Assessment of hydration status of elite young male soccer players with different methods and new approach method of substitute urine strip.

Nesli Ersoy,Mehmet Kutlu,Gulgun Ersoy

doi:10.1186/s12970-016-0145-8

Abstract

BackgroundThe purpose of the study is to determine and compare the hydration status with different methods and determine fluid intake, dehydration percentages and sweat rate of 26 young male soccer players (15 ± 1.2 years) before an important competition. More specifically, the study aims at validating the urine strip and advising the players to use it as an easy and practical method.MethodsMeasurements of urine analysis were taken from the urine sample of the participants before breakfast and conducted for 3 consecutive days before the competition. Hydration status was assessed through analysis of urine color, urine specific gravity (USG) (laboratory, strip, refractometry), and osmolality. The players’ dehydration percentages and sweat ratio were calculated.ResultsThe average values for all samples were 3 ± 1 for color, and 1.021 ± 4 g/cm3 for USG (laboratory), and 1.021 ± 3 g/cm3 for USG (strip), and 1.021 ± 4 for USG (refractometry), and 903 ± 133 mOsm/kg for osmolality. USG (strip) was highly correlated with USG (laboratory), USG (refractometry) (r = 0.8; P < 0.01) and osmolality (r = 0.7; P < 0.01), and moderately correlated with urine color (r = 0.4; P < 0.05). The mean dehydration percentage and sweat rate of the soccer players were observed as 0.5 % and 582.3 ± 232.0 mL/h, respectively.ConclusionWe found that youth soccer players are under a slight risk of dehydration under moderate weather conditions. As indicated by the research results, determination of hydration status of athletes must be taken into account more carefully under moderate and hot weather conditions. In addition, hydration methods were compatible with one another as measured in this study.

Highlights

The purpose of the study is to determine and compare the hydration status with different methods and determine fluid intake, dehydration percentages and sweat rate of 26 young male soccer players (15 ± 1.2 years) before an important competition
As a result of this study attempting to find out hydration status of adolescent soccer players, it was found that the athletes are under the risk of dehydration, though with a low level, in terms of fluid consumption and hydration
Different analysis including urine color, urine density and osmolality methods were utilized in finding the hydration status, and it was discovered that urine density stripes provide a safe method with a practical use in the field, making it possible to substitute it for other methods

Summary

Introduction

The purpose of the study is to determine and compare the hydration status with different methods and determine fluid intake, dehydration percentages and sweat rate of 26 young male soccer players (15 ± 1.2 years) before an important competition. Over the past several years, more information and extensive series of reviews on all aspects of dehydration on specific aspects of team sports as soccer has begun to emerge, and recently been published [3, 8, 9]. It is mostly evident from these reports that there is plentiful research data relating to the hydration practices of adult. Because of the fact that growth and development continue, hydration requirements of adolescent soccer players are higher/different [12,13,14]

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