Efficacy of ice slurry and carbohydrate-electrolyte solutions for firefighters

To examine the thermoregulatory and fluid-electrolyte responses of firefighters ingesting ice slurry and carbohydrate-electrolyte solutions before and after firefighting operations.

Twelve volunteer firefighters put on fireproof clothing and ingested 5 g/kg of beverage in an anteroom at 25°C and 50% relative humidity (RH; pre-ingestion), and then performed 30 minutes of exercise on a cycle ergometer (at 125 W for 10 minutes and then 75 W for 20 minutes) in a room at 35℃ and 50% RH. The participants then returned to the anteroom, removed their fireproof clothing, ingested 20 g/kg of beverage (post-ingestion), and rested for 90 minutes. Three combinations of pre-ingestion and post-ingestion beverages were provided: a 25℃ carbohydrate-electrolyte solution for both (CH condition); 25℃ water for both (W condition); and a -1.7℃ ice slurry pre-exercise and 25℃ carbohydrate-electrolyte solution post-exercise (ICE condition).

The elevation of body temperature during exercise was lower in the ICE condition than in the other conditions. The sweat volume during exercise was lower in the ICE condition than in the other conditions. The serum sodium concentration and serum osmolality were lower in the W condition than in the CH condition.

The ingestion of ice slurry while firefighters were wearing fireproof clothing before exercise suppressed the elevation of body temperature during exercise. Moreover, the ingestion of carbohydrate-electrolyte solution by firefighters after exercise was useful for recovery from dehydration.