DEUTERIUM DEPLETION AND ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE

This study investigated the effect of deuterium depletion on the performance of top athletes using deuterium depleted drinking water. The investigation included the effects on physical load and the metabolic processes including primarily glucose metabolism and acid-base balance. Twelve international-level male rowers participated in the study – 7 athletes consumed 2 L of 105 ppm DDW for 44 days and 5 athletes drank ordinary tap water. Both groups had the same preparatory training. On day 0 and day 44, both groups underwent a multistage load test which covered 4 x 1500 meters with increasing intensity and 2-minute breaks between stages. Pulse rate was continuously monitored. Acid-base parameters (pH, pCO₂, pO₂, HCO₃, base excess), ions (Na⁺, K⁺, Cl^–), blood lactate and blood glucose, as well as the anion gap were determined from capillary blood samples at rest (R), in each stage under load (L1-L4), and in the 5^th minute of restitution (R5’). The results demonstrated that tissue oxygenation improved, tissue anoxia was less pronounced, mobilization and utilization of glucose was better, and the cells showed better metabolic compensation of the load-dependent changes in deuterium-depleted state achieved by consumption of 105 ppm DDW. It is well-known that, on physical load, first there is a decrease of blood glucose level due to the increased energy demand. This phenomenon was found in the control group at the beginning, at repeating the load test on day 44, and also in the DDW-treated group on day 0. In contrast, no decrease of glucose level was observed in the treated group after consuming  for 44 days. In this group, the difference against the pre-treatment values was significant at load level L1 and L2. Before treatment, glucose level decreased by 25-34% at L1 and L2, but only by 5-7% after consumption of DDW. At load level L4, glucose level was elevated minimally (9% increase from resting level) in the first load test, but after DDW consumption this elevation was much higher – 46% increase from resting level. In absolute concentrations, the decrease at L1 and L2 was 1.9-2.6 mM/L, and the increase at L4 merely 0.4 mmol/L. After drinking DDW for 44 days, the initial glucose level decrease was not more than 0.4-0.5 mmol/L, while increase in the second half of the load test was 2.5 mmol/L. After DDW consumption, blood lactate was significantly lower than in the first load test already in resting state, and the difference remained significant at load levels L1-L3. These results indicate that, after DDW consumption, the athletes performed the load stages with lower blood lactate levels, which possibly means that the cells became anoxic less or later on physical load, or lactate elimination was improved. The examination results were concordant with the athletes’ subjective experiences, namely that after drinking DDW, they had improved performance, regenerated faster, and had better stamina on bodily load. DDW may therefore be suitable for improving performance in situations with increased physical load.

Reference:

Györe I., Somlyai G. (2005) Csökkentett deutérium tartalmú ivóvíz hatása a teljesítőképességre sportolóknál/ The effect of deuterium depleted drinking water on the performance of sportsmen. Sportorvosi Szemle/Hungarian Review of Sports Medicine 46/1:27-38.