Perception Of Hydration Status And Subsequent Rehydration Fluid Selection In Experienced And Novice Triathletes

Abstract

PURPOSE Increased awareness of the perils of dehydration and heat illness has changed the way endurance athletes prepare for races. Many athletes pre-hydrate prior to races, often to excess. In addition, sports drinks have become increasingly more complex, utilizing various combinations of carbohydrate, electrolyte, and sometimes protein solutions, many without scientific merit. Athletes' hydration habits and fluid selection can often lead to serious medical consequences, such as hyponatremia. We studied choice of race day fluids as well as self-perceived levels of pre-race hydration and fluid intake in novice and experienced triathletes. METHODS 105 subjects were chosen from 500 competitors participating in a sprint distance triathlon, and surveyed using 3 standardized questions; “How much do you think you drank this morning before the race, too little, too much, or just enough?” “Do you feel you are dehydrated, overhydrated, or just right?” “What type of fluids do you plan to drink during the race?” Fluid choices were categorized as water, comercially available sports drink, or the athlete's own self-prepared carbohydrate and electrolyte solution. A relationship between categorical variables and the triathletes ' gender, age, and experience level was investigated using Fisher's Exact test. RESULTS A significantly greater number of experienced triathletes (68%) chose a carbohydrate/electrolyte solution to rehydrate during the race compared to only 35 % of novice triathletes (p =0.005). Many more of these novice triathletes chose instead to drink water during the race, or nothing at all (69%). Both experienced and novice triathletes ' self perceived fluid intake (p =0.86) and hydration status (p =0.54) did not differ significantly. There was no relationship between age or gender and either of the hydration variables (p =0.51 and p =0.45 respectively). CONCLUSIONS Experienced triathletes make more frequent use of carbohydrate and electrolyte solutions than do their novice counterparts despite no appreciable differences in how the two groups view their levels of hydration. Recently, a number of national sports and medical organizations have revised recommendations for fluid intake and accessibility during athletic contests. Based on data presented here, athletes participating in mass recreational events likely benefit from increased educational efforts regarding fluid replacement strategies. We believe that information from this study can aid race organizers and medical coordinators in providing better prevention and treatment of fluid and heat related athletic illnesses.