Oxygen Australia — January-February 2018

70 Jan/Feb 2018 oxygenmag.com.au

Dehydration and fitness performance are more

closely linked than you may realise. Find out how

much water you really need to be consuming

before, during, and after your workouts for

optimum performance and health.

hydration

The importance of

in fitness

BY SIDRAH AHMAD

WATERLOGIC

W

hat do you consider to be

the most important compo-

nent of your workout regime?

Is it developing a well-main-

tained training routine? Or maybe it’s a proper

nutritional program? How often do you con-

sider the importance of keeping hydrated?

Did you know that by losing as little as 2

per cent of water in your body and experienc-

ing dehydration, your fitness performance

can be reduced by 25 per cent? An astonish-

ing finding¹ was published by Dr Amanda

Carlson, a nutritionist and director of Athletes’

Performance and Core Performance. She

uncovered that 98 per cent of American col-

lege football players were dehydrated before

their training session, which could have nega-

tively affected their performance.

THE EFFECTS OF DEHYDRATION

ON YOUR BODY

Water has three crucial functions:

● t o transport nutrients and support the

removal of waste

● to regulate blood pressure, and

●to cool your body temperature.

Proper hydration is equally beneficial in

carrying oxygen to your muscles and helps to

ensure you can train more efficiently and for a

longer period of time.

While perspiring during a workout session,

you lose water, salt, and electrolytes, which

are essential minerals such as sodium, cal-

cium, phosphate, magnesium, and potassium.

These electrolytes help maintain your blood’s

chemistry and muscles.

If you’re not adequately hydrated, the loss

of these electrolytes will require your body to

compensate by borrowing minerals from your

vital organs and bones. A lack of hydration

can also result in fatigue, muscle cramps, and

dizziness while exercising.

HYDRATION OPTIONS

WHILE EXERCISING

1

WATER

You might find this surprising to believe,

but in Australia and across the globe,

many of us are in a constant state of dehydra-

tion.² To sustain the demands of your training

and allow your muscles to properly recover, a

fluid equilibrium must be maintained.

The general rule of thumb is to drink at

least eight glasses a day. If you’re struggling

with this, try adding half a teaspoon of honey

to your water bottle for glucose replenishment

and added flavour.

When exercising, we want to ramp up the

hydration, but remember to take small sips,

as they make it easier for your body to effec-

tively use the water. It’s important to note that

excessive consumption can be counterproduc-

tive, as it can lead to hyponatremia — where

electrolytes such as sodium, which helps to

maintain a stable balance of water in your

body and keep your blood pressure levels in

check, become diluted in the blood and are

unable to fulfil their purpose.

2

WATER WITH NATURAL

ELECTROLYTES

Since exercising often involves exces-

sive sweating, your body loses electrolytes

that are muscular and nerve stimulants,

responsible for transporting electrical charges

through your body. When you’re low on elec-

trolytes, you can experience side effects such

as cramping, headaches, and fluid imbalances.

To help avoid this, you can create natural

electrolyte drinks that contain antioxidants

and vitamins and are free of artificial sweet-

eners. You can replenish electrolytes such as

sodium by adding a dash of salt to your fil-

tered water. While exercising, just take a few

sips at a time to reload the electrolytes lost.

3

RECOVERY DRINKS

Post-exercise nutrition can improve

the quality of your recovery process by

replenishing the glycogen you’ve lost, decreas-

ing protein breakdown, and increasing protein

synthesis to repair any damage caused by the

workout.

Recovery drinks can help to jump-start

muscle development, as they have the sole

purpose of maximising your muscle recovery

after a workout. These are available in various

categories (protein powders, for example,

are available in whey, casein, soy, rice, hemp,

and pea protein options) and are formu-

lated to replenish carbohydrates and protein

lost and can easily be absorbed in the body.

Additionally, they contain traces of vitamins A,

C, and E and the mineral selenium, which act

as antioxidants.

Drinking is the only way to safely rehydrate

and cool your body from the inside out. Before

you plan your next workout, keep these options

in mind for a safe, hydrated session.