nutrients-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Hydration and Body Composition in Sports Practice

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Sports Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 July 2023) | Viewed by 17762

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Analyzing hydration status and monitoring body composition is an important topic when discussing the benefits of leading a healthy lifestyle, due to its influence on health status and sports performance. In the last few years, the scope of research in sports has become increasingly wide and detailed, laying the foundations for the development of innovative evaluation approaches aimed at improving body composition, health, and physical function. The articles published in this research collection highlight the relationship among these specific parameters through longitudinal and transversal experimental designs as well as systematic literature reviews. Contemporary researchers have contributed to the field of research on improving health and sports performance through the development of new measurement methods for assessing hydration status and training strategies for improving body composition and sports performance. The aim of this research collection is to add information on:

1) Effect of hydration status and body composition on sports performance and benefits on health status;

2) Exercise programs for improving body composition and hydration in athletes, taking into account their sport practice;

3) New evidence for hydration and body composition measurement techniques;

Investigators that have conducted studies on these topics are invited to submit manuscripts for consideration for this Special Issue in Nutrients.

Dr. Francesco Campa
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • body composition
  • exercise training
  • hydration
  • physical health
  • nutrition
  • athletes
  • physical performance

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (6 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

4 pages, 218 KiB  
Editorial
Hydration and Body Composition in Sports Practice: An Editorial
by Francesco Campa
Nutrients 2023, 15(22), 4814; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15224814 - 17 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1563
Abstract
Assessing hydration status and monitoring body composition represent crucial aspects when discussing the advantages of embracing a healthy lifestyle, given its significant impact on both health and sports performance [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydration and Body Composition in Sports Practice)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

10 pages, 672 KiB  
Article
Impact of Preparticipating Hypohydration on Cardiopulmonary Exercise Capacity in Ambitious Recreational Athletes
by Anna Strüven, Stefan Brunner, Georges Weis, Christopher Stremmel, Daniel Teupser, Jenny Schlichtiger and Korbinian Lackermair
Nutrients 2023, 15(15), 3333; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15153333 - 27 Jul 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 894
Abstract
Background: Heat induces a thermoregulatory strain that impairs cardiopulmonary exercise capacity. The aim of the current study is to elucidate the effect of isolated dehydration on cardiopulmonary exercise capacity in a model of preparticipating hypohydration. Methods: Healthy recreational athletes underwent a standardised fluid [...] Read more.
Background: Heat induces a thermoregulatory strain that impairs cardiopulmonary exercise capacity. The aim of the current study is to elucidate the effect of isolated dehydration on cardiopulmonary exercise capacity in a model of preparticipating hypohydration. Methods: Healthy recreational athletes underwent a standardised fluid deprivation test. Hypohydration was assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and laboratory testing of electrolytes and retention parameters in the blood and urine. The participants underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) with a cycle ramp protocol. Each participant served as their own control undergoing CPET in a hypohydrated [HYH] and euhydrated [EUH] state. Results: Fluid deprivation caused a mild (2%) but significant reduction of body water (38.6 [36.6; 40.7] vs. 39.4 [37.4; 41.5] %; p < 0.01) and an increase of urine osmolality (767 [694; 839] vs. 537 [445; 629] mosm/kg; p < 0.01). Hypohydration was without alterations of electrolytes, serum osmolality or hematocrit. The oxygen uptake was significantly lower after hypohydration (−4.8%; p = 0.02 at ventilatory threshold1; −2.0%; p < 0.01 at maximum power), with a corresponding decrease of minute ventilation (−4% at ventilatory threshold1; p = 0.01, −3.3% at maximum power; p < 0.01). The power output was lower in hypohydration (−6.8%; p < 0.01 at ventilatory threshold1; −2.2%; p = 0.01 at maximum power). Conclusion: Isolated hypohydration causes impairment of workload as well as peak oxygen uptake in recreational athletes. Our findings might indicate an important role of hypohydration in the heat-induced reduction of exercise capacity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydration and Body Composition in Sports Practice)
Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 296 KiB  
Article
Analysis of the Consumption of Sports Supplements in Open Water Swimmers According to the Competitive Level
by Rubén Jiménez-Alfageme, Raúl Domínguez, Antonio Jesús Sanchez-Oliver, Paola Tapia-Castillo, José Miguel Martínez-Sanz and Isabel Sospedra
Nutrients 2022, 14(24), 5211; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14245211 - 7 Dec 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3498
Abstract
Background: Sports supplements (SS) are widely consumed by many types of athletes to improve their performance. These SS are classified according to their level of scientific evidence, by the ABCD system from the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS). In open water swimming, their [...] Read more.
Background: Sports supplements (SS) are widely consumed by many types of athletes to improve their performance. These SS are classified according to their level of scientific evidence, by the ABCD system from the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS). In open water swimming, their use may be necessary due to the physiological challenges posed by this sport discipline. However, there is currently little literature on the use of SS in open water swimmers. The aim of this work is to analyze the pattern of consumption of SS by open water swimmers, by studying the differences according to the competitive level (regional vs. national). Methods: Descriptive and cross-sectional study on the consumption and use of SS by federated open water swimmers in Spain in the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 seasons. The data were collected through a validated questionnaire. Results: 79.5% of the participants consumed SS, with significant differences according to their level, being higher in athletes at the national level. The most-consumed SS by the swimmers studied were sports drinks, energy bars, caffeine, vitamin C, and vitamin D. Conclusions: It was observed that the consumption of SS in open water swimmers was high, and of the five most-consumed SS, four of them belonged to the category of greatest scientific evidence. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydration and Body Composition in Sports Practice)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

