Shift in body fluid compartments after dehydration in humans

Abstract

To investigate the influence of [Na+] in sweat on the distribution of body water during dehydration, we studied 10 volunteer subjects who exercised (40% of maximal aerobic power) in the heat [36 degrees C, less than 30% relative humidity (rh)] for 90-110 min to produce a dehydration of 2.3% body wt (delta TW). After dehydration, the subjects rested for 1 h in a thermoneutral environment (28 degrees C, less than 30% rh), after which time the changes in the body fluid compartments were assessed. We measured plasma volume, plasma osmolality, and [Na+], [K+], and [Cl-] in plasma, together with sweat and urine volumes and their ionic concentrations before and after dehydration. The change in the extracellular fluid space (delta ECF) was estimated from chloride distribution and the change in the intracellular fluid space (delta ICF) was calculated by subtracting delta ECF from delta TW. The decrease in the ICF space was correlated with the increase in plasma osmolality (r = -0.74, P less than 0.02). The increase in plasma osmolality was a function of the loss of free water (delta FW), estimated from the equation delta FW = delta TW - (loss of osmotically active substance in sweat and urine)/(control plasma osmolality) (r = -0.79, P less than 0.01). Free water loss, which is analogous to "free water clearance" in renal function, showed a strongly inverse correlation with [Na+] in sweat (r = -0.97, P less than 0.001). Fluid movement out of the ICF space attenuated the decrease in the ECF space.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)