Nutrition Tip #1: Proper Hydration & Athletic Performance
Dr. Susan Hazels Mitmesser
Water is essential for the transportation of nutrients, facilitation of digestion, elimination of waste products, lubrication of joints and tissues, and regulation of body temperature. Athletes need to stay hydrated for those normal bodily functions, but also for optimal physical performance. Adequate water consumption during exercise helps regulate blood volume, cardiac output, muscle blood flow, skin blood flow, core body temperature, and the impairment in exercise performance that accompanies dehydration. Simply stated, adequate fluid intake for athletes is essential for comfort, performance, and safety. The longer and more intense you exercise, the more important it is to drink the proper amount of fluids.
Dehydration
Research indicates that a decrease in blood volume due to sweating causes the heart to work harder to move blood through the body. This can lead to muscle cramps, dizziness, and fatigue. All these symptoms can be avoid by replacing fluid lost during exercise. The most common causes of dehydration are: inadequate fluid intake; excessive sweating; failure to replace fluid lost during and after exercise; exercising in dry, hot weather; and drinking only when thirsty. The magnitude of dehydration is exacerbated by increases in heat stress, exercise duration, and exercise intensity.
Guidelines for proper hydration
Most athletes can use the following guidelines to replace fluid losses and modify accordingly, if needed.
Hydration before exercise
• Drink 15-20 fl oz 2-3 hours before exercise
• Drink 8-10 fl oz 10-15 minutes before exercise
Hydration during exercise
• Drink 8 fl oz of sports drink (1:3 ratio of sports drink to water) every 15 -20 minutes of exercise
Hydration after exercise
• Drink 20 fl oz of water for every 1 lb lost (weigh yourself before and after exercise to determine the number of pounds lost)
Key message
Drinking sufficient volumes of fluid before, during, and after physical activity to minimize dehydration is arguably the simplest and most effective means of sustaining normal bodily function and improving exercise performance.
