humidity; average marathon competition time was 02:06:31 ± 00:01:08 (hours:minutes:seconds). Total drinking duration during these races was 25.5 ± 15.0 seconds (range, 1.6-50.7 seconds) equating to an extrapolated fluid intake rate of 0.55 ± 0.34 L/h (range, 0.03-1.09 L/h). No significant correlations were found between total drink duration, fluid intake (rate and total), running speed, and ambient temperature. Estimated body mass (BM) loss based on calculated sweat rates and rates of fluid ingestion was 8.8% ± 2.1% (range, 6.6%-11.7%). Measurements of the winner in the 2009 Dubai marathon revealed a BM loss of 9.8%.

CONCLUSIONS

The most successful runners, during major city marathons, drink fluids ad libitum for less than approximately 60 seconds at an extrapolated fluid ingestion rate of 0.55 ± 0.34 L/h and comparable to the current American College of Sports Medicine's recommendations of 0.4-0.8 L/h. Nevertheless, these elite runners do not seem to maintain their BM within current recommended ranges of 2%-3%.

The limitations of the constant load and self-paced exercise models of exercise physiology

The fundamental tenets of exercise physiology are to describe energy transformations during physical work and make predictions about physical performance during different conditions. Historically, the most popular method to observe such responses during exercise has been the constant load or fixed intensity protocol based largely on the assumption that there is a threshold response of the organism under given conditions. However, constant load exercise does not fully allow for randomness or variability as the biological system is overridden by a predetermined externally imposed load which cannot be altered. Conversely, in self-regulated (paced) exercise there is almost an immediate reduction in power output and muscle recruitment upon commencing exercise. This observation suggests the existence of a neural inhibitory command processes. This difference in regulation demonstrates the inherent importance of variability in the biological system; for in tightly controlled energy expenditure, as is the case during constant load exercise, sensory cues cannot be fully integrated to provide a more appropriate response to the given task. The collective evidence from conventional constant load versus self-regulated exercise studies suggest that energy transformations are indeed different so that the inherent biological variability accounts for the different results achieved by the two experimental paradigms.

The effects of fluid ingestion on free-paced intermittent-sprint performance and pacing strategies in the heat

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of fluid ingestion on pacing strategies and performance during intermittent-sprint exercise in the heat. Nine male rugby players performed a habituation session and 2 x 50-min intermittent-sprint protocols at a temperature of 31 degrees C, either with or without fluid. Participants were informed of a third session (not performed) to ensure that they remained blind to all respective conditions. The protocol consisted of a 15-m sprint every minute separated by self-paced bouts of hard running, jogging, and walking for the remainder of the minute. Sprint time, distance covered during self-paced exercise, and vertical jump height before and after exercise were recorded. Heart rate, core temperature, nude mass, capillary blood haematocrit, pH, lactate concentration, perceptual ratings of perceived exertion, thermal stress, and thirst were also recorded. Sprint times (fluid vs. no-fluid: 2.82 +/- 0.11 vs. 2.82 +/- 0.14) and distance covered during self-paced exercise (fluid vs. no-fluid: 4168 +/- 419 vs. 3981 +/- 263 m) were not different between conditions (P = 0.10-0.98) but were progressively reduced to a greater extent in the no-fluid trial (7 +/- 13%) (d = 0.56-0.58). There were no differences (P = 0.22-1.00; d = <0.20-0.84) between conditions in any physiological measures. Perceptual ratings of perceived exertion and thermal stress did not differ between conditions (P = 0.34-0.91; d < or =0.20-0.48). Rating of thirst after exercise was lower in the fluid trial (P = 0.02; d = 0.62-0.73). The present results suggest that fluid availability did not improve intermittent-sprint performance, however did affect pacing strategies with a greater reduction in distance covered of self-paced exercise during the no-fluid trial.

