Plasma arginine vasopressin, atrial natriuretic peptide and brain natriuretic peptide responses to long-term field training in the heat: effects of fluid ingestion and acclimatization.

The maintenance of blood volume during exercise, especially in a hot environment, is of major importance for continued performance. In order to investigate the relationships between exercise, type and amount of fluid intake and the degree of acclimatization to heat stress and on responses of arginine vasopressin (AVP), atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), we studied 24 soldiers during and after jogging/walking exercise both before and after acclimatization to field training at [mean (SE)] 40 (0.7) degrees C and 32 (3)% relative humidity. The running exercise was carried out under three conditions, i.e., (1) without any fluid intake, (2) with intake of water or (3) with intake of a dextrose/electrolyte solution. Venous blood samples were drawn before exercise, at the end of exercise and at 15 min and 60 min afterwards. Acclimatization resulted in significant losses of body mass, total body water, plasma volume, ANP and increases in plasma osmolality, packed cell volume and AVP at rest but without any significant changes in BNP. During exercise with no fluid intake, there was a significant rise in plasma osmolality, Na+ and AVP, but no significant alterations in plasma ANP and BNP were observed. When subjects ingested water or dextrose/electrolyte solution during exercise, ANP rose by 234% and 431% respectively and BNP rose by 398% and 583% respectively without any significant increase in AVP. The results suggest that, during acclimatization, the subjects became slightly dehydrated. Alterations in response to changes in body water status appear to be greater for AVP than ANP or BNP at rest. During exercise in the heat ANP and BNP may play complementary roles.