Hydration

Hydration

Causes of Dehydration

Inadequate fluid intake

Excessive sweating

Failure to replace fluid losses during and after exercise

Exercising in dry, hot weather

Importance of Water During Exercise
Proper hydration is especially important during exercise. Adequate fluid intake for athletes is essential to comfort, performance and safety. The longer and more intensely you exercise, the more important it is to drink the right kind of fluids.

Dehydration
Athletes need to stay hydrated for optimal performance. Studies have found that a loss of two or more percent of one's body weight due to sweating is linked to a drop in blood volume. When this occurs, the heart works harder to move blood through the bloodstream. This can also cause muscle cramps, dizziness and fatigue and even heat illness including:

Heat Exhaustion

Heat Stroke

Hyponatremia - Water Intoxication
Although rare, recreational exercisers are also at risk of drinking too much water and suffering from hyponatremia or water intoxication. Drinking the right amount of the right fluids is critical for performance and safety while exercising.

Adequate Fluid Intake for for Athletes
Finding the right amount of fluid to drink depends upon a variety of individual factors including the length and intensity of exercise and other individual differences. There are, however, two simple methods of estimating adequate hydration:

Monitoring urine volume output and color. A large amount of light colored, diluted urine probably means you are hydrated; dark colored, concentrated urine probably means you are dehydrated.

Weighing yourself before and after exercise. Any weight lost is likely from fluid, so try to drink enough to replenish those losses. Any weight gain could mean you are drinking more than you need.

Things that Affect Fluid Loss in Athletes

High altitude. Exercising at altitude increases your fluid losses and therefore increases you fluid needs.

Temperature. Exercising in the heat increases you fluid losses through sweating and exercise in the cold can impair you ability to recognize fluid losses and increase fluid lost through respiration. In both cases it is important to hydrate.

Sweating. Some athletes sweat more than others. If you sweat a lot you are at greater risk for dehydration. Again, weigh yourself before and after exercise to judge sweat loss.

Exercise Duration and Intensity. Exercising for hours (endurance sports) means you need to drink more and more frequently to avoid dehydration.

What about Sports Drinks?
Sports drinks can be helpful to athletes who are exercising at a high intensity for 60 minutes or more. Fluids supplying 60 to 100 calories per 8 ounces helps to supply the needed calories required for continuous performance. It's really not necessary to replace losses of sodium, potassium and other electrolytes during exercise since you're unlikely to deplete your body's stores of these minerals during normal training. If, however, you find yourself exercising in extreme conditions over 3 or 5 hours (a marathon, Ironman or ultramarathon, for example) you may likely want to add a complex sports drink with electrolytes.

Hydration Before Exercise

Drink about 15-20 fl oz, 2-3 hours before exercise

Drink 8-10 fl oz 10-15 min before exercise

Hydration During Exercise

Drink about 4 fl oz every 15-20 min during exercise

If exercising longer than 90 minutes, drink 4-6 fl oz of a sports drink (with no more than 8 percent carbohydrate) every 15 - 20 minutes. Overhydration can cause stomach upset, poor performance, and can be life threatening.

Hydration After Exercise

Weigh yourself before and after exercise and replace about 70% of the fluid losses. Fully replacing body weight isn’t necessary and won’t disrupt performance.

Drink 20-24 fl oz water for every 1 lb lost up to 70% -100%.

Consume a 4:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein within the 2 hours after exercise to replenish glycogen stores.

Research shows that sports drinks containing only about five grams of protein per 12 oz. not only re-hydrate better, but also reduce muscle damage and increase endurance compared to drinks without protein. Recently, the International Society of Sports Nutrition recommended the use of protein-added sports drinks by both competitive athletes and daily exercisers.

Water is fine for short (less than an hour) workouts of easy to moderate intensity in which you don't sweat a lot. But in any workout where sweat losses are substantial, and especially in warm weather, use a sports drink or electrolyte replacement pills.

If you want to perform at your best, consult a nutritionist about optimizing your diet and health. Chiropractic Sports Physicians can also help improve your performance by improving the functionality of your body. Don’t wait for an injury, get your self on track. Get a pit crew that can help you achieve your goals and who will treat you like a pro.

Dr. Tracey McIntyre DC, Designed Clinical Nutrition

Dr. John McIntyre DC, CCSP, ART

281-993-9333