The Effect of Sport Drink Ingestion on the Physical Fatigue Level and Heart Rate during Prolonged Exposure in Hot Ambient Temperature in Professional Golfers

ABSTRACT

We investigated the effects of prolonged exposure in hot environmental condition and ingestion of fluid on various physiological variables including plasma glucose, lactate, the rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and heart rate as well as golf putting performance. Six male professional golfers were voluntarily participated in three different putting trials which were separated by seven days of time interval period. Three different putting trials were conducted at either 20degrees C or 32degrees C, or 32degrees C + Fluid ingestion. Performing 32degrees C + Fluid ingestion trial, all subject ingested sport drink as much as their body mass was decreased. For each experiment, all subjects were undertaken total 48 putting, which separated by four x 12 putting in four different time points (i.e., Rest, 1 hr, 2 hr, and 3 hr). Plasma glucose concentration was significantly decreased with hot ambient condition but it was almost fully recovered by fluid ingestion. Plasma lactate concentration was significantly higher when subjects were exposed in hot environmental condition, and it did not change with fluid ingestion. There was a no different in putting performance and psychological fatigue level (performed by GRID test) at any environmental conditions. The RPE, commonly used for evaluating of physical fatigue level, was significantly dropped by fluid ingestion which indicates lower physical fatigue level. In addition to this, heart rate (HR) was also significantly decreased after fluid ingestion. Based on these results, it was concluded that the ingestion of fluid during prolonged exposure in hot ambient condition decrease the degree of physical fatigue levels and heart rate, which will possibly improve the golf performance when exposed in extreme weather condition in summer.