| Workers are often exposed to high levels of heat stress with voluminous sweating. Fluid replacement in athletics is well studied, but different from, and largely inapplicable to the industrial situation. This investigation examined fluid intakes of varying electrolyte-carbohydrate (ECHO) composition, changes in palatability of varying ECHO, physiological function, and work performance resulting from four hours of simulated industrial work for subjects wearing impermeable protective clothing (PC). Healthy male subjects (N = 18) completed four separate work sessions, consisting of 30 minutes of treadmill walking with intermittent arm curls at 300 kcals/hr (moderate work rate), followed by 30 minutes of rest for up to a total of four hours at {dollar}rm 33spcirc C{dollar} WBGT. A different beverage was provided for consumption ad libitum for each work trial in a repeated measures, double-blind design. The four beverages included; lime colored water (W), a lemon-lime placebo (P), a lemon-lime ECHO with 20 mmol per L NaCl (ECHO), and a lemon-lime ECHO with 30 mmol per L NaCl (ECHO+). Additionally, both prior to and following work, subjects rated the palatability of three different beverages of varying ECHO including; fruit-punch P, a fruit-punch ECHO, and a fruit-punch ECHO+. Mean sweat production was similar for the four trials (p =.61). Mean voluntary consumption during work at {dollar}rm 33spcirc C{dollar} WBGT was 630.6 {dollar}(pm 234){dollar}mls/hr for the W trial, 655.2 {dollar}(pm 228){dollar}mls/hr for the P trial, 740.4 {dollar}(pm 198){dollar}mls/hr for the ECHO trial and 771 {dollar}(pm 264){dollar}mls/min for the ECHO+ trial {dollar}rm (p < .05).{dollar} Mean weight changes (pre minus post), for the W trial was {dollar}{lcub}-{rcub}0.55({lcub}pm{rcub}0.8), {lcub}-{rcub}0.31({lcub}pm{rcub}1.0){dollar} for the P trial, {dollar}{lcub}-{rcub}0.01({lcub}pm{rcub}1.1){dollar} for the ECHO trial, and {dollar}{lcub}+{rcub}0.11({lcub}pm{rcub}1.1){dollar} for the ECHO+ trial (p =.06). Flavor ratings reflected changes from pre- to post-work with increased palatability for drinks sampled post-work {dollar}rm (p < .05).{dollar} The results of this investigation suggest that beverages containing no ECHO induce a greater rate of dehydration then drinks containing ECHO when provided ad libitum and that palatability may be altered for workers following exposure to a given flavored beverage while wearing PC in a hot environment. |
