Can hyperhydration improve athlete performance in hot climates?

In soccer, the most important world, continental, and national championships are contested during the warmest part of the year and often in hot climates. The purpose of this study was to test the effect of increased fluid intake on temperature regulation and performance in elite soccer players. Eight soccer players of the Puerto Rico national soccer team were studied under two conditions of hydration: hyperhydration or voluntary hydration. After increasing their daily fluid intake, subjects were successful in significantly increasing their total body water despite an increased urine output. One significant finding of the study was the reduction in thermal stress during the match as a function of environmental heat stress index in the hyperhydration condition. Another significant finding was the increased time to complete a soccer specific test at the end of the match. The hyperhydration regimen, however, did not improve this decrement in performance. Other non-specific soccer performances remained unaffected by the match or hyperhydration.

CITE: Rico-Sanz, J., Frontera, W. R., Rivera, M. A., Rivera-Brown, A., Molé, P. A., & Meredith, C. N. (1996). Effects of hyperhydration on total body water, temperature regulation and performance of elite young soccer players in a warm climate. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 17 (2), 85–91. doi: 10.1055/s-2007-972813

#Hydration #Soccer #WorldCup #Heat #ClimateAdaptation #Performance