Hydration and physical performance

There is a rich scientific literature regarding hydration status and physical function that began in the late 1800s, although the relationship was likely apparent centuries before that. A decrease in body water from normal levels (often referred to as dehydration or hypohydration) provokes changes in cardiovascular, thermoregulatory, metabolic, and central nervous function that become increasingly greater as dehydration worsens. Similarly, performance impairment often reported with modest dehydration (e.g., -2% body mass) is also exacerbated by greater fluid loss. Dehydration during physical activity in the heat provokes greater performance decrements than similar activity in cooler conditions, a difference thought to be due, at least in part, to greater cardiovascular and thermoregulatory strain associated with heat exposure. There is little doubt that performance during prolonged, continuous exercise in the heat is impaired by levels of dehydration >or= -2% body mass, and there is some evidence that lower levels of dehydration can also impair performance even during relatively short-duration, intermittent exercise. Although additional research is needed to more fully understand low-level dehydration's effects on physical performance, one can generalize that when performance is at stake, it is better to be well-hydrated than dehydrated. This generalization holds true in the occupational, military, and sports settings.

Drinking guidelines for exercise: what evidence is there that athletes should drink "as much as tolerable", "to replace the weight lost during exercise" or "ad libitum"?

The most recent (1996) drinking guidelines of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) propose that athletes should drink "as much as tolerable" during exercise. Since some individuals can tolerate rates of free water ingestion that exceed their rates of free water loss during exercise, this advice has caused some to overdrink leading to water retention, weight gain and, in a few, death from exercise-associated hyponatraemic encephalopathy. The new drinking guidelines of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), recently re-published in this Journal, continue to argue that athletes must drink enough to replace all their weight lost during exercise and to ingest sodium chloride since sodium is "the electrolyte most critical to performance and health". In this rebuttal to that Consensus Document, I argue that these new guidelines, like their predecessors, lack an adequate, scientifically proven evidence base. Nor have they been properly evaluated in appropriately controlled, randomized, prospective clinical trials. In particular, these new guidelines provide erroneous recommendations on five topics. If novel universal guidelines for fluid ingestion during exercise are to be promulgated by important international bodies including the IOC, they should first be properly evaluated in appropriately controlled, randomized, prospective clinical trials conducted under environmental and other conditions that match those found in "out-of-doors" exercise. This, and the potential influence of commercial interests on scientific independence and objectivity, are the two most important lessons to be learned from the premature adoption of those 1996 ACSM drinking guidelines that are not evidence-based. These concerns need to be addressed before the novel IOC guidelines are accepted uncritically. Otherwise the predictable consequences of the premature adoption of the 1996 ACSM guidelines will be repeated.

Anticipatory regulation and avoidance of catastrophe during exercise-induced hyperthermia

Although evidence exists that a critical limiting temperature during exercise leads to premature fatigue secondary to a reduced central nervous system (CNS) drive to skeletal muscle, other thermoregulatory models may provide alternative explanations for limitations to exercise and heat stress in humans. This paper considers a number of mammalian species and their thermoregulatory strategies which deal with physical work and survival in hot environments. The critical limiting temperature hypothesis as the cause of premature fatigue is discussed in relation to the evidence for a CNS down-regulation of skeletal muscle drive. However, recent studies suggest that exercise duration or the point of fatigue is determined by a mechanism of anticipatory regulation for the avoidance of catastrophe. Evidence is offered that premature fatigue in the heat is not limited by a critical limiting temperature per se, but rather the rate at which core temperature rises so that the organism can anticipate the point of termination and avoid a catastrophic outcome.

