Background: Olympic class sailing poses physiological challenges similar to other endurance sports such as cycling\r\nor running, with sport specific challenges of limited access to nutrition and hydration during competition.\r\nAs changes in hydration status can impair sports performance, examining fluid consumption patterns and fluid/\r\nelectrolyte requirements of Olympic class sailors is necessary to develop specific recommendations for these elite\r\nathletes. The purpose of this study was to examine if Olympic class sailors could maintain hydration status with selfregulated\r\nfluid consumption in cold conditions and the effect of fixed fluid intake on hydration status in warm\r\nconditions.\r\nMethods: In our cold condition study (CCS), 11 elite Olympic class sailors were provided ad libitum access to three\r\ndifferent drinks. Crystal Light (control, C); Gatorade (experimental control, G); and customized sailing-specific Infinit\r\n(experimental, IN) (1.0:0.22 CHO:PRO), were provided on three separate training days in cold 7.1Ã?°C [4.2 ââ?¬â?? 11.3]. Our\r\nwarm condition study (WCS) examined the effect of fixed fluid intake (11.5 mL.kg.-1.h-1) of C, G and heat-specific\r\nexperimental Infinit (INW)(1.0:0.074 CHO:PRO) on the hydration status of eight elite Olympic Laser class sailors in\r\n19.5Ã?°C [17.0 - 23.3]. Both studies used a completely random design.\r\nResults: In CCS, participants consumed 802 Ã?± 91, 924 Ã?± 137 and 707 Ã?± 152 mL of fluid in each group respectively.\r\nThis did not change urine specific gravity, but did lead to a main effect for time for body mass (p < 0.001), blood\r\nsodium, potassium and chloride with all groups lower post-training (p < 0.05). In WCS, fixed fluid intake increased\r\nparticipantââ?¬â?¢s body mass post-training in all groups (p < 0.01) and decreased urine specific gravity post-training\r\n(p < 0.01). There was a main effect for time for blood sodium, potassium and chloride concentration, with lower\r\nvalues observed post-training (p < 0.05). C blood sodium concentrations were lower than the INW group posttraining\r\n(p = 0.031) with a trend towards significance in the G group (p = 0.069).\r\nConclusion: Ad libitum fluid consumption in cold conditions was insufficient in preventing a decrease in body\r\nmass and blood electrolyte concentration post-training. However, when a fixed volume of 11.5 mL.kg.-1.h-1 was\r\nconsumed during warm condition training, hydration status was maintained by preventing changes in body mass\r\nand urine specific gravit.
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