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On two occasions, 8 male subjects completed a dehydration protocol, immediately followed by a 180-min rehydration protocol, then a subsequent exercise bout. During each dehydration session, subjects lost 3.1 ± 0.4% body weight (BW) following discontinuous exercise in the heat (40 °C, 33 % rh). During the first 30 min of rehydration, subjects ingested either 1.0-g glycerol · kg body weight⁻¹ + 30% of the total rehydration water volume (GLY), or 30% of the total rehydration water volume without glycerol (CON). The five remaining ingestions (every 30 min) were equal to 14% of the remaining fluid volume and were identical in nature. Fluid volume ingested equaled fluid volume lost during dehydration. Following the 180 min rehydration period, subjects cycled (~50% V̇O_2peak) in the heat (40 °C, 33% rh) until volitional exhaustion. Three observations were made: (a) Following glycerol-induced rehydration, time to volitional exhaustion was greater during the subsequent exercise bout in the heat (CON: 38.0 ± 2.0, GLY 42.8 ± 1.0 min, p < .05); (b) glycerol-induced rehydration significantly increased plasma volume restoration within 60 min and at the end of the 180-min rehydration period; and (c) total urine volume was lower and percent rehydration was greater following GLY, but neither was significantly different.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether echinacea supplementation results in alterations of erythroid growth factors and erythropoietic status. Twenty-four men age 24.9 ± 4.2 y, height 1.7 ± 0.8 m, weight 87.9 ± 14.6 kg, and 19.3% ± 6.5% body fat were grouped using a double-blind design and self-administered an 8000-mg/d dose of either echinacea (ECH) or placebo (PLA) in 5 × 400 mg × 4 times/d for 28 d. Blood samples were collected and analyzed for red blood cells (RBCs), hematocrit (Hct), hemoglobin (Hb), mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin content, prostaglandin E₂, ferritin, erythropoietin (EPO), interleukin 3 (IL-3), and granulocyte-macrophage-colony-stimulating factor using automated flow cytometry and ELISA. ANOVA was used to determine significant differences (P ≤ 0.05). EPO was greater (P < 0.001) in ECH at Days 7, 14, and 21 and refected a 44%, 63%, and 36% increase, respectively. IL-3 was greater (P = 0.011) in ECH at Days 14 and 21, which indicated a 65% and 73% increase, respectively. These data indicate that ECH supplementation resulted in an increase in EPO and IL-3 but did not significantly alter RBCs, Hb, or Hct.

The effects of adaptation to a high-fat diet on endurance performance are equivocal, and there is little data regarding the effects on high-intensity exercise performance. This study examined the effects of a high-fat/moderate protein diet on submaximal, maximal, and supramaximal performance. Twenty non-highly trained men were assigned to either a high-fat/moderate-protein (HFMP; 61% fat) diet (n = 12) or a control (C; 25% fat) group (n = 8). A maximal oxygen consumption test, two 30-s Wingate anaerobic tests, and a 45-min timed ride were performed before and after 6 weeks of diet and training. Body mass decreased significantly (–2.2 kg; p ≤ .05) in HFMP subjects. Maximal oxygen consumption significantly decreased in the HFMP group (3.5 ± 0.14 to 3.27 ± 0.09 L · min⁻¹) but was unaffected when corrected for body mass. Perceived exertion was significantly higher during this test in the HFMP group. Main time effects indicated that peak and mean power decreased significantly during bout 1 of the Wingate sprints in the HFMP (–10 and –20%, respectively) group but not the C (–8 and –16%, respectively) group. Only peak power was lower during bout 1 in the HFMP group when corrected for body mass. Despite significantly reduced RER values in the HFMP group during the 45-min cycling bout, work output was significantly decreased (–18%). Adaptation to a 6-week HFMP diet in non-highly trained men resulted in increased fat oxidation during exercise and small decrements in peak power output and endurance performance. These deleterious effects on exercise performance may be accounted for in part by a reduction in body mass and/or increased ratings of perceived exertion.

The purposes of this study were to characterize measures of fluid intake and perception of thirst in women over a 6-week period of exercise-heat acclimation and outdoor training and examine if this lengthy acclimation period would result in changes in fluid intake that differ from those previously reported in men utilizing a shorter acclimation protocol of 8–10 days. Voluntary water intake (11–17 °C) and perception of thirst were measured in a group of 5 women (21–26 yr) undergoing exercise-heat acclimation for 90 min/day, 3 days/wk (36 °C, rh 50–70%) and outdoor training 3 days/wk for 6 weeks. Decreased drinking during acclimation was characterized by a decrease in the number of drinks (35 ± 10 to 17 ± 5; p < .05), greater time to first drink (9.9 ± 2.0 to 23.1 ± 4.7 min; p < .05), and a decrease in total volume ingested per week (3310 ± 810 to 1849 ± 446 ml; p < .05) through the 6-week study. Mean perceived thirst measurements remained low and showed only slight variance (3 ± 0.4 to 5 ± 0.4). These observations support a psycho-physiological response pattern different than that previously observed during 8–10 day acclimation protocols in men.

The purpose of this study was to determine if intravenous fluid rehydration, versus oral rehydration. during a brief period (20 min) differentially affects plasma ACTH, cortisol, and norepinephrine concentrations during subsequent exhaustive exercise in the heat. Following dehydration (DHY) to −4% of body weight, 8 nonacclimated highly trained males (age = 23.5 ± 1.2 years, V̇O_2peak = 61.4±0.8 ml · kg · min⁻¹, % body fat = 13.5±0.6%) cycled to exhaustion at 74% V̇O_2peak in 36.8 °C on three different occasions. These included: (a) no fluid (NF), where no fluid was provided during the rehydration period; (b) DRINK, where oral rehydration (0.45% NaCl) was provided equal to 50% of the prior DHY; and (c) IV, where intravenous infusion (0.45% NaCl) was provided equal to 50%’ of the prior DHY. Exercise time to exhaustion was not different p = .07) between the DRINK (34.86 ±4.01) and IV (29.48 ± 3.50) trials, but both were significantly p < .05) longer than the NF (18.95 ± 2.73) trial. No differences (p > .05) were found for any of the hormone measures among trials. The endocrine responses at exhaustion were similar regardless of hydration state and mode of rehydration, but rehydration prolonged the exercise time to exhaustion.