Maintaining hydration with a carbohydrate–electrolyte solution improves performance, thermoregulation, and fatigue during an ice hockey scrimmage

Abstract

Research in "stop-and-go" sports has demonstrated that carbohydrate ingestion improves performance and fatigue, and that dehydration of ∼1.5%-2% body mass (BM) loss results in decreased performance, increased fatigue, and increased core temperature. The purpose of this investigation was to assess the physiological, performance, and fatigue-related effects of maintaining hydration with a carbohydrate-electrolyte solution (CES) versus dehydrating by ∼2% BM (no fluid; NF) during a 70-min ice hockey scrimmage. Skilled male hockey players (n = 14; age, 21.3 ± 0.2 years; BM, 80.1 ± 2.5 kg; height, 182.0 ± 1.2 cm) volunteered for the study. Subjects lost 1.94% ± 0.1% BM in NF, and 0.12% ± 0.1% BM in CES. Core temperature (Tc) throughout the scrimmage (10-50 min) and peak Tc (CES: 38.69 ± 0.10 vs. NF: 38.92 ± 0.11 °C; p < 0.05) were significantly reduced in CES compared with NF. Players in CES had increased mean skating speed and time at high effort between 30-50 min of the scrimmage. They also committed fewer puck turnovers and completed a higher percentage of passes in the last 20 min of play compared with NF. Postscrimmage shuttle skating performance was improved in CES versus NF and fatigue was lower following the CES trial. The results indicated that ingesting a CES to maintain BM throughout a 70-min hockey scrimmage resulted in improved hockey performance and thermoregulation, and decreased fatigue as compared with drinking no fluid and dehydrating by ∼2%.

Ingesting A Sports Drink Enhances Simulated Ice Hockey Performance While Reducing Perceived Effort

“…This design was undertaken to best represent the efforts of a typical ice hockey shift, where performance is dictated solely by the voluntary efforts of the player, and is consistent with other sport-specific investigations. Perhaps most similar to the present study is that of Linseman et al who observed a preservation of shuttle skating time ( − 0.7s or − 2.4 %) following an on-ice scrimmage when subjects had ingested a CES vs. became mildly dehy-drated ( − 1.9 % BM) [28]. Also, in a sport-specific test of basketball skills performance, Dougherty et al utilized a comprehensive battery of self-selected, work-based performance tests including "suicide sprint" shuttle running, and time to complete 10 court-width sprints.…”

“…This was similar to findings during a competitive ice hockey game where mean BM loss was 1.3 ± 0.3 % and 8/24 players (33 %) lost 1.8-4.3 % BM [32]. Such hypohydration is generally accepted to impair exercise performance and normal cognition during exercise [43], and our lab has previously demonstrated that when ice hockey players dehydrated by 1.9 % BM during an on-ice scrimmage, they exhibited slower skating speed, more frequent turnovers, and an increased perception of effort [28].…”

“…Hockey is characterized by Ingesting A Sports Drink Enhances Simulated Ice Hockey Performance While Reducing Perceived Effort 3 "periods" of gameplay, consisting of high-intensity, intermittent skating sprints at self-selected intensities of ~120 % VO 2 max [20]. Although T c is increased when ice hockey players become dehydrated ( > 1.5 % BM loss) in the field [28], it is unknown if the observed reduction in skill performance is associated with an accelerated skeletal muscle glycogen utilization as is the case with dehydration-induced hyperthermia during longer duration endurance exercise [18,22]. A previous study from our laboratory demonstrated little effect of representative, mild dehydration ( − 1.8 % BM) on the development of hyperthermia, muscle glycogen use or exercise performance during a cycle-based simulation of ice hockey exercise vs. staying hydrated by ingesting water.…”

Sweat Loss and Hydration Habits of Female Olympic, Varsity and Recreational Ice Hockey Players

“…It is well established that sweat loss resulting in decreases in body mass (BM) of as little as 1.5-2 % (mild dehydration) can negatively impact athletic and cognitive performance in numerous intermittent team sports for both male [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] and female athletes [10][11][12][13][14]. With this in mind, measuring individual sweat rates and hydration habits of athletes can identify players who become mildly dehydrated and are at risk of experiencing impaired performance.…”

“…Despite the relatively cool environment in which ice-hockey is played, recent research has demonstrated that male hockey players lose large amounts of sweat (1.3-2.6 L/h) during both practices and games [15][16][17][18]. Linseman and colleagues (2014) assessed the effects of mild dehydration on thermoregulation, performance and fatigue during a 70 min on-ice hockey scrimmage [7]. The study consisted of a no fluid trial (NF) with an average BM loss of 1.94 ± 0.1 % and a carbohydrate electrolyte solution trial (CES) where BM was maintained (loss of 0.12 ± 0.1 %).…”