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The sweating response of elite professional soccer players to training in the heat.

PMID 15726482 (2005): hydration, fluid — Time to exhaustion, Performance in heat, Cramp risk (study note for endurance athletes).

Last updated/Feb 23, 2026, 10:34 PM

Study note • PMID 15726482

The sweating response of elite professional soccer players to training in the heat.

International journal of sports medicine2005 • DOI 10.1055/s-2004-821112
Evidence C60/100
Action 2: Consider

Worth trying if it fits your goal and context.

ELI5

In plain language

Sweat rate and sweat composition vary extensively between individuals, and quantification of these losses has a role to play in the individualisation of a hydration strategy to optimise training… (controlled study; n=19 elite athletes).

The abstract doesn’t indicate a clear change in Time to exhaustion, Performance in heat, Cramp risk under the tested conditions. Treat this as a signal, not a guarantee; confirm methods and context in the full paper.

Takeaways

What the abstract suggests

  • Study question: Sweat rate and sweat composition vary extensively between individuals, and quantification of these losses has a role to play in the individualisation of a hydration strategy to optimise training…
  • The abstract doesn’t indicate a clear change in Time to exhaustion, Performance in heat, Cramp risk under the tested conditions.
  • Population: n=19 elite athletes.
  • Protocol cues (title/abstract): 90 min • 21.00 h • 30 min.

Protocol

Protocol (as reported)

  • Intervention/exposure: hydration, fluid.
  • Dose/time/duration cues in abstract/title: 90 min • 21.00 h • 30 min.
  • Outcomes: Time to exhaustion, Performance in heat, Cramp risk.
  • Replication note: abstracts often omit adherence and timing; confirm details before changing training or supplementation.

Fit

Who it helps, and who should skip it

Who it helps

  • Athletes similar to the study population (n=19 elite athletes) working on hydration.
  • Athletes who can measure Time to exhaustion, Performance in heat, Cramp risk with a repeatable workout or time-trial effort.

Who should skip

  • If you have symptoms or conditions that make the intervention risky, get professional guidance.
  • If you’re near race day and can’t safely test, defer the experiment.

Methods

What the study actually did

  • Design: controlled study.
  • Population: n=19 elite athletes.
  • Outcomes measured: Time to exhaustion, Performance in heat, Cramp risk.
  • Protocol cues mentioned: 90 min • 21.00 h • 30 min.
  • Source: PubMed PMID 15726482 (2005) — International journal of sports medicine.

Results excerpt

What the abstract reports

No player urinated during the training session.

Note: excerpts are short; for full context, read the paper.

Limits

Limitations & bias

  • Abstract-only summaries can miss critical details (population, protocol, adherence, and context).
  • Single studies often don’t generalize to your event, history, and training load; treat results as a starting point.
  • If your context differs (elite vs recreational; cycling vs running), adjust expectations and be conservative.
  • This is performance information, not medical advice.

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Sources