Water is the building block of life. So, it should come as no surprise that our bodies are composed of 60-70% water. In fact, our muscles, blood, lungs, and brain are all over 75% water. Not only is it the most abundant, it is also the most important nutrient. Water is critical to the body’s systems; it is part of every cell, tissue and organ.

 

Knowing how vital water is to our bodies makes clear the importance of proper hydration.

 

You can go longer without food than without water due to water’s importance in bodily functions.

 

 

 

♦Up to a 30% loss in performance	♦Headaches
♦Mild dehydration slows metabolism by as much as 3%	♦#1 cause of daytime fatigue
♦Raises core body temperature	♦Stresses heart
♦Reduced endurance	♦Decreased strength
♦Decreased coordination	♦Decreased coordination
♦Slower muscular responses	♦Cramping
♦Reduced concentration, slower thinking	♦Thirst, dry and sticky mouth
♦Diminished general productivity	♦Irritability
♦Just a 2% drop in body water causes fuzzy short-term memory, decreases basic math skills and causes difficulty in focusing

 

Athletes often view loss of performance as the primary concern of dehydration. Keep in mind that while performance loss in sporting activity is crucial, dehydration can be dangerous. Mild dehydration causes inconveniences but severe dehydration is harmful and must be avoided.

 

How can you spot dehydration? These symptoms start with those present in mild dehydration and move to those in more severe dehydration. If you recognize any of these signs in your own body, you must hydrate yourself. The more symptoms present, the more dehydrated you may be. For moderate dehydration, call a medical professional. For severe dehydration, seek emergency medical care. (This list is not all inclusive. Everyone’s body reacts differently to dehydration.)

 

So, how can you know if you are well hydrated? The easiest test is to check your urine. The more clear it is, the more hydrated you are. It should range in color from clear to straw colored. Dark urine is a sign that you need more water. (Keep in mind that urine is always darker first thing in the morning.) Your thirst should be quenched. (Remember, you cannot rely on thirst alone.) You should also be urinating regularly. This can be defined a lot of different ways, but you should be able to have some urine every hour or so. Also, you should be having regular bowel movements. In addition to these tests, you should also check your general feeling of well being. You should feel well if you are properly hydrated.

How much water do you need to stay hydrated? You can lose up to a half gallon of water (2 liters) per day through normal perspiration, urination and breathing. This daily water loss needs to be replaced by consuming food and beverage. The National Institute of Medicine recommends 2.2 liters (9 c) of fluid per day for women. For men, it recommends 3 liters (13 c) of fluid each day. A well rounded diet usually supplies about 20% of most people’s fluid needs with the remainder coming from beverages of all sorts. A recent study indicated that while 75% of people are aware of how much water they need, only 34% make sure they get it.

 

With exercise comes increased fluid loss, so you’ll need to add to the National Institute of Medicine’s recommendations. These fluids must be replaced for bodily systems to work correctly. When we exercise our muscles use about 25% of the energy for the work we are doing. The rest is released as heat. This is why exercise makes you feel hot – and why your body must use water to cool it back down. This cooling is accomplished by sweating. Sweat comes from water in the blood so you must replace this vital fluid to prevent dehydration. Some people naturally sweat heavily, but the more fit you are, the more effective your body is at cooling itself. Consequently, the higher your fitness level, the more you sweat. You’ll also perspire heavily if training harder, longer, at higher elevations or in hot and humid conditions.

 

High altitudes can be a pitfall to ample hydration. It’s surprising, but at 6000 feet above sea level, you exhale and perspire twice as much moisture as you do at sea level. If you are running at high altitudes you will lose much more moisture than your counterparts running at lower altitudes. Under normal activity, not factoring in extra water loss through exercise, that can be an additional quart or more of water lost each day. Be sure to remember this if you are running in higher elevations.

 

The first step in making sure that you don’t become dehydrated through exercise is to make sure that you begin every work out session well hydrated. Sounds easy enough, but an estimated 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. This means that most Americans aren’t giving their bodies the water they should. (We runners included!) If you need more motivation, there is evidence that drinking water before and after physical activity is capable of enhancing athletic performance. So, make sure to give your body the water it needs.

 

It’s difficult to say exactly how much fluid is lost from exercise as each individual is different. But, on average a person will lose between 500ml (2 c or 16 oz) and 1000 ml (4 c or 32 oz) per hour of exercise. For a more accurate estimate of how much fluid you lose, weigh yourself before and after exercise. Any weight loss can likely be attributed to fluid loss. This should preferably be done without clothing - weighing with clothing on after exercise will incorrectly include the sweat absorbed within the clothing itself. Each kg lost (2.2 lbs) is equivalent to 1 liter of fluid loss (4.23 c or 34 oz). To replace this lost water you will want to drink one to one and a half times the lost amount of water. (For one pound, drink 16-24 ounces)

Now that you know how much fluid to replace from exercise, which fluid should you choose? Most of the time, plain water is best for rehydration, though there are times you should select another beverage.

 

In most cases water is the best option for rehydrating your body after exercise. It will hydrate your body and has the benefit of being free. Please remember that thirst is not a good indicator of hydration. You’ve probably heard this before and it’s true! Plain water can actually switch off the thirst mechanism, possibly before you are adequately rehydrated. So make sure to drink until your body has all the signs of being well hydrated (i.e. light urine, general feeling of well being), not just until you no longer feel thirsty.

Sports drinks are another option for hydration. In general, water is best, but sports drinks are beneficial in certain circumstances. Sports drinks have added sodium. This sodium encourages you to drink more; this drive to drink will stay present for several hours following exercise and will stop when you eat. Because of the added sodium, you can rely more heavily on how thirsty you feel. Sports drinks also have additional electrolytes and calories. These may need to be replenished after exercise and sports drinks are an easy, convenient way to do this. Bear in mind, however, that you are unlikely to deplete your electrolytes unless you have run (or exercised) for an hour or more. So, if you’ve had a long workout, go for a sports drink. Beware that the additional calories in sports drinks can cause you to unintentionally drink more calories than spent during exercise, leading to weight gain.

 

It is possible, though not likely, to drink too much water. If you dilute the electrolytes in the body it can cause a condition called hyponatremia. This is an abnormally low concentration of sodium in the blood. It can happen from drinking too much water or, more likely, can happen after an extended period of exercise if too many fluids are ingested without replacing the electrolytes. In this case, opt for a sports drink.

 

There are lots of tips for keeping hydrated. Try drinking from a wide mouth container and drink cool water when possible. It absorbs into your system more quickly than warm water. There is also some evidence that cold water will actually help burn calories (though such a small amount it may not make a measurable difference). Get into the habit of having water when you get into the car, go to a meeting, sit down to watch TV and eat a meal. Also, be sure to drink more water when caffeine or alcohol is consumed.

           

 

 

These exercise hydration guidelines will help to ensure that your body is properly hydrated for a great workout! You’ll feel better, your body will be healthier and your performance will be at top levels. You can’t expect to perform your best without proper hydration.

 

            Drink 17 to 20 ounces of water.

            This is equivalent to 2 to 2.5 cups of water.

 

            Drink another 7-10 ounces of water.

            This is equivalent to about 1 cup of water.

 

            Sip water during a long workout.

            For every 15-20 minutes of exercise drink about 4-8 ounces of water

            This is equivalent to about ½ to 1 cup for every 15-20 minutes

            If you are exercising for over an hour, consider alternating water with sports drinks

 

            Within 2 hours after exercise rehydrate with 17 to 20 ounces of water

            This is equivalent to 2 to 2.5 cups of water

            If you’ve exercised longer than 1 hour drink a sports drink to replace electrolytes and glucose.