Fluid-electrolyte balance associated with tennis match play in a hot environment

Int J Sport Nutr. 1995 Sep;5(3):180-93. doi: 10.1123/ijsn.5.3.180.

Abstract

Twenty (12 male and 8 female) tennis players from two Division I university tennis teams performed three days of round-robin tournament play (i.e., two singles tennis matches followed by one doubles match per day) in a hot environment (32.2 +/- 1.5 degrees C and 53.9 +/- 2.4% rh at 1200 hr), so that fluid-electrolyte balance could be evaluated. During singles play, body weight percentage changes were minimal and were similar for males and females (males -1.3 +/- 0.8%, females -0.7 +/- 0.8%). Estimated daily losses (mmol.day-1) of sweat sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) (males, Na+ 158.7, K+ 31.3; females, Na+ 86.5, K+ 18.9) were met by the players' daily dietary intakes (mmol.day-1) of these electrolytes (males, Na+ 279.1 +/- 109.4, K+ 173.5 +/- 57.7; females, Na+ 178.9 +/- 68.9, K+ 116.1 +/- 37.5). Daily plasma volume and electrolyte (Na+, K+) levels were generally conserved, although, plasma [Na+] was lower (p < .05) on the morning of Day 4. This study indicated that these athletes generally maintained overall fluid-electrolyte balance, in response to playing multiple tennis matches on 3 successive days in a hot environment, without the occurrence of heat illness.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aldosterone / blood
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Energy Intake
  • Energy Metabolism / physiology
  • Female
  • Hematocrit
  • Hot Temperature*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Osmolar Concentration
  • Potassium / blood
  • Potassium / urine
  • Sodium / blood
  • Sodium / urine
  • Sweating / physiology
  • Tennis*
  • Water-Electrolyte Balance / physiology*

Substances

  • Aldosterone
  • Sodium
  • Potassium