Effects of Amino Acid/Electrolyte-based Beverages on Hydration Status

Study Summary

Older adults typically do not drink later in the day to avoid the necessity of interrupting sleep to urinate. Sometimes they also limit ingestion of fluids to avoid the need to urinate when engaged in certain activities such as traveling or attending an event. Therefore, beverages that have greater fluid retention in the body leading to a more sustained positive hydration status could be advantageous in such situations. The composition of a beverage as well as other factors such as volume ingested and metabolism of components can affect the retention of the fluid in the body. Age may be another factor. The beverage hydration index (BHI), first described in 2016, was used to indicate the hydration response to thirteen well-known beverages in young male adults. The current study assesses the BHI of four beverages and how that response is affected by age following the standardized protocol. The four beverages have been chosen for inclusion in this study because they have been used by older adults to prevent dehydration.

Primary Outcome

Indicative of amount of fluid remaining in body four hours post consumption of beverage. Inversely related to amount of urine produced over 4 hours. Larger BHI number indicates better fluid retention and maintenance of plasma volume.

Conditions Studied

Interventions

• OTHER Distilled water
• OTHER Medical Food 1
• OTHER Medical Food 2
• OTHER Pedialyte
• OTHER Gatorade

Study Locations (1)