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Keywords

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Abstract

Context: Performing physical activity in numerous environmental conditions often results in mild to moderate dehydration. Dehydration can be problematic for the physically active population, as it can lead to decreases in physical and cognitive performance. This places emphasis on making sure individuals are properly hydrated during exercise. One of the barriers to appropriate hydration behaviors that has been identified in physically active individuals is a dislike of available hydration options. This highlights the need for sports medicine professionals to provide physically active individuals with appealing hydration options. Currently there is a lack of research exploring the flavor appeal of hydration options among individuals participating in competitive athletics. The purpose of this study was to describe the opinions of individuals participating in collegiate baseball related to an electrolyte hydration beverage. A secondary purpose was to describe the effect of the examined beverage on gastrointestinal health. Methods: A total of 47 individuals participating in collegiate baseball (age = 21 ± 2 years) from an NCAA Division II institution were enrolled in this study. During an offseason training session, participants were given access to enough electrolyte hydration beverage (Sqwincher(R) Zero, Kent Precision Foods Group, Inc., Mustatine, IA) to consume as desired. Following the training session, an electronic survey was sent to all participants. The survey contained questions gathering information about demographics, the participants’ impressions of the beverage, and gastrointestinal symptoms following drinking the beverage. Results: The majority of participants expressed positive impressions of the taste of the tested beverage, with 93.6% (N = 44) stating that they “Liked Somewhat”, “Liked”, or “Liked Extremely” the taste of the beverage. All participants stated they liked the beverage on at least some level when considering taste, appearance, texture, and smell. Additionally, 63.8% (N = 30) of participants stated they would prefer to hydrate using the test beverage instead of other hydration options. Regarding gastrointestinal tolerability, 6.3% (N = 3) of participants reported mild bloating following drinking the beverage. No moderate to severe gastrointestinal symptoms were reported during the study. Conclusion: In this study, the tested electrolyte hydration beverage was well regarded by the participants. Sports medicine professionals attempting to improve the hydration behaviors of their patients should consider using a hydration strategy similar to this. Future research should study the impact of electrolyte hydration beverages on muscle performance and cognition during exercise. Until such research is available, clinicians should seek to provide hydration options that promote regular fluid intake among their patients.

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