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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2019 Feb 11;16(1):5.
doi: 10.1186/s12970-019-0273-z.

Rehydrating efficacy of maple water after exercise-induced dehydration

Alexs Matias  1 , Monique Dudar  1 , Josip Kauzlaric  2 , Kimberly A Frederick  3 , Shannon Fitzpatrick  4 , Stephen J Ives  5
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Rehydrating efficacy of maple water after exercise-induced dehydration

Alexs Matias et al. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. .

Abstract

Dehydration impairs physiological function and physical performance, thus understanding effective rehydration strategies is paramount. Despite growing interest in natural rehydrating beverages, no study has examined maple water (MW).

Purpose: To investigate the rehydrating efficacy of MW after exercise-induced dehydration.

Methods: Using a single-blind, counterbalanced, crossover design, we compared the rehydrating efficacy of MW vs. maple-flavored bottled water (control) in 26 young healthy (22 ± 4 yrs., 24 ± 4 kg/m2) males (n = 13) and females (n = 13) after exercise-induced dehydration (~ 2.0%ΔBody Weight [BW]) in the heat (30 °C, 50% relative humidity [RH]). Hydration indicators (BW, salivary and urine osmolality [SOsm/UOsm], urine specific gravity [USG], urine volume [UV], urine color [UC]), thirst, fatigue, and recovery (heart rate [HR)], and HR variability [HRV]) were taken at baseline, post-exercise, 0.5, 1, and 2 h post-consumption of 1 L of MW or control.

Results: Following similar dehydration (~ 2%ΔBW), MW had no differential (p > 0.05) impact on any measure of rehydration. Likely due to greater beverage osmolality (81 ± 1.4 vs. 11 ± 0.7 mOsmol/kg), thirst sensation remained 12% higher with MW (p < 0.05). When sex was considered, females had lower UV, elevated UOsm (p < 0.05), trends for higher ΔBW, USG, but similar SOsm. Analysis of beverages and urine for antioxidant potential (AP) revealed a four-fold greater AP in MW, which increased peak urine AP (9.4 ± 0.7 vs. 7.6 ± 1.0 mmol, MW vs. control, p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Electrolyte-containing MW, was similar in effectiveness to water, but has antioxidant properties. Furthermore, trends for sex differences were discovered in urinary, but not salivary, hydration markers, with discrepancies in kinetics between fluid compartments both warranting further study.

Keywords: Antioxidants; Electrolytes; Hydration; Maple sap; Thirst.

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Conflict of interest statement

Ethics approval and consent to participate

This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Skidmore College (IRB#1608–531) and all subjects provided written and informed consent to participate.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare they have no competing interests.

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Experimental Design. Using a counterbalanced design, subjects were randomly assigned to either the control (maple flavored water) or maple water (DrinkMaple, MW) for their first visit. Baseline measures of hydration (nude body weight, analog and digital USG, saliva and urine osmolality, urine volume, urine color), perceptual measures of thirst and fatigue, HR and HRV. Following cycling to ~ 2% Dehydration, the same battery of measures were taken immediately post-exercise, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 h post consumption of assigned beverage. Participants returned no less than 48 h later to complete the trial in the other condition
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Measurements of Hydration Status at Baseline, 2% Exercise-Induced Dehydration, and after ingestion of Control or Maple Water in Males and Females (n = 26). a ∆Body weight, b Urine Color (1–8 scale), c Digital Urine Specific Gravity (USG), d Analog USG, e Urine Osmolality, f Saliva Osmolality. Data are mean ± SD. # p < 0.05 main effect for sex, *p < 0.05 main effect for time, #* p < 0.05 of interaction sex by time
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Measurements of Urine Volume (a) and Cumulative Urine Volume (0.5–2.0 h, b) at Baseline, 2% Exercise-Induced Dehydration, and after ingestion of Control or Maple Water in Males and Females (n = 26). Data are mean ± SD. # p < 0.05 main effect for sex,*p < 0.05 main effect for time
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Measurement of Thirst Sensation and Fatigue at baseline, 2% Exercise-Induced Dehydration, and after ingestion of either Control or Maple Water in Males and Females (n = 26). Data are mean ± SD. *p < 0.05 main effect for time, † p < 0.05 interaction of condition by time, and #* p < 0.05 of interaction sex by time
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Measurements of Heart Rate and Heart Rate Variability at baseline, 2% Exercise-Induced Dehydration, and after ingestion of either Control or Maple Water in Males and Females (n = 26). a Heart Rate, b RMSSD, c Natural Log Transformed RMSSD (LnRMSSD), d SDNN. Data are mean ± SD.*p < 0.05 main effect for time, #* p < 0.05 interaction of sex by time
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Measurements of Urinary Antioxidant Potential at baseline, after exercise at 2% Dehydration, and after ingestion of either Control or Maple Water (n = 14). Data are mean ± SD. *p < 0.05 main effect for time. **p < 0.05 control vs. maple water at time of peak
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