Skeletal muscle water and electrolytes following prolonged dehydrating exercise

We studied if dehydrating exercise would reduce muscle water (H2Omuscle) and affect muscle electrolyte concentrations. Vastus lateralis muscle biopsies were collected prior, immediately after, and 1 and 4 h after prolonged dehydrating exercise (150 min at 33 ± 1 °C, 25% ± 2% humidity) on nine endurance‐trained cyclists (VO2max = 54.4 ± 1.05 mL/kg/min). Plasma volume (PV) changes and fluid shifts between compartments (Cl− method) were measured. Exercise dehydrated subjects 4.7% ± 0.3% of body mass by losing 2.75 ± 0.15 L of water and reducing PV 18.4% ± 1% below pre‐exercise values (P