Post-exercise rehydration in man: effects of electrolyte addition to ingested fluids

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Abstract
This study examined the effects on water balance of adding electrolytes to fluids ingested after exercise-induced dehydration. Eight healthy male volunteers were dehydrated by approximately 2% of body mass by intermittent cycle exercise. Over a 30-min period after exercise, subjects ingested one of the four test drinks of a volume equivalent to their body mass loss. Drink A was a 90 mmol·l−1 glucose solution; drink B contained 60 mmol·l−1 sodium chloride; drink C contained 25 mmol·l−1 potassium chloride; drink D contained 90 mmol·l−1 glucose, 60 mmol·l−1 sodium chloride and 25 mmol·l−1 potassium chloride. Treatment order was randomised. Blood and urine samples were obtained at intervals throughout the study; subjects remained fasted throughout. Plasma volume increased to the same extent after the rehydration period on all treatments. Serum electrolyte (Na+, K+ and Cl−) concentrations fell initially after rehydration before returning to their pre-exercise levels. Cumulative urine output was greater after ingestion of drink A than after ingestion of any of the other drinks. On the morning following the trial, subjects were in greater net negative fluid balance [mean (SEM);PP=0.016); urine osmolality was lowest after ingestion of drink A. On the morning after the test, subjects were in greater net negative sodium balance (PPP<0.001) was observed after drink B than after A and C. These results suggest that although the measured blood parameters were similar for all trials, better whole body water and electrolyte balance resulted from the ingestion of electrolyte-containing drinks. There appeared, however, to be no additive effect of including both sodium and potassium under the conditions of this experiment.