Fluid balance: sweat loss and fluid intake in humans

Hypohydration can impair the performance of exercise, and fluid balance is therefore of importance to athletes. This thesis aimed to investigate factors regarding fluid losses and gains, with a view to the performance of exercise. Chapter 3 investigated the effect of ingesting 600ml of hypotonic and hypertonic glucose solutions on blood, plasma and red cell volume in resting individuals. Ingestion of 6% and 12% hypertonic glucose solutions showed evidence of a transient decrease in blood and plasma volume possibly due to fluid movement into the intestinal lumen from the body. There was also a suggestion that ingestion of a 2% glucose solution increases blood and plasma volume in comparison to a 0% glucose solution. [Continues.]