The effect of pre-exercise oral hyperhydration on endurance exercise performance, heart rate, and thermoregulation: a meta-analytical review

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the effect of pre-exercise hyperhydration on endurance performance (primary outcome), heart rate, thermoregulation, and perceptual responses (secondary outcomes). Six academic databases were searched to February 2023. Only studies reporting differences in hydration between intervention and placebo/control were included. Meta-analysis determined overall effect size (Hedges’ g), and meta-regression the influence of independent moderators (ambient temperature, hyperhydration agent, exercise mode, extent of hyperhydration). Overall, 10 publications generating 19 effect estimates for primary outcomes, and 11 publications reporting 48 effect estimates for secondary outcomes, were included. A small-to-moderate improvement in time-to-exhaustion (TTE) (Hedges’ g = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.13–0.50, p = 0.001) and time trial (TT) ( g = 0.25, 95% CI: 0.002–0.51, p = 0.049) but not total work (TW) tasks ( p = 0.120) was found following hyperhydration. No moderating effects were observed. No effect of hyperhydration was found for heart rate following steady state (SS) exercise ( p = 0.069) or the performance task ( p = 0.072), nor for body temperature post-SS ( p = 0.132) or post-performance task ( p = 0.349), but meta-regression of sodium versus glycerol showed lower body temperature post-performance task with sodium ( g = 0.80, t (5) = 2.65, p = 0.046). No effects were found for perceived exertion or thermal comfort. Study heterogeneity was low, lacking representation of elite and female athletes, and weight-bearing (i.e., running) exercise modalities. These results suggest pre-exercise hyperhydration provides a small-to-moderate benefit to endurance performance in TTE and TT, but not TW performance tasks. While no moderating effects were observed, lack of heterogeneity makes it difficult to generalise these findings.