H2OAthletes: effects of hydration changes on neuromuscular function in athletes

• Grant number: 23/05359-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 31, 2023
• End date: November 28, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Nutrition - Nutritional Analysis of Population
• Principal Investigator: Mirele Savegnago Mialich Grecco
• Grantee: Bárbara Toledo Amstalden
• Supervisor: Analiza Monica Lopes de Almeida Silva
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
• Associated to the scholarship: 22/13662-0 - Development of an anthropometric equation to estimate muscle mass in healthy young brazilian adults, BP.IC

Abstract

Muscle strength is relevant to athletic success and lower injury rates. Thus, optimal neuromuscular function levels, including strength, power and their activation, are crucial in optimizing an athlete's performance and health. A determining factor for muscle performance is the hydration state, however, there is still no clarity in the scientific literature on the effects of dehydration on neuromuscular function. In this sense, some alternative and valid methods, such as Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) can help in the diagnosis of dehydration. Given this, the main objective of the present study is to analyze the effects on muscle strength and power after an intervention to increase water consumption for 4 days, includingelectromyographic analysis (EMG) for neuromuscular response in elite athletes of both sexes and who will be randomly divided in control and experimental groups. A dehydration protocol with exercise and thermal stress will be applied before and after the intervention and neuromuscular function, hydration indexes, total body water and its compartments, body composition and biochemical parameters will be evaluated at the beginning of the study, before and after the intervention and dehydration protocols. (AU)