Author(s): FARES, E., DAHER, J., BITAR, A., OLABI, A. , Institution: AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT, Country: LEBANON, Abstract-ID: 790

INTRODUCTION:
Sensory perception of sports drinks influences hydration and nutrition behaviors in athletes and may vary according to individual physiological characteristics, including hydration-related tissue properties. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) provides non-invasive indices of tissue electrical behavior, such as resistance (R), reactance (Xc), impedance (Z), and phase angle (PhA), which are sensitive to body water distribution, cellular integrity, and hydration status. Whether these hydration-related bioelectrical parameters are associated with sensory taste perception in athletic populations remains unclear. This pilot study examined associations between BIA-derived variables and sensory perception of a commercially available sports drink in university athletes.
METHODS:
Sixty healthy male university athletes (30 endurance-trained runners and 30 resistance-trained weightlifters) participated in this pilot study. Following standardized water intake and controlled testing conditions, participants consumed 40 mL of a commercially available sports drink. Perceived sweetness, sourness, saltiness, thirst-quenching capacity, and overall acceptability were assessed using standardized sensory rating scales. Whole-body BIA measurements were obtained using standardized procedures. Associations between BIA parameters and sensory outcomes were examined using correlation and regression analyses. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the American University of Beirut (SBS-2019-0369).
RESULTS:
Sourness perception was positively correlated with resistance and impedance (R and Z; r = 0.32, p < 0.05). Just-about-right saltiness ratings were inversely correlated with reactance (Xc; r = −0.27, p < 0.05). Although PhA was not associated with sensory outcomes in univariate analyses, it emerged as an independent predictor of saltiness perception in multivariable regression models after adjustment for relevant covariates.
CONCLUSION:
Hydration-related bioelectrical impedance parameters were associated with individual differences in sour and salty taste perception of a sports drink in university athletes. These exploratory findings suggest that variations in tissue hydration and cellular electrical properties may partly contribute to inter-individual variability in sensory responses. Further studies in larger and more diverse athletic populations are warranted to confirm these associations and to clarify their implications for personalized hydration and nutrition strategies in sport.