Hydration Sweat Test
Optimise your hydration strategy with the new My Vital Metrics no-exercise Hydration Sweat Test.
Hydration Sweat Test
Optimise your hydration strategy with the new My Vital Metrics no-exercise Hydration Sweat Test.
What is a hydration sweat test?
The advanced sweat test gives you an accurate reading of the amount of sodium you lose during exercise. The test is painless and conducted at rest, so there is no need to run on our treadmill or bike and you receive the results straight away.
The test will give you the right data to ensure that you arrive at the start of your next race, event or intense training session optimally hydrated (pre loading.)
The test will also help determine the best highly customised hydration strategy for you during your races, events or intense training sessions.
What is a hydration sweat test?
The advanced sweat test gives you an accurate reading of the amount of sodium you lose during exercise. The test is painless and conducted at rest, so there is no need to run on our treadmill or bike and you receive the results straight away.
The test will give you the right data to ensure that you arrive at the start of your next race, event or intense training session optimally hydrated (pre loading.)
The test will also help determine the best highly customised hydration strategy for you during your races, events or intense training sessions.
How does a hydration sweat test work?
The video below shows how our no-exercise Hydration Sweat Test works.
The test lasts roughly 45 minutes and will help determine your individual sodium loss per hour of exercise. We will start by using two small electrodes to painlessly stimulate your sweat glands on your forearm. We will then use a special sweat collector device to collect and feed your sweat into a machine where the sodium levels are read.
Combined with a questionnaire, we are able to then advise the best hydration strategy for your particular pattern of sodium loss.
Who should do a hydration sweat test?
Anyone who engages in bouts of exercise for extended periods of time (over 2 hours) regularly, or is planning to compete in a marathon or longer event, especially if done in warmer climates can benefit.
If you are someone who suffers from cramping during later stages of races or hard training sessions, then an appropriate hydration strategy guided by this test will help to avoid these issues. If you feel like you are someone who sweats more than most people during exercise then it may be even more important that you test your sodium losses and this may also help you to improve performance and feel better.
The Hydration Sweat Test can also be a great addition if you’re already in the lab for a VO2 Max test.
Why would I want to do a sweat test?
Personalisation around getting electrolytes right is not going to be a night and day change for everyone but if you are doing longer and hotter events and if you are someone who sweats a lot and tends to struggle in the heat it could be a huge asset to know the numbers:
• How much do you sweat?
• How much sodium do you lose?
The science of hydration testing for athletes
Hydration status before exercising has an impact on athletic performance. Drinking an electrolyte drink before key training sessions, races or events is called ‘pre-loading.’ The thought behind preloading is that drinking fluid with sodium helps to promote fluid retention, which could improve endurance performance in the heat.
You may have experienced attempting to preload with just water and had to make frequent trips to the bathroom. Additional sodium helps reduce the number of times you may urinate before a race and crucially it may help to alleviate muscle cramps in the later stages of a race, or long hard training sessions.
So high sweat rates in athletes result in loss of both fluid and sodium. There is a significant individual variation on sodium losses during activity and the advanced sweat test can help you narrow in on your sodium loss. It is important to understand that high sodium products are designed to be taken at times when sweat and sodium losses are high, not for casual day to day use when they are not needed.
More day-to-day ways to remain well hydrated and with enough electrolytes would be the use of table salt on foods, salty snacks and adding salt to commercial brand sports drinks. Anyone with concerns over blood pressure should consult their GP before adding more salt to their diet.
How to prepare for a hydration sweat test
We are going to ask a lot of questions about how much you sweat. The more precise we can be about this, the better we are able to tailor the data to your needs.
The below process is optional, and if you don’t want to get this specific, that’s still ok, as long as you are aware of how much you generally think you sweat.
To measure precisely: Simply measure pre and post-exercise body weight (kg) to help determine the amount of fluid you lose during 1 hour of exercise.
Record your weight before exercise, and measure the fixed amount of fluids you are going to drink during the session.
Do the training session
Remove the any clothing you are wearing towel yourself down and record your weight post-exercise.
Subtract post-exercise weight from pre-exercise weight + fluids, and come to the session with this figure.
How much does the Hydration Sweat Test cost?
The test, including the emailed report, costs £135
What does that cost include?
Conducting the test
Emailed report with hydration and intake recommendations for training and for competition
Benefits of sweat testing for athletes
Improve hydration and rehydration strategies
Identify electrolyte needs
Reduce muscle cramping
Contribute to optimal athletic performance
How long does a sweat test take?
A no-exercise sweat test takes approximately 30-45 mins to complete.
Will I need to re-test?
No. The composition of your sweat typically doesn’t change substantially over time, so you do not need to repeat the test at a later date.
How long does it take to get my sweat test results?
We will email your results through to you immediately after the appointment.
How can I use my sweat test results?
The sweat test report will offer comprehensive guides on how you should be selecting rehydration supplements that contain the right amount of sodium for you, for training, and for race day.
Do I need to exercise during the sweat test?
No, the sweat test is done entirely at rest
How should I prepare for the test?
Please come to the lab well-hydrated, to ensure that we can get a good amount of sweat from the test
Can I discuss my results with the consultant?
No, the technician cannot interpret or comment on your results. If you like we can have a 15 minute call with you after your appointment to go through them.
Will it hurt and does it involve needles?
No, there is no pain at all in the test, and while a blunt needle is used to draw up the sweat from a tube, it is never injected into you.
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