Different dehydration levels and their impact on blood ammonia, cognitive-motor performance, and muscle damage in acclimated runners

Prolonged exercise in the heat can promote dehydration, which could impair ammonia metabolism, cognitive-motor performance, and muscle damage. However, exercise heat acclimation induces physiological adaptations that improve performance, metabolism, and cellular protection. This study aimed to evaluate different dehydration levels and their impact on blood ammonia, cognitive-motor performance, and muscle damage after a race in the heat in acclimated runners.

Sixteen male amateur endurance runners performed a half marathon race. After the race, the runners were divided into two groups according to their percentage body mass change (Δ% BM): Δ% BM less than 3% (G1%; N.=8) and Δ% BM greater than or equal to 3% (G3%; N.=8). Hydration status, biochemical parameters, and cognitive-motor performance were assessed before and after the race.

Blood ammonia concentrations were increased in both G1% (before: 46±26 µmol/L; after: 118±22 µmol/L) and G3% (before: 41±15 µmol/L; after: 108±15 µmol/L) groups. There was an early increase in all markers of muscle damage (creatine kinase [CK], lactate dehydrogenase [LDH], aspartate aminotransferase [AST], and alanine aminotransferase [ALT]) in both groups, but only LDH was greater in the G3% group than in the G1% group. Cognitive-motor performance did not differ between groups.

Dehydration up to ~4% BM loss does not affect blood ammonia concentrations and cognitive-motor performance in acclimated runners. The results also suggest that exercising in the heat induces the early appearance of several markers of muscle damage in acclimated runners regardless of hydration status.