Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Water intake and post-exercise cognitive performance: an observational study of long-distance walkers and runners

  • Original Contribution
  • Published:
European Journal of Nutrition Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

The impact of diet on endurance performance and cognitive function has been extensively researched in controlled settings, but there are limited observational data in field situations. This study examines relationships between nutrient intake and cognitive function following endurance exercise amongst a group of 33 recreational runners and walkers.

Methods

All participants (mean age of 43.2 years) took part in a long-distance walking event and completed diet diaries to estimate nutrient intake across three-time periods (previous day, breakfast and during the event). Anthropometric measurements were recorded. Cognitive tests, covering word recall, ruler drop and trail making tests (TMT) A and B were conducted pre- and post-exercise. Participants rated their exercise level on a validated scale. Nutrient intake data were summarised using principal components analysis to identify a nutrient intake pattern loaded towards water intake across all time periods. Regression analysis was used to ascertain relationships between water intake component scores and post-exercise cognitive function, controlling for anthropometric measures and exercise metrics (distance, duration and pace).

Results

Participants rated their exercise as ‘hard-heavy’ (score 14.4, ±3.2). Scores on the water intake factor were associated with significantly faster TMT A (p = 0.001) and TMT B (p = 0.005) completion times, and a tendency for improved short-term memory (p = 0.090). Water intake scores were not associated with simple reaction time (assessed via the ruler drop test).

Conclusion

These data are congruent with experimental research demonstrating a benefit of hydration on cognitive function. Further field research to confirm this relationship, supported with precise measures of body weight, is needed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Gopinathan PM, Pichan G, Sharma VM (1988) Role of dehydration in heat stress-induced variations in mental performance. Arch Environ Health 43:15–17

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Cian C, Koulmann N, Barraud PA, Raphel C, Jimenez C, Melin B (2000) Influence of variations in body hydration: effect of hyperhydration, heat stress, and exercise-induced dehydration. J Psychophysiol 14:29–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Ganio MS, Armstrong LE, Casa DJ et al (2011) Mild dehydration impairs mood and cognitive performance in men. Br J Nutr 106:1535–1543

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Armstrong LE, Ganio MS, Lee L et al (2010) Mild dehydration degrades mood and symptoms not cognitive performance in females: a placebo-controlled study. FASEB J 24

  5. Sharma VM, Sridharan K, Pichan G, Panwar MR (1986) Influence of heat-stress induced dehydration on mental functions. Ergonomics 29:791–799

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Hancock PA, Vasmatzidis I (2003) Effects of heat stress on cognitive performance: the current state of knowledge. Int J Hyperthermia 19:355–372

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Ramsey JD (1995) Task performance in heat: a review. Ergonomics 38:154–165

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Cian C, Barraud PA, Melin B, Raphel C (2001) Effects of water ingestion on cognitive function after heat stress or exercise-induced dehydration. Int J Psychophysiol 42:243–251

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Szinnai G, Schachinger H, Arnaud MJ, Linder L, Keller U (2005) Effect of water deprivation on cognitive-motor performance in healthy men and women. Am J Physiol Integr Comp Physiol 289:R275–R280

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Glade MJ (2010) Caffeine—Not just a stimulant. Nutrition 26:932–938

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Smith A (2002) Effects of caffeine on human behavior. Food Chem Toxicol 40:1243–1255

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Silverman K, Evans SM, Strain EC, Griffiths RR (1992) Withdrawal syndrome after the double-blind cessation of caffeine consumption. N Engl J Med 327:1109–1114

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Benton D (2011) Dehydration influences mood and cognition: a plausible hypothesis? Nutrients 3:555–573

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Haskell CF, Kennedy DO, Wesnes KA, Scholey AB (2005) Cognitive and mood improvements of caffeine in habitual consumers and habitual non-consumers of caffeine. Psychopharmacology 179:813–825

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Oei A, Hartley LR (2005) The effects of caffeine and expectancy on attention and memory. Hum Psychopharmacol 20:193–202

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Smith A (2009) Effects of caffeine in chewing gum on mood and attention. Hum Psychopharmacol 24:239–247

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Childs E, de Wit H (2006) Subjective, behavioral, and physiological effects of acute caffeine in light, nondependent caffeine users. Psychopharmacology 185:514–523

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Brisswalter J, Collardeau M, Rene A (2002) Effects of acute physical exercise characteristics on cognitive performance. Sports Med 32:555–566

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Lieberman HR (2007) Hydration and cognition: a critical review and recommendations for future research. J Am Coll Nutr 26:555S–561S

    Google Scholar 

  20. Davranche K, Audiffren M, Denjean A (2006) A distributional analysis of the effect of physical exercise on a choice reaction time task. J Sports Sci 24:323–329. doi:10.1080/02640410500132165

