The impact of rehydration with glycerol on cardiovascular and thermoregulatory responses during exercise in the heat was studied in eight highly trained male cyclists. Each subject completed three dehydration-rehydration experimental trials that differed only in the rehydration treatment, each separated by 7 days. Before each experimental day, subjects dehydrated to -4% of their body weight by exercise and water restriction. The experimental treatments were as follows: no fluid (NF), glycerol bolus (1 g/kg body wt) followed by water (G), and water alone (W). Rehydration (3% body weight) was given over an 80-min period. After rehydration, subjects cycled (74% peak O2 uptake) to exhaustion in a hot and wet (37 degrees C and 48% relative humidity) environment. For G, plasma volume was expanded (P < 0.05) during rehydration and remained higher than W (P < 0.05) during exercise. Exercise time to exhaustion during G (33 +/- 4 min) was longer (P < 0.05) compared with both W (27 +/- 3 min) and NF (19 +/- 3 min). Cutaneous vascular conductance was significantly elevated (P < 0.05) during G, but G provided no other thermoregulatory or cardiovascular benefits compared with W and NF. Fluid-regulating hormones (vasopressin, aldosterone, atriopeptin, and plasma renin activity) decreased during rehydration and increased during exercise (except atriopeptin), but there were no differences between G and W. These data indicated that glycerol had little or no major effect on fluid-regulating factors during rehydration or exercise, and the improved exercise capacity in G was likely due to a greater plasma volume during exercise.

It was concluded that ORAL resulted in lower RPE, thirst, and TS compared with CON and IV during exercise in the heat.

No abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if intravenous fluid rehydration, versus oral rehydration, during a brief period (20 min) differentially affects plasma ACTH, cortisol, and norepinephrine concentrations during subsequent exhaustive exercise in the heat. Following dehydration (DHY) to Eth 4% of body weight, 8 nonacclimated highly trained males (age = 23.5 +/- 1.2 years, VáO2peak = 61.4 +/- 0.8 ml á kg á min-1, % body fat = 13.5 +/- 0. 6%) cycled to exhaustion at 74% VáO2peak in 36.8 C on three different occasions. These included: (a) no fluid (NF), where no fluid was provided during the rehydration period; (b) DRINK, where oral rehydration (0.45% NaCl) was provided equal to 50% of the prior DHY; and (c) IV, where intravenous infusion (0.45% NaCl) was provided equal to 50% of the prior DHY. Exercise time to exhaustion was not different (p =.07) between the DRINK (34.86 +/- 4.01) and IV (29.48 +/- 3.50) trials, but both were significantly (p <.05) longer than the NF (18.95 +/- 2.73) trial. No differences (p >.05) were found for any of the hormone measures among trials. The endocrine responses at exhaustion were similar regardless of hydration state and mode of rehydration, but rehydration prolonged the exercise time to exhaustion.