Fluid retention, muscle damage, and altered body composition at the Ultraman triathlon.

Purpose: The primary purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of participation in a 3-day multistage ultraendurance triathlon (stage 1 = 10 km swim, 144.8 km bike; stage 2 = 275.4 km bike; stage 3 = 84.4 km run) on body mass and composition, hydration status, hormones, muscle damage, and blood glucose.

Methods: Eighteen triathletes (mean ± SD; age 41 ± 7.5 years; height 175 ± 9 cm; weight 73.5 ± 9.8 kg; male n = 14, female n = 4) were assessed before and after each stage of the race. Body mass and composition were measured via bioelectrical impedance, hydration status via urine specific gravity, hormones and muscle damage via venous blood draw, and blood glucose via fingerstick.

Results: Following the race, significant changes included reductions in body mass (qualified effect size: trivial), fat mass (moderate), and percent body fat (small); increases in percent total body water (moderate) and urine specific gravity (large); and unchanged absolute total body water and fat-free mass. There were also extremely large increases in creatine kinase, C-reactive protein, aldosterone and cortisol combined with reductions in testosterone (small) and the testosterone:cortisol ratio (moderate). There were associations between post-race aldosterone and total body water (r = -0.504) and changes in cortisol and fat-free mass (r = -0.536). Finally, blood glucose increased in a stepwise manner prior to each stage.

Conclusions: Participation in Ultraman Florida leads to fluid retention and dramatic alterations in body composition, muscle health, hormones, and metabolism.