Fluids and Hydration
How important are fluids?
Fluid replacement is probably the most important nutritional
concern for athletes. Approximately 60% of your body weight is
water. As you exercise, fluid is lost through your skin as sweat and
through your lungs when you breathe. If this fluid is not replaced
at regular intervals during exercise, you can become dehydrated.
When you are dehydrated, you have a smaller volume of blood
circulating through your body. Consequently, the amount of blood
your heart pumps with each beat decreases and your exercising
muscles do not receive enough oxygen from your blood. Soon
exhaustion sets in and your athletic performance suffers.
If you have lost as little as 2% of your body weight due to
dehydration, it can adversely affect your athletic performance. For
example, if you are a 150-pound athlete and you lose 3 pounds
during a workout, your performance will start to suffer unless you
replace the fluid you have lost. Proper fluid replacement is the key
to preventing dehydration and reducing the risk of heat injury
during training and competition.
How can I prevent dehydration?
The best way to prevent dehydration is to maintain body fluid
levels by drinking plenty of fluids before, during, and after a
workout or race. Often athletes are not aware that they are losing
body fluid or that their performance is being impacted by
dehydration.
If you are not sure how much fluid to drink, you can monitor your
hydration using one of these methods.
1.Weight: Weigh yourself before practice and again after practice.
For every pound you lose during the workout you will need to
drink 2 cups of fluid to rehydrate your body.
2.Urine color: Check the color of your urine. If it is a dark gold color
like apple juice, you are dehydrated. If you are well hydrated, the
color of your urine will look like pale lemonade.
Thirst is not an accurate indicator of how much fluid you have lost.
If you
Fluid replacement is probably the most important nutritional
concern for athletes. Approximately 60% of your body weight is
water. As you exercise, fluid is lost through your skin as sweat and
through your lungs when you breathe. If this fluid is not replaced
at regular intervals during exercise, you can become dehydrated.
When you are dehydrated, you have a smaller volume of blood
circulating through your body. Consequently, the amount of blood
your heart pumps with each beat decreases and your exercising
muscles do not receive enough oxygen from your blood. Soon
exhaustion sets in and your athletic performance suffers.
If you have lost as little as 2% of your body weight due to
dehydration, it can adversely affect your athletic performance. For
example, if you are a 150-pound athlete and you lose 3 pounds
during a workout, your performance will start to suffer unless you
replace the fluid you have lost. Proper fluid replacement is the key
to preventing dehydration and reducing the risk of heat injury
during training and competition.
How can I prevent dehydration?
The best way to prevent dehydration is to maintain body fluid
levels by drinking plenty of fluids before, during, and after a
workout or race. Often athletes are not aware that they are losing
body fluid or that their performance is being impacted by
dehydration.
If you are not sure how much fluid to drink, you can monitor your
hydration using one of these methods.
1.Weight: Weigh yourself before practice and again after practice.
For every pound you lose during the workout you will need to
drink 2 cups of fluid to rehydrate your body.
2.Urine color: Check the color of your urine. If it is a dark gold color
like apple juice, you are dehydrated. If you are well hydrated, the
color of your urine will look like pale lemonade.
Thirst is not an accurate indicator of how much fluid you have lost.
If you