Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2018;22(3):335-340.
doi: 10.1007/s12603-017-0927-y.

Factors Associated with Pre-Event Hydration Status and Drinking Behavior of Middle-Aged Cyclists

B A Yates  1 , L A Ellis, C L Butts, B P McDermott, K H Williamson, L E Armstrong
Affiliations

Factors Associated with Pre-Event Hydration Status and Drinking Behavior of Middle-Aged Cyclists

B A Yates et al. J Nutr Health Aging. 2018.

Abstract

Objectives: Water is an essential nutrient for thermoregulation, metabolism, cognition, and overall physiological homeostatic function. However, aging adults display a blunted thirst mechanism and subsequently have an increased risk for dehydration or hyponatremia. Fluid consumption behaviors are modifiable and the importance of practicing adequate drinking behaviors for aging adults is amplified during exercise. Identification of aging adult's hydration beliefs and how they attain hydration advice could provide valuable information into ways to promote better drinking habits to reduce fluid imbalances. Thus, this investigation evaluated the knowledge, beliefs and behaviors of middle-aged cyclists (MA) that were associated with hydration status and drinking behavior, before and during a 164-km mass-participation event (ambient temperature, 33.3±2.8ºC(mean±SD)).

Design: This cross-sectional field study retrospectively grouped participants by their second urine specific gravity (Usg) measurement of the event morning prior to a mass participation cycling event. Usg was assessed via handheld refractometer.

Setting: The Hotter N' Hell Hundred 164-km cycling event in Wichita Falls, Texas during the month of August.

Participants: 36 male recreational cyclists (age, 53±9 y(mean±SD)).

Measurements: Participants were grouped according their urine specific gravity as either slightly hyperhydrated (SH; n=12, Usg≤1.014), euhydrated (EUH; n=12, Usg, 1.015-1.020), or slightly dehydrated (SD; n=12, Usg≥1.021). Exercise histories and questionnaires were recorded 24-48 h prior to the cycling event.

Results: Regardless of pre-event hydration status, all groups experienced a similar body mass loss during the 164-km event and finished with statistically similar exercise times; also, drinking behavior within all groups was influenced by multiple factors. The primary factors associated with MA cyclist drinking behavior were trial and error/personal history and thirst; further, the majority of cyclists (≥65%) in SH, EUH, and SD believed that dehydration affects performance negatively. The least important factors included rehydration recommendations from scientific and sports medicine organizations, plus information from sports drink manufacturers.

Conclusion: Considering the complexity of the present findings and the physiological changes that accompany aging such as delayed thirst perception, we recommend that MA cyclists formulate an individualized drinking plan that is based on observations during exercise.

Keywords: Thirst; aging; exercise; hydration; hyponatremia.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Yates, BA: Mr. Yates has nothing to disclose; Ellis LA: Ms. Ellis has nothing to disclose; Butt CL: Mr. Butts reports personal fees from Gatorade Sports Science Institute, outside the submitted work; Williamson KH: Dr. Williamson has nothing to disclose; McDermott BP: Dr. McDermott has nothing to disclose; and Armstrong LE: Dr. Armstrong has nothing to disclose. This research was conducted at the Hotter ‘N Hell Hundred cycling event (HHH) in Wichita Falls, TX, USA during August 2015.

References

    1. Stookey JD, Pieper CF, and Cohen HJ, Is the prevalence of dehydration among community-dwelling older adults really low? Informing current debate over the fluid recommendation for adults aged 70+ years. Public Health Nutr 2005. 8(8): p. 1275–85. - PubMed
    1. Miller M. Hyponatremia and arginine vasopressin dysregulation: mechanisms, clinical consequences, and management. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2006;54(2):345–353. 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2005.00609.x PubMed PMID: 16460390. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Renneboog B, Musch W, Vandemergel X, Manto MU, Decaux G. Mild chronic hyponatremia is associated with falls, unsteadiness, and attention deficits. Am J Med. 2006;119(1):71. 10.1016/j.amjmed.2005.09.026 PubMed PMID: 16431193. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Gunathilake R, Oldmeadow C, McEvoy M, Kelly B, Inder K, Schofield P, Attia J. Mild hyponatremia is associated with impaired cognition and falls in communitydwelling older persons. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2013;61(10):1832–1839. 10.1111/jgs.12468 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Sawka MN, Cheuvront SN, Carter R. Human water needs. Nutr Rev. 2005;63:S30–S39. 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2005.tb00152.x PubMed PMID: 16028570. - DOI - PubMed

Uncited references

    1. Armstrong LE, Johnson EC, McKenzie AL, Ellis LA, Williamson KH. Endurance Cyclist Fluid Intake, Hydration Status, Thirst, and Thermal Sensations: Gender Differences. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2016;26(2):161–167. 10.1123/ijsnem.2015-0188 PubMed PMID: 26479401. - DOI - PubMed