Blood glucose metabolism, serum, and urine osmolality in response to sodium-enriched acacia honey drink consumption during rehydration after exercise in hot and humid environment

Abstract

This study investigated the effectiveness of sodium-enriched Acacia honey drink as a post-exercise recovery aid on physiological parameters in the hot and humid environment (31oC, 70% relative humidity). Ten male recreational athletes (age: 21.8 ± 1.4 years, VO2max: 51.5 ± 4.1 mL. kg-1. min-1) participated in this randomized cross-over study. In running trial before the rehydration phase (Run-1), participants were required to run on a treadmill at 65% VO2max (7.7 ± 0.75 km. h-1) in the heat for 60 min. Participants had a fluid replacement with either plain water (W), Acacia honey drink (H) or sodium-enriched Acacia honey drink (HS) with an amount equivalent to 150% of body weight loss in three boluses (60%, 50% and 40% respectively) immediately at 0 min, 30 min and 60 min during two-hour rehydration phase. Blood and urine samples were collected and two-way repeated measure ANOVA was used for statistical analysis. Participants' body weight in W, H, and HS trials dropped after running for 60 min. Plasma volume changes showed significant reductions with W: 7.2 ± 3.4% (p < 0.05), H: 6.6 ± 3.4% (p < 0.05), and HS: 6.6 ± 4.2% (p < 0.001) at the end of the run. During the rehydration phase, there were significantly (p < 0.05) higher levels of plasma glucose, plasma insulin, serum osmolality and urine osmolality in H and HS compared to W. Both H and HS drinks can be recommended as a recovery aid.