<![CDATA[Dehydration is a physiological condition that often occurs after physical activity, particularly aerobic exercise, due to increased core body temperature and excessive sweating. Unreplaced fluid and electrolyte loss can disrupt the body's fluid balance and impair performance and post-exercise recovery. Mineral water is commonly used as a rehydration fluid, but it does not contain the optimal amount of carbohydrates and electrolytes to accelerate fluid absorption. Therefore, alternative, natural, safe rehydration fluids with a composition that supports the rehydration process are needed. One such alternative is palm sap water (Borassus flabellifer L.), which contains simple carbohydrates and natural electrolytes. This study aimed to determine the effect of palm sap water on hydration status after aerobic exercise compared to mineral water. This study used an experimental design with a pretest–posttest control group design. The subjects were 30 healthy male university students aged 18–20 years, divided into two groups: a treatment group (siwalan sap water) and a control group (mineral water). All subjects performed aerobic exercise, including running at moderate intensity (64–76% HRmax) for 30 minutes. After physical activity, each group was given 250 ml of fluid according to the treatment. Hydration status was measured using a Beurer BF 100 Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) with Total Body Water (TBW) as the primary parameter, measured before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using parametric statistical tests, including normality, homogeneity, paired sample t-tests, and independent sample t-tests. The results showed an increase in TBW values in both groups from pretest to posttest, both in the mineral water and palm sap water groups. However, the paired sample t-test results indicated that the increase in TBW in each group was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Furthermore, the independent sample t-test results also showed no significant difference between the palm sap water and mineral water groups in the posttest measurements (p > 0.05). These findings indicate that both fluid types provide a relatively similar hydration response under the study conditions. The lack of statistically significant differences indicates that the fluid loss from aerobic exercise in this study was still relatively mild, allowing the body to maintain fluid balance through natural homeostasis mechanisms. Under these conditions, providing the same amount of fluid is sufficient to maintain body hydration status, whether using mineral water or palm sap water. However, physiologically, palm sap water has the potential to be a good rehydration fluid because it contains carbohydrates and electrolytes that support fluid absorption through Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 1 (SGLT1). This compositional advantage is expected to be more pronounced in conditions of greater fluid loss, longer exercise duration, or higher intensity of physical activity. Based on the study results, it can be concluded that administering palm sap water and mineral water after moderate-intensity aerobic exercise is equally effective in maintaining body fluid balance, as indicated by stable Total Body Water values. There was no significant difference between the two fluid types in improving post-aerobic hydration status. However, palm sap water has the potential to be a safe alternative natural rehydration drink based on local ingredients, especially in conditions of physical activity with a higher level of fluid loss.]]>
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