12 pages, 1086 KiB  
Article
Development and Validation of an Anthropometric Equation to Predict Fat Mass Percentage in Professional and Semi-Professional Male Futsal Players
by Rita Giro, Catarina N. Matias, Francesco Campa, Diana A. Santos, Margarida L. Cavaca, Pedro Duque, Marco Oliveira, Nuno Matos, Filipa Vicente, Paula Pereira, Heitor O. Santos, Grant M. Tinsley and Filipe J. Teixeira
Nutrients 2022, 14(21), 4514; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14214514 - 27 Oct 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2903
Abstract
This study aimed to (i) characterise the body composition of professional and semi-professional male futsal players, (ii) assess the validity of commonly used equations to estimate FM%, (iii) develop and cross-validate a futsal-specific FM% prediction equation. In a cross-sectional design, 78 adult male [...] Read more.
This study aimed to (i) characterise the body composition of professional and semi-professional male futsal players, (ii) assess the validity of commonly used equations to estimate FM%, (iii) develop and cross-validate a futsal-specific FM% prediction equation. In a cross-sectional design, 78 adult male futsal players were assessed for body mass, stature, skinfolds, and girths as per the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry protocol and completed a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan for reference body composition data. Using paired-sample t-tests, the FM% from the DXA and nine published equations were compared. New sport-specific models were developed by stepwise multiple regression. Existing equations were cross-validated using the least squares regression, concordance correlation coefficient, and the Bland–Altman analyses. New equations were further cross-validated using the PRESS approach. None of the existing equations accurately predicted the DXA-derived FM% (p < 0.001; R2 ≤ 0.76, SEE ≥ 1.59; CCC ≤ 0.83; bias = −8.2% to −1.3%, limited agreement, and varying trends). The novel Bettery® equation: −0.620 + (0.159 ∗ Σ4SKF [triceps, abdominal, iliac crest, and front thigh (mm)]) + (0.120 ∗ waist girth (cm)), demonstrated a high accuracy (R2 = 0.85, SEE = 1.32%), a moderate strength of agreement (CCC = 0.92), no bias (0.2%), good agreement (±2.5%), and no trend (r = −0.157; p = 0.170) against the DXA. The Bettery® equation is the first to allow for a valid and sport-specific assessment of FM% in male futsal players. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydration and Body Composition in Sports Practice)
Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 765 KiB  
Article
Fluid Balance and Carbohydrate Intake of Elite Female Soccer Players during Training and Competition
by Caroline A. Tarnowski, Ian Rollo, James M. Carter, Maria Antonia Lizarraga-Dallo, Mireia Porta Oliva, Tom Clifford, Lewis J. James and Rebecca K. Randell
Nutrients 2022, 14(15), 3188; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14153188 - 3 Aug 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3598
Abstract
This study examined sweat rate, sweat sodium concentration [Na+], and ad-libitum carbohydrate and fluid intakes in elite female soccer players during training (n = 19) and a match (n = 8); eight completed both for comparisons. Body mass (kg) [...] Read more.
This study examined sweat rate, sweat sodium concentration [Na+], and ad-libitum carbohydrate and fluid intakes in elite female soccer players during training (n = 19) and a match (n = 8); eight completed both for comparisons. Body mass (kg) was obtained before and after exercise to calculate sweat rate. The sweat [Na+] was determined from absorbent patches on the thigh or back. Sweat rate, percentage body mass change, and sweat [Na+] for 19 players during training were 0.47 ± 0.19 L·h−1, +0.19 ± 0.65%, and 28 ± 10 mmol·L−1, respectively. Sweat rate was higher during a match (0.98 ± 0.34 L·h−1) versus training (0.49 ± 0.26 L·h−1, p = 0.007). Body mass losses were greater post-match (−1.12 ± 0.86%) than training (+0.29 ± 0.34%, p = 0.003). Sweat [Na+] was similar for training (29 ± 9 mmol·L−1) and a match (35 ± 9 mmol·L−1) (p = 0.215). There were no differences in match versus training carbohydrate intakes (2.0 ± 2.3 g·h−1, 0.9 ± 1.5 g·h−1, respectively, p = 0.219) or fluid intakes (0.71 ± 0.30 L·h−1, 0.53 ± 0.21 L·h−1, respectively, p = 0.114). In conclusion, female soccer players’ sweat rates were higher during a match than during training, and carbohydrate intakes were below recommendations for matches and training. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydration and Body Composition in Sports Practice)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research

