The Impact of Adequate Water Intake on Exercise Performance and Mood in Women and Men (WEXMO)

Dehydration is defined as the state of water deficit due to excessive water losses and/or small water intake. Underhydration is the result of inadequate water intake leading to activation of water hormonal homeostasis, characterized by elevated vasopressin, lower urinary output, and concentrated urine without any measurable changes in total body water. It is well established that dehydration (water deficit) decreases exercise performance and worsens mood, mainly in women. However, the impact of increased water intake in underhydrated individuals on their exercise capacity and mood is not known.

The aim of the proposed study is to investigate the impact of increased water intake in underhydrated individuals on aerobic exercise performance and mood in both women and men.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Dehydration; Mood
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Maintain adequate water consumption; Behavioral: Increase water consumption

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 217
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Arizona
    • Phoenix, Arizona, United States, 85004
      • Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Building 8

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 35 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy adults
• Residence in Arizona

Exclusion Criteria:

• Use of diuretics
• Use of anti-depressive medication
• Current pregnancy or lactation
• Current use of injectable insulin
• Diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome
• Do not pass the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire for Everyone (PAR-Q) screening

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Non-Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Euhydrated; Afternoon urine osmolality < 800 mmol/kg or urine specific gravity < 1.020.	Behavioral: Maintain adequate water consumption; The subjects that are classified as euhydrated will be asked to maintain high water intake for one week to ensure proper hydration. A 2-mile run will be completed before and after the 7-day intervention.
Experimental: Underhydrated; Afternoon urine osmolality ≥ 800 mmol/kg or urine specific gravity ≥ 1.020.	Behavioral: Increase water consumption; The underhydrated individuals will be instructed to increase their water intake for one week in order to meet the following two criteria: a) urinate at least 7 times per day and b) have straw-like color urine. A 2-mile run will be completed before and after the 7-day intervention.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
2-mile run-time (min)		Day 1
2-mile run-time (min)		Day 8
Mood	Profile of Mood States questionnaire (POMS 2®-Adult Short, Multi-Health Systems Inc.)	Pre-trial on day 1
Mood	Profile of Mood States questionnaire (POMS 2®-Adult Short, Multi-Health Systems Inc.)	Post-trial on day 1
Mood	Profile of Mood States questionnaire (POMS 2®-Adult Short, Multi-Health Systems Inc.)	Pre-trial on day 8
Mood	Profile of Mood States questionnaire (POMS 2®-Adult Short, Multi-Health Systems Inc.)	Post-trial on day 8
Urine osmolality (mmol/kg)		4 - 8 PM on day 0
Urine osmolality (mmol/kg)		4 - 8 PM on day 7
Urine osmolality (mmol/kg)		Upon waking (first morning sample) on day 1
Urine osmolality (mmol/kg)		Upon waking (first morning sample) on day 8
Urine specific gravity		4 - 8 PM on day 0
Urine specific gravity		4 - 8 PM on day 7
Urine specific gravity		Upon waking (first morning sample) on day 1
Urine specific gravity		Upon waking (first morning sample) on day 8

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Urine color	Armstrong validated 8-color scale. Minimum score: 1. Maximum score: 8. A higher score indicates a worse outcome (e.g., dehydrated).	4 - 8 PM on day 0
Urine color	Armstrong validated 8-color scale. Minimum score: 1. Maximum score: 8. A higher score indicates a worse outcome (e.g., dehydrated).	4 - 8 PM on day 7
Urine color	Armstrong validated 8-color scale. Minimum score: 1. Maximum score: 8. A higher score indicates a worse outcome (e.g., dehydrated).	Upon waking (first morning sample) on day 1
Urine color	Armstrong validated 8-color scale. Minimum score: 1. Maximum score: 8. A higher score indicates a worse outcome (e.g., dehydrated).	Upon waking (first morning sample) on day 8
Thirst perception	175 mm visual analog scale. Minimum score: 0 (not thirsty at all). Maximum score: 175 (extremely thirsty). A higher score indicates a worse outcome (e.g., more thirsty).	4 - 8 PM on day 0
Thirst perception	175 mm visual analog scale. Minimum score: 0 (not thirsty at all). Maximum score: 175 (extremely thirsty). A higher score indicates a worse outcome (e.g., more thirsty).	4 - 8 PM on day 7
Thirst perception	175 mm visual analog scale. Minimum score: 0 (not thirsty at all). Maximum score: 175 (extremely thirsty). A higher score indicates a worse outcome (e.g., more thirsty).	Upon waking (first morning sample) on day 1
Thirst perception	175 mm visual analog scale. Minimum score: 0 (not thirsty at all). Maximum score: 175 (extremely thirsty). A higher score indicates a worse outcome (e.g., more thirsty).	Upon waking (first morning sample) on day 8

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Arizona State University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): May 26, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 26, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): April 26, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 25, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 1, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): September 5, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 24, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 23, 2023
• Last Verified: August 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Metabolic Diseases; Water-Electrolyte Imbalance; Dehydration; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Central Nervous System Depressants; Peripheral Nervous System Agents; Sensory System Agents; Anesthetics; Anesthetics, Local; Benzocaine
• Other Study ID Numbers: STUDY00013646

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No