Effects of Oral Salt Supplementation on Physical Performance During a Half-ironman

NCT02103491 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: UCJC-14
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 40
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Background: Ultradistance athletes frequently consume salt supplements during competitions to compensate the loss of electrolytes by sweating. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of oral salt supplementation to improve exercise performance during a half-ironman triathlon. Methodology: Twenty-six experienced triathletes were matched for age, anthropometric data and training status and randomly placed into the salt group (113 mmol Na+ and 112 mmol Cl-) or the control group (cellulose). The experimental treatments were provided in unidentifiable capsules and were ingested before and during the race. Participants competed in a real half-ironman triathlon and race time was measured by means of chip timing. Pre and post-race, body mass, maximal force during a whole-body isometric strength test, maximal height during a countermovement jump, and blood samples were obtained. Sweat samples were obtained during the running section.

Conditions

Hyponatremia

Keywords

Half-ironman; Triathlon; Salt; Exercise; Performance

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Triathlon race time

  Participants will compete in a real half-ironman triathlon and race time will be measured by means of chip timing. The chip timing will be adjusted in the participants's shoe. Race time will be measured in seconds.

  The experiment will be carried out in 1 day. This variable will be obtained in this unique experimental day.

• Changes in blood parameters before and after the race

  The serum portion of each blood sample will be analyzed for osmolality (1249, Advance 3MO, Spain), sodium, chloride, potassium and magnesium concentrations (Nova 16, NovaBiomedical, Spain). ). In addition, the serum creatine kinase concentration will be measured as a blood marker of muscle damage by means of an autoanalyzer (AU5400, Beckman Coulter, US). Blood concentration (in mM) will be determined for each variable.

  The experiment will be carried out in 1 day. This variable will be obtained in this unique experimental day

• Sweat samples analysis

  The sweat will be obtained with sweat patches (Tegaderm 3m) and it will be separated from the patches by centrifugation (10 min at 3000 g), transferred to 5-mL sealed tubes and refrigerated at 4 ºC. At a later date (within 2 days of the race), sweat osmolality will be measured with the same osmometer employed for the serum samples while sweat electrolyte concentration were measured using an ion selective electrode analyzer (Cobas 6000, Roche, Madrid, Spain). Sweat electrolyte concentration will be measured in mM.

  The experiment will be carried out in 1 day. This variable will be obtained in this unique experimental day

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Changes in total body water content (pre and post-race)

  The experiment will be carried out in 1 day. This variable will be obtained in this unique experimental day

• Changes in whole body isometric force from pre to post-race

  The experiment will be carried out in 1 day. This variable will be obtained in this unique experimental day

Study Arms (2)

Salt administration

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants were provided with 3 plastic bags each one containing 4 white capsules (e.g., a total of 12 capsules). In the salt group, the capsules were filled with a commercially available product that contains buffered electrolyte salts (Saltstick caps, Saltstick, California US). The total amount of electrolytes provided in the salt group was: 2580 mg of sodium (113 mmol), 3979 mg of chloride (112 mmol), 756 mg of potassium (19.3 mmol) and 132 mg of magnesium (5.4 mmol).

Dietary Supplement: Salt administration

Placebo administration

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

In the control group, participants received the same number of capsules with the exact same appearance but filled with an isocaloric placebo (cellulose).

Dietary Supplement: Placebo administration

Interventions

Salt administration DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Participants were provided with 3 plastic bags each one containing 4 white capsules (e.g., a total of 12 capsules). In the salt group, the capsules were filled with a commercially available product that contains buffered electrolyte salts (Saltstick caps, Saltstick, California US). The total amount of electrolytes provided in the salt group was: 2580 mg of sodium (113 mmol), 3979 mg of chloride (112 mmol), 756 mg of potassium (19.3 mmol) and 132 mg of magnesium (5.4 mmol). In the control group, participants received the same number of capsules with the exact same appearance but filled with an isocaloric placebo (cellulose). All the participants were instructed to ingest the contents of the first bag in the transition between the swimming and cycling sections, the second bag around the middle of the cycling leg and the third bag during the transition between the cycling and running sections.

Salt administration

Placebo administration DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Placebo administration

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 55 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Triathletes with previous experience in half-ironman

You may not qualify if:

• Potential participants (triathletes) with a previous history of muscle disorder, cardiac or kidney disease or those taking medicines or supplements during the two prior weeks were discarded.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Camilo Jose Cela University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Exercise Physiology Laboratory, Camilo Jose Cela University

Villanueva de la Cañada, Madrid, 28692, Spain

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Del Coso J, Gonzalez-Millan C, Salinero JJ, Abian-Vicen J, Areces F, Lledo M, Lara B, Gallo-Salazar C, Ruiz-Vicente D. Effects of oral salt supplementation on physical performance during a half-ironman: A randomized controlled trial. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2016 Feb;26(2):156-64. doi: 10.1111/sms.12427. Epub 2015 Feb 14.

  PMID: 25683094 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Hyponatremia; Motor Activity

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Water-Electrolyte Imbalance; Metabolic Diseases; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases; Behavior

Study Officials

• Juan Del Coso, PhD

  Camilo Jose Cela University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 26, 2014
• First Posted: April 4, 2014
• Study Start: June 1, 2013
• Primary Completion: June 1, 2013
• Study Completion: August 1, 2013
• Last Updated: August 31, 2023

Record last verified: 2023-08

Locations

ES (1)