The influence of hydration status on mental and postural stress-induced hemoconcentration

This study examined the effects of hydration status on rheological and hemodynarnic activity during rest, mental stress, postural stress, and combined mental/postural stress in 24 men when cuhydrated and hyperhydrated. The stress tasks elicited hemoconcentration, although the effects were less pronounced during mental stress. Hyperhydration was associated with higher plasma volume throughout. All stress tasks also perturbed hemodynamic activity, irrespective of hydration status, with the exception of heart rate reactivity, which was attenuated when hyperhydrated. As expected the combined stress during euhydration was associated with an unfavorable rheological and cardiovascular profile, which may help explain the increased incidence of cardiovascular events in the morning.