Improved Postexercise Rehydration With a Milk Permeate-Based Sports Drink

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Sports Nutrition
• Hydration Science

Background:

• Effective rehydration is crucial for athletes to restore fluid balance post-exercise.
• Traditional sports drinks and water have varying rehydration efficacies.
• Novel ingredients like milk permeate may offer enhanced hydration benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the rehydration efficacy of a milk permeate-containing sports drink (MPSD) against traditional sports drink (TSD), high-potassium sports drink (HKSD), and water (W).
• To assess fluid balance, urine output, and plasma volume restoration following exercise-induced dehydration.

Main Methods:

• Twelve healthy adults underwent a 2-hour exercise dehydration protocol in heat, losing ~2% body weight.
• Participants rehydrated over 4 hours, consuming 150% of lost body weight via TSD, HKSD, MPSD, or water.
• Measurements included net fluid balance, cumulative urine volume, osmotic excretion, and plasma volume.

Main Results:

• MPSD resulted in significantly higher net fluid balance at 180 and 240 minutes compared to TSD, HKSD, and W.
• MPSD led to lower cumulative urine volume than HKSD, TSD, and W.
• While TSD showed better plasma volume restoration at 60 minutes, MPSD exhibited superior overall rehydration metrics.

Conclusions:

• A milk permeate-based sports drink is more effective for post-exercise rehydration than TSD, HKSD, and water.
• MPSD's high osmolality may contribute to its enhanced fluid retention.
• Further research into MPSD formulations for optimal athletic recovery is warranted.