Influence of diuretic-induced dehydration on competitive sprint and power performance.
Diuretic-induced dehydration impairs prolonged running performance (> 1500 m). Sprinting performance may suffer by similar mechanisms (i.e., altered cardiovascular strain, heat storage, and metabolism) or may improve because of reduced mass to accelerate and carry.


OBJECTIVE
To examine sprint and power performance after diuretic-induced dehydration.


METHODS
After six sprint practice sessions, nine male former sprinters (mean +/- SD; age, 21 +/- 2 yr; body mass (BM), 80.0 +/- 5.2 kg; height, 1.78 +/- 0.08 m; body fat, 14 +/- 4%) participated in a 50-m race, a 200-m race, a 400-m race, and a vertical jump on an indoor synthetic track, once when dehydrated (40-mg furosemide; DD) and once with no diuretic (CON) using a counter-balanced crossover design. Plasma volume change (%deltaPV), heart rate (HR), blood pressure, rectal temperature, serum electrolytes, plasma lactate, plasma glucose, rating of perceived exertion, thirst, and thermal sensations were measured before and after each race.


RESULTS
Sprint times (DD vs CON) for the 50 m (6.72 +/- 0.28 vs 6.73 +/- 0.29 s), 200 m (25.95 +/- 1.20 vs 26.21 +/- 1.42 s), and 400 m (59.01 +/- 4.26 vs 58.68 +/- 3.68 s) were similar for both conditions, as was vertical jump height (0.67 +/- 0.10 vs 0.66 +/- 0.11 m). This occurred despite losing 2.2 +/- 0.4% BM and 7.3 +/- 6.7%deltaPV (50/200 m) or 2.5 +/- 0.4% BM and 7.1 +/- 2.7% deltaPV (VJ/400 m) in response to DD.


CONCLUSIONS
Diuretic-induced dehydration was not detrimental to sprint and power performance. Metabolic, thermoregulatory, and cardiovascular variables were not significantly altered by DD. Furthermore, the theoretical benefit of dehydration on performance (i.e., BM reduction) was not supported in this subject cohort.
Watson
Greig
G
The University of Connecticut, Human Performance Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, Storrs, CT 06269-1110, USA.
Judelson
Daniel A
DA
Armstrong
Lawrence E
LE
Yeargin
Susan W
SW
Casa
Douglas J
DJ
Maresh
Carl M
CM
D000328:Adult; D003681:Dehydration / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004232:Diuretics / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology; D014481:United States
D004232:Diuretics