Effects of Different Rehydration Fluids Supplementation on Anaerobic Power in Female Weightlifters

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of supplementation of 4 rehydration solutions on fluid retention, gastro intestinal comfort, blood ionic profile, and anaerobic power in female weightlifters. In a counterbalanced, cross-over design study, 12 female weightlifters were asked to intake 4 different rehydration solutions after they lost 2% body weight through acute dehydration in sauna. The 4 types of rehydration solutions were hypoosmolar electrolyte solution (HES), iso-osmolar electrolyte solution (IES), sport beverage (SB), and water (W). The intake amount of rehydration solution was 1.5-fold to the lost of their body weight due to dehydration. Each rehydration solution was ingested immediately after dehydration, 30-min, 60-min, and 90-min of rehydration. The gastro intestinal comfort score and body weight were recorded during the rehydration period. Blood samples from each participant were collected to determine the levels of osmolarity, glucose, sodium, potassium and chloride before dehydration and during rehydration period. Wingate anaerobic test was also performed before dehydration and at 120-min of rehydration. The results indicated that gastro intestinal comfort score of the participants in HES, IES and SB supplements were significantly lower than in W supplementation at 90-min of rehydration. The blood glucose levels in subjects with HES, IES and SB treatments were significantly higher than in W treatment at 60-min. The blood potassium level in subjects with HES treatment was significantly higher than in SB and W treatments at 120-min. However, there were no significant differences on the anaerobic power and fluid retention percentage among the supplements. The major conclusion of this study is that supplementation of 4 different rehydration fluids after acute dehydration had no effects on the anaerobic power. Nevertheless, intake of the rehydration fluids containing carbohydrates and electrolytes resulted in superior scores of gastro intestinal comfort, and could maintain higher blood glucose and electrolyte concentrations.