Sex differences in energy intake, sweat rate, and electrolyte loss among world-class archers during competition

Limited evidence reports energy and macronutrient intake during competitive archery and whether any sex differences exist. Understanding these factors will provide insights into physiological demands and could inform more effective strategies to optimize performance for all archers in this precision-demanding sport. This study aimed to evaluate sweat rate (SR), sweat electrolyte loss, and energy intake (EI) in world-class archers throughout competition.

Eight (4 females) elite-standard archers (age: 21 ± 2 and 19 ± 1 years; body mass: 65.1 ± 2.8 and 60.1 ± 4.1 kg; stature: 179.3 ± 5.1 and 162.3 ± 0.8 cm, for males and females, respectively) from the Turkish National Archery Team participated. Data were collected over four days; assessments of hydration, SR, sweat composition ([Na⁺] and [K⁺]), and nutritional intake were completed at the same time each day.

Male archers consumed more total energy (2,889 vs. 2,353 kcal, p = 0.007) and carbohydrates (5.3 vs. 3.9 g/kg, p = 0.046) compared to females, with intake fluctuating based on competition demands (i.e. match duration, and the total distance walked). SR and sweat [K⁺] loss, were greater in males compared to females (p ≤0.006). In contrast, no sex differences were observed in other hydration parameters (sweat [Na⁺] loss, urine-specific gravity). Moreover, all archers maintained adequate hydration status throughout the competition, with no differences in pre- and post-competition hydration levels (p > 0.05).

This study expands on previous research by incorporating sex-specific analyses, demonstrating that while energy and carbohydrate intake varies between male and female archers, hydration-related variables remain consistent.