The importance of staying hydrated during exercise cannot be understated, simply being dehydrated by just 2% impairs performance in tasks that require attention, psychomotor, and immediate memory skills, as well as assessment of the subjective state. In contrast, the performance of long-term and working memory tasks and executive functions is more preserved, especially if the cause of dehydration is moderate physical exercise.
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You can also lower the risk of other health related illnesses related to dehydration such as headache and urolithiasis (kidney stones).
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How do I stay hydrated?
We absorb water from our diet and through fruits and vegetables, juices and other food healthy food sources that contain moisture.
While exercising it is good practice to drink between 1-1.5 litres per day, the exact amount required is up for debate as environmental factors such as heat humidity, level of exertion and duration of activity are just some of the influential factors on water loss through perspiration.
Despite these being variable guidelines, adhering to these estimates will help to ensure we maintain healthy practices and habits.
Remember to replenish your water content after exercise, your body has a slight delay in its response which can mean that by the time you actually feel thirsty, dehydration has already begun.
Your body depends on water to survive. Every cell, tissue, and organ in your body needs water to work correctly and to remain in homeostasis. For example, your body uses water to maintain its temperature, remove waste, and lubricate joints, water is as essential for good health as it is for life.
For every pound of sweat you lose, you should try to replenish around a pint of water.
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Warning signs that may indicate you could be dehydrated include,
not sweating during vigorous physical activity can indicate that you maybe dehydrated, dry mouth, head ache, tiredness.
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Are isotonic drinks better than water for hydration?
The food and drinks industry makes upwards of £222.5 Billion pounds in revenue each year and continues to grow, fuelled by our lustful appetite. As the food industry fights for a place on our shelves it has become ever more initiative and creative catering for an ever growing diverse population.
Millions of pounds are spent on research from everything from physiological evaluation of shopping habits, patterns of shoppers to increase our spending habits, scientists have even developed methods of tricking our senses into believing food and drink tastes better is healthier for us, simply changing the colour water or drinks of the same solution has been proven to give the illusion of altered taste.
With the competition greater than ever and a seemingly endless collection of drinks claiming to do everything from enhance your performance to hydrate you more effectively it is hard to gather the truth.
However despite the catchy marketing tricks that have been deployed in an ever creative way to get us to hand over our hard earned cash, one winner still remains, it seems there is no match for mother nature and when it comes to hydration water is best with milk a close second.
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For most people who perform some kind of moderate to vigorous daily activity, water is the best thing to drink to stay hydrated.
If you intend to partake in long distance or endurance events then an isotonic drink maybe helpful in replacing lost sugars and salt, or you can create your own cost effective isotonic drink at home by adding a pinch of salt to a sugary based drink such as diluted squash or juice (50/50 water Juice).
Other sources of water also include foods, such fruits, and vegetables which contain a high percentage of water.
Sports drinks with electrolytes, may be useful for people doing high intensity, vigorous exercise in very hot weather, though they tend to be high in added sugars and calories so if weight management if your goal then be aware of the content of your sports drink.
Fascinating Facts
The average adult human body is 50-65% water, averaging around 57-60%.
On average we lose 250 millilters of water a day just through breathing.
Freezing point 0.c 32f.
Boiling point 100c 212f.
Specific Gravity 4c 1,0000 weight per gallon 15c.
Water is arguable the most important of all nutrients, without water we would only survive for a few days.
Water serves many functions.
Water is the base fluid of blood; it is the transportation system of the body.
Water helps remove waste products to excretory organs.
Water plays a vital role in regulation of the human body.
Every chemical reaction takes place in the medium of water.
Water is lost from the body continually throughout the day, by breathing, sweating and excretion of waste.
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Water is a fluid that contains the most important substances for life, these molecules are made of one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms that are connected via bonds.
Water Covers 71% of our earth’s surface, Water is vital part of living for all life forms.
Water provides no calorific value.
Water appears in 3 Common states (Solid, Liquid and gas) H2O is tasteless on its own but it can dissolve many different substances which results in tasty drinking beverages has the ability to eat through rock and almost every substance on earth given the right conditions and time.
Without Water Humans would survive for around a week, but can live up to a month without food.
The human body contains around 55%-78% of water this really depends on the person’s size.
The Human body needs between 1 and 7 litres of water a day to function normally, the extract amount is not 100% known as we also gain fluids from certain foods.
Blood is 92 percent water, the brain and muscles are 75% and your bones in your body are around 22 percent.
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Functions Of Water In The Human Body
Transportation of nutrients and fluid.
Cell life.
Metabolic reactions.
Body Temperature regulation.
Removal of waste from the human body.
Hydration.
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Due to water's low calorie content it should be the first fluid we turn to for hydration
Water is kind to your teeth, So More Water Less sugar
We also get water from other beverages such as soft drinks and herbal teas.
Nearly every food or drink item contains water.
Hydration is important during and prior to exercise, good hydration improves the quality of your workout, reduces fatigue, and aids recovery time, adequate hydration will help to maximise your concentration.
Your skin is the biggest organ spanning between 12 and 20 feet over the average human body, consisting around 70 % water.
Water naturally helps to keep our skin at its optimum level of health.
Adequate water will help flush toxins out of your body.
Water Summery
A clear, colourless and odourless/ tasteless liquid(H20)
Essential for all plants and animal life to live.