Current concepts concerning thirst, dehydration, and fluid replacement: overview.

For healthy endurance athletes, two potentially life-threatening medical emergencies are dehydration-mediated heat injuries and hyponatremia. Likewise, dehydration reduces exercise performance via thermoregulatory and cardiovascular impairment as well as electrolyte imbalances. Authors of this symposium integrate new research findings with established concepts concerning the development of dehydration (body water deficit), the physiological and medical consequences of fluid imbalance, and fluid (volume and composition) replacement strategies that minimize the risk of medical emergencies and optimize exercise performance. The following papers provide the readers with an appreciation of the historical development of current concepts and offer an informed opinion concerning fluid replacement strategies for a variety of work performance athletic events.