Maintaining adequate hydration is essential to optimal health, as well as athletic performance. When individuals exercise (in particular in a warm environment), they can lose excessive amounts of fluids along with necessary electrolytes (e.g., sodium, potassium, chloride) through sweating. With dehydration, individuals may feel sluggish and can experience impaired physical performance.
The use of electrolytes (sodium in particular) has been used for decades to aid athlete hydration and has led to the development of various sport drinks (e.g., Gatorade, Powerade) -which also include small amounts of carbohydrate.
This study will evaluate the hydration effects of two electrolyte products dissolved in water (Hydration Multiplier and Sugar-Free Hydration Multiplier) compared to a placebo (water). The nutrient composition of the Sugar-Free hydration Multiplier is similar to the Liquid IV Hydration Multiplier product currently on the market but without sugar content.
The electrolyte test products are composed of powder and provided in individual stick packs with 5 vitamins including Vitamins B3, B5, B6, B12 and Vitamin C. The products are gluten-, soy-, and dairy-free, and provide electrolytes at concentrations well below the daily value (DV). The DV tells us how much a particular nutrient in a serving of a food product contributes to a daily diet, based on a standard 2000 calorie diet. Despite what the name suggests, this product is taken orally, not intravenously. These packets contain a small percentage of the needed total daily electrolytes but adequate amounts to replace lost electrolytes as a result of physical activity.
The products will be consumed following a 90-minute bout of cycling exercise at a moderate intensity of 70-80% max heart rate, at 30-32°C (86-89°F) and 50 ± 5% relative humidity. This same exercise duration and room temperature has been used in a recent study, which also utilized the same body temperature monitoring device as proposed in the present study. The purpose of the exercise bout is to simulate what many individuals are exposed to when exercising in the heat and to moderately dehydrate subjects, as would be the case during a moderate run or cycling event in exercise-trained individuals.
Subjects will report to the lab on three separate occasions to consume one of the 3 drinks (hydration multiplier, sugar-free hydration matrix, or water), in random order. The drinks will be consumed during the post-exercise period (30 minutes following the completion of exercise).
This study design and outcomes have been similarly used in previous rehydration studies that utilized exercise in heat to induce \~2% body weight loss with different test products . This study will help further the knowledge on how different formulations of hydration beverages (e.g., different carbohydrate and electrolyte compositions) alter rehydration following exercise. It is hypothesized that both test products will provide improved rehydration above water alone during the post-exercise period. Moreover, it is believed that the sugar free product may improve hydration similar to the standard Hydration Multiplier.