Superior performance of African runners in warm humid but not in cool environmental conditions

The purpose of this study was to examine the running performances and associated thermoregulatory responses of African and Caucasian runners in cool and warm conditions. On two separate occasions, 12 (n = 6 African, n = 6 Caucasian) well-trained men ran on a motorized treadmill at 70% of peak treadmill running velocity for 30 min followed by an 8-km self-paced performance run (PR) in cool (15 degrees C) or warm (35 degrees C) humid (60% relative humidity) conditions. Time to complete the PR in the cool condition was not different between groups ( approximately 27 min) but was significantly longer in warm conditions for Caucasian (33.0 +/- 1.6 min) vs. African (29.7 +/- 2.3 min, P < 0.01) runners. Rectal temperatures were not different between groups but were higher during warm compared with cool conditions. During the 8-km PR, sweat rates for Africans (25.3 +/- 2.3 ml/min) were lower compared with Caucasians (32.2 +/- 4.1 ml/min; P < 0.01). Relative rates of heat production were less for Africans than Caucasians in the heat. The finding that African runners ran faster only in the heat despite similar thermoregulatory responses as Caucasian runners suggests that the larger Caucasians reduce their running speed to ensure an optimal rate of heat storage without developing dangerous hyperthermia. According to this model, the superior running performance in the heat of these African runners can be partly attributed to their smaller size and hence their capacity to run faster in the heat while storing heat at the same rate as heavier Caucasian runners.

Fluid replacement during marathon running

During endurance exercise, about 75% of the energy produced from metabolism is in the form of heat, which cannot accumulate. The remaining 25% of energy available can be used for movement. As running pace increases, the rate of heat production increases. Also, the larger one's body mass, the greater the heat production at a particular pace. Sweat evaporation provides the primary cooling mechanism for the body, and for this reason athletes are encouraged to drink fluids to ensure continued fluid availability for evaporation and circulatory flow to the tissues. Elite level runners could be in danger of heat illness if they race too quickly in hot/humid conditions and may collapse at the end of their event. Most marathon races are scheduled at cooler times of the year or day, however, so that heat loss to the environment is adequate. Typically, this postrace collapse is due simply to postural hypotension from decreased skeletal muscle massage of the venous return circulation to the heart on stopping. Elite athletes manage adequate hydration by ingesting about 200-800 mL/hour, and such collapse is rare. Athletes "back in the pack" are moving at a much slower pace, however, with heat accumulation unlikely and drinking much easier to manage. They are often urged to drink "as much as tolerable," ostensibly to prevent dehydration from their hours out on the race course. Excessive drinking among these participants can lead to hyponatremia severe enough to cause fatalities. A more reasonable approach is to urge these participants not to drink as much as possible but to drink ad libitum (according to the dictates of thirst) no more than 400-800 mL/hour.

Glycerol hyperhydration fails to improve endurance performance and thermoregulation in humans in a warm humid environment

It is equivocal whether glycerol hyperhydration improves exercise performance and thermoregulation in the heat. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of glycerol with water hyperhydration, using a reliable, self-paced variable-intensity cycling protocol under hot, humid conditions. Seven moderately-to-well trained subjects ingested either a solution consisting of 1.2 g kg(-1) body mass (BM) glycerol mixed with 21 ml kg(-1) BM flavoured water (GLY) or placebo (PL), which was flavoured water of equal volume to the GLY trial, 2.5 h before exercise. Following hyperhydration, subjects undertook a self-paced, variable-intensity cycling protocol designed to simulate racing, with the aim being to cycle as great a distance as possible over 60 min. There were no differences in total distance cycled between conditions (29.7+/-5.7 km for PL, 28.9+/-5.7 km for GLY). Power output was not different at any time between conditions. Terminal rectal temperatures were 39.0+/-0.5 degrees C for PL and 38.8+/-0.7 degrees C for GLY and were not significantly different. Heart rate was significantly higher for GLY only during the high-intensity efforts. The sweat rate for GLY was 1.72+/-0.28 l h(-1) (P<0.01) compared with 1.15+/-0.29 l h(-1) for PL. It is concluded that glycerol hyperhydration has no significant advantage over water hyperhydration on performance or thermoregulation during a 1-h, variable-intensity exercise performance.