title: Normative data for regional sweat sodium concentration and whole-body sweating rate in athletes.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to establish normative data for regional sweat sodium concentration ([Na+]) and whole-body sweating rate in athletes. Data from 506 athletes (367 adults, 139 youth; 404 male, 102 female) were compiled from observational athlete testing for a retrospective analysis. The participants were skill/team-sport (including American football, baseball, basketball, soccer and tennis) and endurance (including cycling, running and triathlon) athletes exercising in cool to hot environmental conditions (15-50 °C) during training or competition in the laboratory or field. A standardised regional absorbent patch technique was used to determine sweat [Na+] on the dorsal mid-forearm. Whole-body sweat [Na+] was predicted using a published regression equation (y = 0.57x+11.05). Whole-body sweating rate was calculated from pre- to post-exercise change in body mass, corrected for fluid/food intake (ad libitum) and urine output. Data are expressed as mean ± SD (range). Forearm sweat [Na+] and predicted whole-body sweat [Na+] were 43.6 ± 18.2 (12.6-104.8) mmol · L(-1) and 35.9 ± 10.4 (18.2-70.8) mmol · L(-1), respectively. Absolute and relative whole-body sweating rates were 1.21 ± 0.68 (0.26-5.73) L · h(-1) and 15.3 ± 6.8 (3.3-69.7) ml · kg(-1) · h(-1), respectively. This retrospective analysis provides normative data for athletes' forearm and predicted whole-body sweat [Na+] as well as absolute and relative whole-body sweating rate across a range of sports and environmental conditions.
authors.affiliation: a Gatorade Sports Science Institute , Barrington , IL , USA.
authors.forename: Lindsay B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.affiliation: a Gatorade Sports Science Institute , Barrington , IL , USA.
authors.forename: Kelly A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.affiliation: a Gatorade Sports Science Institute , Barrington , IL , USA.
authors.forename: Melissa L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: b Scout Consulting, LLC , Hebron , IL , USA.
authors.forename: Dennis H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Passe
authors.affiliation: a Gatorade Sports Science Institute , Barrington , IL , USA.
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Stofan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005542:Forearm; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012964:Sodium / Q000032:analysis*; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology*; D013542:Sweat / Q000737:chemistry*; D013546:Sweating / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012964:Sodium
keywords: electrolytes; regional sweat collection; sweat testing; team sports; youth