The Importance of Staying Hydrated & Why Water Should be your Primary Go-to Fluid Replacement
by Melinda Burris Willms
As the summer months rapidly approach with the ensuing heat and humidity, it is vital to remember the importance of staying hydrated while training and competing. Dehydration has immediate physical effects on the body and prolonged dehydration can have serious side effects, not only physically, but also mentally. This article explores the signs and symptoms of dehydration and discusses why in most cases, water should be your go-to beverage to replace the fluids you lose due to sweating it out during your training routine.
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In order to perform at peak levels, athletes must stay hydrated. In fact, research shows that competitors who establish “a systematic method of ensuring they are consistently hydrated have better recovery and higher energy levels.”1 It is necessary that athletes not wait until the end of their training session to replenish the fluids lost through perspiration; instead, it is recommended that a steady intake of fluids take place while working out to replace body fluids as they are lost, thereby avoiding dehydration.
Replacing fluids as they are lost minimizes a host of risks including heat stress.2 Commonly known as heat exhaustion, heat stress is a clinical syndrome caused by too much sun exposure or over-exertion in the heat. Symptoms of heat stress syndrome include excessive sweating, fatigue, elevated heartbeat, pale skin, muscle cramps, headache, and gastrointestinal distress (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.).3
Other health risks associated with dehydration include an inability to sustain normal muscle function and a breakdown in your regular performance level.2 Failure to adequately rehydrate causes your physical and mental prowess to deteriorate, even mild dehydration can noticeably affect energy, temperament, and your ability to focus.5
PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF DEHYDRADRATION
Being aware of dehydration is crucial because research has shown that a loss of “as little as two percent of body weight through sweat can impair an athlete’s ability to perform due to a low blood volume and less than optimal utilization of nutrients and oxygen.”1 As your level of dehydration worsens, the body reacts by increasingly shutting down, both physically and mentally, impairing your ability to properly exercise and function normally. Despite claims you may hear or read to the contrary, there is no training regimen that makes the body run without proper hydration.2
MENTAL EFFECTS OF DEHYDRATION
The negative effects of dehydration on cognition were the subject of an investigative study printed in a 2012 issue of the Journal of Nutrition. Participants included 25 women who were separated into groups and either given adequate fluids to stay optimally hydrated or their fluids were purposely limited to induce a state of mild dehydration by having them exercise without replenishing the fluids lost or they were administered a diuretic. Researchers then conducted tests to compare how the two groups performed on tests measuring temperament, concentration, and cognitive skills. The women who were in a mild state of dehydration were observed to experience headache, difficulty concentrating, tiredness and “low mood.”5 These symptoms were noted when the participants in the dehydrated state were exercising and when they were at rest, even though the level of dehydration induced in the study participants was only approximately 1% less than ideal hydration range.5
Research has firmly established the importance of staying hydrated while working out. So, how can you tell when you aren’t taking in enough fluids to replace what you’re sweating out?
SIGNS OF MILD DEHYDRADRATION
- Thirst
- Weakness/Exhaustion
- Low urine output that is dark in color
- Tremor or lightheadedness1
SIGNS OF SEVERE DEHYDRATION
- Shaking and cessation of sweating
- Muscular cramps
- Lack of urine output
- Hallucination
- Unconsiousness1
While training, you are prone to lose more fluids through sweating than you can take in through drinking, so it is common to enter a fluid deficiency. This fact makes it vital to continue to hydrate after completing your training to fill this deficiency and restore your body to its normal level, thereby avoiding the potential damages dehydration can cause not only to your athletic performance, but to your long-term overall health.2
WHY YOU SHOULD REACH FOR WATER FIRST TO QUENCH THAT THIRST
Your first impulse might be to grab a sports drink to rehydrate during your summer training routine. However, research shows that unless your workout is particularly grueling, water is your best bet! It’s true that the body loses sodium and other electrolytes while exercising, but for the typical training session, plenty of water and the body’s own ability to repair itself will adequately compensate for the essential elements lost in the standard workout.4
According to Dr. Lawrence Armstrong, professor of Kinesiology at the University of Connecticut, “Virtually no studies have shown benefits of sport drinks or carbohydrate-containing beverages unless you’re exercising continuously for more than 50 or 60 minutes.”4
Drinking sufficient amounts of water allows the body to preserve its normal blood volume, maintain proper temperature, and enable muscles to contract as they should.2 Proper hydration is instrumental in carrying necessary nutrients and oxygen to the muscles and brain. Hydration is also particularly important to athletes as it assists in the repair of muscles.1
CONCLUSION
In summary, be sure to have a systematic plan to stay hydrated throughout your workout routine or competitive play, particularly when exercising in the heat in order to maintain your peak level of performance. Drink water regularly throughout your exercise regimen and afterwards to avoid dehydration and to rehydrate after your standard workout.
But what about those tough training sessions that go longer than an hour? In next month’s issue, we’ll discuss ways to stay hydrated during your most intense workouts.
References
1.SportMedBC. (2019). Sports Drinks and Athletic Performance.
2.Sports Dieticians Australia. (June 2009). Fact Sheet: Fluids in Sport.
3.WebMD. (2005-2019). Heat Exhaustion.
4.Heid, M. (2017, July 26). You Asked: What’s the Best Way to Hydrate Besides Water? Time.
- Szalavitz, M. (2012, Jan. 19). Bad Mood, Low Energy? There Might Be a Simple Explanation. Time.
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