Hydration Exploration of Right Stuff via the MX3 Sweat Sodium Test in D1 Football Players

Division 1 football players put a lot of strain on their bodies daily and it is imperative that they focus on maximizing their performance. Hydration is a key factor that can help them perform at their best. This study explores football athlete’s hydration status, the sodium content of their sweat, and their feelings of thirst, fatigue, and mood after a weightlifting session. Participants were first administered a sweat patch to collect sweat produced during a morning lift. In subsequent lifts, participants were randomized to receive one of three conditions: water at the beginning and water halfway through, water at the beginning and Right Stuff (electrolyte packet) halfway through, or Right Stuff at the beginning and halfway through. Athletes completed the Abbreviated Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire, the Rate of Fatigue scale, and Thirst Distress Scale and Visual Analogue Scale questions. While there were not any significant findings in hydration status between the three intervention groups in regard to fatigue, thirst distress, or total mood disturbance, the results did show that when the athletes were more hydrated after the lift, their esteem-related affect (ERA) score improved. When grouping the athletes based on their sweat rates, there were significant differences in several mood components of the POMS. No correlations between urine specific gravity and the MX3 hydration testing were seen. Continued research needs to be completed on this population of Division 1 football players regarding hydration to help maximize their performance.