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Audiffren M, Tomporowski PD, Zagrodnik J (2008) Acute aerobic exercise and information processing: energizing motor processes during a choice reaction time task. Acta Psychol 129:410–419. doi:10.1016/j.actpsy.2008.09.006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Ozyemisci-Taskiran O, Gunendi Z, Bolukbasi N, Beyazova M (2008) The effect of a single session of submaximal aerobic exercise on premotor fraction of reaction time: an electromyographic study. Clin Biomech 23:231–235

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Jensky-Squires NE, Dieli-Conwright CM, Rossuello A, Erceg DN, McCauley S, Schroeder ET (2008) Validity and reliability of body composition analysers in children and adults. Br J Nutr 100:859–865

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Borg G (1970) Perceived exertion as an indicator of somatic stress. Scand J Rehabil Med 2:92–98

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Woodworth R, Schlosberg H (1954) Experimental psychology. Revised. Metheun, London

  26. Brand N, Jolles J (1985) Learning and retrieval rate of words presented auditorily and visually. J Gen Psychol 112:201–210

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Tombaugh TN (2004) Trail making test A and B: normative data stratified by age and education. Arch Clin Neuropsychol 19(2):203–214. doi:10.1016/s0887-6177(03)00039-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Nelson M, Atkinson M, Meyer T (1997) A photographic atlas of food portion sizes. MAFF Publications, London

    Google Scholar 

  29. Collardeau M, Brisswalter J, Vercruyssen F, Audiffren M, Goubault C (2001) Single and choice reaction time during prolonged exercise in trained subjects: influence of carbohydrate availability. Eur J Appl Physiol 86:150–156. doi:10.1007/s004210100513

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Lieberman HR, Falco CM, Slade SS (2002) Carbohydrate administration during a day of sustained aerobic activity improves vigilance, as assessed by a novel ambulatory monitoring device, and mood. Am J Clin Nutr 76:120–127

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Benton D, Ruffin MP, Lassel T, Nabb S, Messaoudi M, Vinoy S et al (2003) The delivery rate of dietary carbohydrates affects cognitive performance in both rats and humans. Psychopharmacology 166:86–90. doi:10.1007/s00213-002-1334-5

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Stevenson EJ, Astbury NM, Simpson EJ, Taylor MA, MacDonald IA (2009) Fat oxidation during exercise and satiety during recovery are increased following a low-glycemic index breakfast in sedentary women. J Nutr 139:890–897. doi:10.3945/jn.108.101956

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Coles K, Tomporowski PD (2008) Effects of acute exercise on executive processing, short-term and long-term memory. J Sports Sci 26:333–344. doi:10.1080/02640410701591417

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Tomporowski PD (2003) Effects of acute bouts of exercise on cognition. Acta Psychol 112:297–324

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Hamouti N, Del Coso J, Avila A, Mora-Rodriguez R (2010) Effects of athletes’ muscle mass on urinary markers of hydration status. Eur J Appl Physiol 109:213–219

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Maughan RJ, Shirreffs SM (2010) Dehydration and rehydration in competitive sport. Scand J Med Sci Sports 20:40–47

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Armstrong L (2007) Assessing hydration status: the elusive gold standard. J Am Coll Nutr 26:575S–584S

    Google Scholar 

  38. Grandjean AC, Grandjean NR (2007) Dehydration and cognitive performance. J Am Coll Nutr 26:549S–554S

    Google Scholar 

  39. Hogervost E, Riedel W, Asker J, Jolles J (1996) Cognitive performance after strenuous physical exercise. Percept Mot Skills 83:479–488

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Jiménez-Pavón D, Romeo J, Cervantes-Borunda M, Ortega FB, Ruiz JR, España-Romero V, Marcos A, Castillo MJ (2011) Effects of a running bout in the heat on cognitive performance. J Exerc Sci Fit 9:58–64

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Bandelow S, Maughan RJ, Shireeffs S et al (2010) The effects of exercise, heat, cooling and dehydration strategies on cognitive function in football players. Scand J Med Sci Sports 20(Suppl 3):48–160

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Thanks to all Long Distance Walking Association event organisers who not only granted permission for this research to be conducted, but were also of great assistance in recruitment of participants.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Human Nutrition Unit, Department of Oncology, University of Sheffield, The Medical School, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield, S10 2RX, UK

    Martin D. Benefer, Richard Short & Margo E. Barker

  2. Molecular Gastrointestinal Group, Department of Oncology, University of Sheffield, The Medical School, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield, S10 2RX, UK

    Bernard M. Corfe

  3. Corporate Information and Computing Service, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK

    Jean M. Russell

Authors
  1. Martin D. Benefer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Bernard M. Corfe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jean M. Russell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Richard Short
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Margo E. Barker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Margo E. Barker.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Benefer, M.D., Corfe, B.M., Russell, J.M. et al. Water intake and post-exercise cognitive performance: an observational study of long-distance walkers and runners. Eur J Nutr 52, 617–624 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-012-0364-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-012-0364-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation