Staying Hydrated

This recent spell of high temperatures and humidity made me think of how easy it is to get dehydrated and how important consuming the right amount of water is to not only exercise performance but also physical health and well being.

Dehydration occurs when the amount of water you take in is not as great as the amount leaving your body. Dehydration cannot only make you lethargic and fatigued, but can also cloud your short-term memory. It is believed that even Alzheimer’s disease may be due to long-term dehydration of the brain. Even as little as a two percent drop in hydration will fog your short-term memory so much as to cause you to forget simple things such as where you parked your car. Dehydration has been shown to cause up to a 20% decrease in performance! Both physical and mental performance has been shown to deteriorate in states of dehydration. The following are common symptoms:

Higher heart rate
Impaired aerobic capacity
Reduced concentration and decision making
Slower reaction times
Impaired judgment

Some other signs of dehydration include loss of appetite, thirst, dry skin, dry mouth, weakness, exhaustion, chills, and headaches. If dehydration is not addressed and ultimately reversed, decreased urination, increased heart rate, extreme fatigue, muscle cramping, pounding headaches, and/or nausea are likely to occur. In these situations athletic performance and capacity to exercise is reduced. Dehydration to the brain, muscles and joints can leave you more susceptible to injury due to poor nervous system function and inefficient muscle recruitment. Think about water as the lubricant to your joints and ligaments, protecting joints – when adequate fluid levels are not maintained these joints can become more compressed, less protected and much more painful.

To prevent dehydration, you should look to drink a minimum of eight to ten, eight-ounce glasses of water a day. Optimally, athletes can consider drinking half of their bodyweight in ounces plus 20% of water a day. (180lb athlete needs 90 to 125 ounces per day) This number does vary however depending on the strenuousness of your daily exercise or activity. Avoid caffeinated beverages as these only dehydrate you more and limit use of sports drinks. Sports drinks such as Gatorade are a great source of rehydration when used appropriately. For example, the 6% carbohydrate level and the presence of salt in Gatorade help speed up and optimize fluid absorption. Sports drinks allow for rapid rehydration, rehydration right on the spot. The sodium present in Gatorade along with its taste is believed to increase desired consumption of fluids. These should only be used during intense bouts of physical activity lasting over an hour.

Unfortunately, these are the drinks that are being reached for when thirsty instead of the only one that will actually do the best job at rehydrating the athlete’s body. Remember, a body without enough water will have slower reaction times, less ability to concentrate, and less ability to generate strength and power…a recipe for disaster for the any athlete don’t you think?

Helpful hints:
· When drinking water try not to guzzle it down, rather take small sips in order to allow your body absorb the water. If you wait until you’re thirsty to drink it’s too late.
· Carry a 20-24oz reusable water bottle around with you. Wrap four rubberbands around it. Remove a rubberband after every refill. When the rubberbands are gone you have consumed a good amount of water for the day.
· Think about the difference between a grape and a raisin. Don’t let your muscles and organs become weak and brittle. Hydrate for optimum performance.