Sex And Habitual Water Intake Are Related To Dimensions Of Mood

Abstract

Water intake has previously been linked to dimensions of mood and other cognitive performance. However, it is yet to be determined if the relationships are solely because of changes in water intake (i.e., moving from high to low-volume consumption) or if they can be linked to habitual intake. Furthermore, sex differences related to the effect of water on mood have yet to be outlined. PURPOSE: To assess for differences in mood-dimensions across fluid volume demarcations and biological sex using objective measures of habitual water intake. METHODS: 51 women (42 ± 14y, 164 ± 6 cm, 72.0 ± 16.6 kg) and 49 men (40 ± 13 y, 177 ± 7 cm, 81.5 ± 16.0 kg) took part in the current study over 8 days. Participants consumed 0.05 g⸱kgLBM-1 of deuterium oxide (2H2O) at baseline. Then, 2H2O urine enrichment was measured 1 and 7 days after to determine total body water turnover (WTO) by dilution method. Participants simultaneously completed food diaries which were used to calculate metabolic water production given participant weight stability. Total water intake (TWI) was calculated as WTO-metabolic water production. The profile of mood state survey (POMS) and a visual analog scale to measure alertness were completed on the second day of observation. Data were dichotomized by sex and divided into HIGH (4.5 ± 1.4, 4.7 ± 1.1 L⸱d-1), MOD (2.9 ± 0.2, 3.3 ± 0.2 L⸱d-1), and LOW (2.2 ± 0.2, 2.7 ± 0.3 L⸱d-1) TWI tertiles, for women and men, respectively. RESULTS: Alertness and Vigor were significantly greater within women in HIGH versus MOD and LOW (all P ≤ 0.027), while Depression was lower in HIGH compared to LOW (P = 0.015). There were no significant differences in any mood-dimensions between any male TWI groups (all P ≥ 0.124). After controlling for macronutrient intake and physical activity, follow-up regression modeling in women, identified that the addition of TWI produced a significant change in the F score of the models for Depression, Anxiety, Vigor, and Total Mood Disturbance (all P ≤ 0.043). CONCLUSION: Within this sample, increased habitual water consumption was related to more favorable dimensions of mood in women, but not men. The conflicting results between sexes may be because of a larger TWI range in women relative to lean body mass and/or differences in fluid handling as evidenced by prior reporting on the divergence of urine concentrations between sexes.