Gastric emptying in soldiers during and after field exercise in the heat measured with the [13C]acetate breath test method.

The effects of exercise on gastric emptying remain controversial, with some workers reporting that heavy exercise inhibits it to varying degrees whereas others report no effects up to an intensity of 70% maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max). The state of hydration of the subjects and the environmental conditions may influence the rate of gastric emptying during exercise. To understand further the effects of a 3-h, 16-km walk/run carrying 30 kg of equipment under field conditions at 39 degrees C, we estimated gastric emptying using a [13C]acetate breath test method. Breath samples were collected at intervals after giving 150 mg of [13C]acetate. The effects of giving a standard volume (530 ml) of water or dextrose (7.5 g x 100 ml(-1)) with electrolytes or fructose/corn solids (7.5 g 100 ml(-1)) at rest before exercise were compared with those of exercise and of recovery after exercise with or without extra fluids (400 ml each 20 min). At rest, after a standard 530-ml load, gastric emptying times [mean (SE)] were: 37 (2) min (water), 46 (3) min (dextrose/electrolytes) and 47 (5) min (fructose/corn solids) and were significantly slower (P < 0.05) than those occurring after extra fluid ingestion, i.e. 32 (3), 39 (2) and 41 (3) min respectively. After a standard 530-ml load, emptying times during exercise were almost identical to those at rest but, during exercise, extra fluid speeded up gastric emptying more than at rest to 24 (2), 26 (1) and 27 (5) min (P < 0.05) respectively. During resting recovery without extra fluids, gastric emptying was significantly slowed to 60 (2), 71 (5) and 78 (3) min, respectively. Although emptying times during recovery from exercise with extra fluid were faster [49 (6), 55 (2) and 58 (4) min, respectively], they were still slower than before exercise. The results suggest that: (1) extra fluid increases gastric emptying more during exercise than at rest, and (2) gastric emptying during resting recovery from exercise is slower than at rest before exercise whether or not fluid has previously been taken.