30 pages, 629 KiB  
Review
The Effects of Physical Activity on the Gut Microbiota and the Gut–Brain Axis in Preclinical and Human Models: A Narrative Review
by Stefania Cataldi, Luca Poli, Fatma Neşe Şahin, Antonino Patti, Luigi Santacroce, Antonino Bianco, Gianpiero Greco, Barbara Ghinassi, Angela Di Baldassarre and Francesco Fischetti
Nutrients 2022, 14(16), 3293; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14163293 - 11 Aug 2022
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4406
Abstract
Increasing evidence supports the importance of the gut microbiota (GM) in regulating multiple functions related to host physical health and, more recently, through the gut–brain axis (GBA), mental health. Similarly, the literature on the impact of physical activity (PA), including exercise, on GM [...] Read more.
Increasing evidence supports the importance of the gut microbiota (GM) in regulating multiple functions related to host physical health and, more recently, through the gut–brain axis (GBA), mental health. Similarly, the literature on the impact of physical activity (PA), including exercise, on GM and GBA is growing. Therefore, this narrative review summarizes and critically appraises the existing literature that delves into the benefits or adverse effects produced by PA on physical and mental health status through modifications of the GM, highlighting differences and similarities between preclinical and human studies. The same exercise in animal models, whether performed voluntarily or forced, has different effects on the GM, just as, in humans, intense endurance exercise can have a negative influence. In humans and animals, only aerobic PA seems able to modify the composition of the GM, whereas cardiovascular fitness appears related to specific microbial taxa or metabolites that promote a state of physical health. The PA favors bacterial strains that can promote physical performance and that can induce beneficial changes in the brain. Currently, it seems useful to prioritize aerobic activities at a moderate and not prolonged intensity. There may be greater benefits if PA is undertaken from a young age and the effects on the GM seem to gradually disappear when the activity is stopped. The PA produces modifications in the GM that can mediate and induce mental health benefits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydration and Body Composition in Sports Practice)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop