Staying adequately hydrated can help reduce muscle fatigue and reduce the risk of injury. As athletes exercise, the core body temperature rises.

In response, the body sweats to dissipate excess heat so it doesn't overheat. Staying hydrated replaces the water lost through sweating and is essential for thermoregulation, helping to prevent cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Fluid needs vary based on activity, intensity, environmental conditions, body size of the athlete and training status. The more highly trained an athlete is, the more he or she will sweat and require more water. To maintain optimal hydration throughout the day, young athletes should drink ½ to 1 ounce of water per pound of body weight.

This means that a pound athlete should lose no more than 2 pounds during a workout. Athletes should drink plenty of water in the hours leading up to practice.

Continue taking four to six big gulps of water every 15 to 20 minutes during exercise. After exercising, drink 24 ounces of water for every pound of water weight you lose during your workout. Knowing an athlete's sweat rate is important when monitoring hydration.

Sweat rate is the amount or rate at which a person sweats. To calculate sweat rate, measure weight before and after a workout. The difference in the weight indicates how well the athlete is staying hydrated and whether it's within the healthy guidelines.

The weight difference plus any fluids consumed during workout equals the sweat rate. Dark yellow or amber-colored urine can be a sign of dehydration. There are no exact rules for how much water to drink while exercising, because everyone is different.

You need to consider factors including your sweat rate, the heat and humidity in your environment, your clothing, and how long and hard you are exercising. You may need to stay better hydrated if you have certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cystic fibrosis.

Some medications can act as diuretics, causing the body to lose more fluid. The American Council on Exercise has suggested the following basic guidelines for drinking water before, during, and after exercise:. Athletes may want to measure how much fluid they lose during exercise to get a more specific measurement of how much water to drink 16 to 24 ounces of water for every pound of body weight lost.

For most people, water is all that is needed to stay hydrated. However, if you will be exercising at a high intensity for longer than an hour, a sports drink may be helpful.

The calories, potassium, and other nutrients in sports drinks can provide energy and electrolytes to help you perform for a longer period of time. Choose a sports drink wisely. They are often high in calories from added sugar and may contain high levels of sodium.

Also, check the serving size. One bottle may contain several servings. If you drink the entire bottle, you may need to double or triple the amounts given on the nutrition facts label.

Some sports drinks contain caffeine. If you consume a sports drink that contains caffeine, be careful not to add too much caffeine to your diet.

Caffeine may cause a diuretic effect on your body. This means that you may have to urinate more often.

Sugary drinks, such as juice and soda, are not healthy options for staying hydrated. Dehydration happens when you lose more fluid than you drink.

Dehydration can range from mild to severe. Symptoms of dehydration can include the following:. Symptoms of severe dehydration can include mental confusion, weakness, and loss of consciousness. You should get emergency medical attention immediately if you have any of these symptoms.

There are 3 stages of heat illness:. Symptoms of heat cramps include painful muscle spasms in the legs, stomach, arms, or back. Symptoms of heat exhaustion are more serious.

They can include faint or weak feelings, nausea, headache, fast heartbeat, and low blood pressure. The most serious heat-related illness is heatstroke. Symptoms can include high body temperature higher than °F , fast heartbeat, flushed skin, fast breathing, and possibly even confusion or delirium, loss of consciousness, or seizures.

You should get emergency medical attention immediately if you experience any of the symptoms of heatstroke. Untreated heatstroke can lead to death.

It can be especially challenging to maintain hydration if you work out more than once a day. Request an appointment, or learn more about Sports Medicine at Mass General Brigham and the teams we treat.

Skip to cookie consent Skip to main content Skip to alerts Skip to pause carousel. About Us Newsroom Hydration Tips for Athletes. More alert details. Hydration Tips for Athletes Contributor Sarah Eby, MD, PhD. Jun 5, share on facebook.

How much water should I drink when I exercise? You also may experience: Dark yellow urine it should look like pale lemonade instead Fatigue Less coordination or concentration Lower intensity level than usual Lower performance than expected Muscle fatigue or cramps Tips for staying hydrated Dr.

Eby recommends several hydration tips for athletes: Follow a hydration plan every day. Depending on the intensity and duration of your workouts, it may be wise to supplement with electrolytes. Sarah Eby, MD, PhD Sports Medicine Specialist Mass General Brigham. What should I drink during exercise?

Eby also recommends that athletes limit certain beverages: Alcohol: Alcohol is a diuretic, which makes your body remove fluids at a faster rate.

Heightened hydration for athletes in special populations Dr. Sports Medicine services. Sarah Eby, MD, PhD. Request an appointment Why choose us?

Teams we treat.

Figuring out if this applies to you can be a bit tricky and needs special equipment. One quick and simple way to start to determine if this is an issue for you is to taste your sweat. If your sweat tastes salty or burns your eyes, you might be someone who sweats a lot of salt.

Yes, you can. If you drink too much water quickly, it can cause a problem called hyponatremia. When you drink too much water, it dilutes the sodium in your body. Sodium helps control the amount of water in and around your cells.

If you want more specific advice, you can make an appointment with our sports dietitian. We offer a variety of appointment types. Learn more or call to schedule now. Skip Navigation Home News Room Blogs How to Hydrate as an Athlete.

Print Share. How to Hydrate as an Athlete. Check your urine. Note the amount and its color. It should be a light yellow, like lemonade, and not clear. Monitor your weight loss.

If appropriate, you can weigh yourself before and after you play. Weight loss during activity will generally only be from sweating.

That can lead to dehydration and negatively affect how you play. How much fluid should you drink? Before exercise You may need to include fluids that contain sodium before starting exercise.

You would want to drink milliliters, or about ounces. In our example, this would be around ounces of fluid containing sodium. During exercise How much fluid you need depends on how much you sweat.

Try to drink about ounces of fluid every 15 minutes for a total of ounces per hour. As sweat evaporates from your skin, it removes heat from the body, but you also lose body fluid.

You need to drink fluid during exercise to replace the fluids you lose when you sweat. It is possible to drink too much during exercise. Over-hydration, in rare but severe cases, can lead to death. To avoid over or under-hydration, it can be useful to know your sweat rate. That way, you can work out exactly how much you should be drinking.

You can , talk to your GP or an accredited sports dietitian External Link for a fluids plan. Remember, this is your sweat rate when exercising at a particular ambient temperature.

Your sweat rate will change with the temperature, so it can be useful to measure your sweat rate at different times of the year.

Water is the best drink to satisfy thirst and replace fluid lost during exercise. Drink water before you start exercising, too. Water boasts a huge list of benefits. Some athletes use sports drinks that contain electrolytes and carbohydrates, which have concentrations that allow the body to refuel during exercise.

Sports drinks may be useful if your activity is moderate to vigorous in intensity for more than 60 minutes see the Australian Dietary Guidelines External Link. However, sports drinks can be high in sugar, so consume them only if necessary.

Remember that fruit and vegetables contain a high proportion of water, so a fruit snack such as oranges can help your fluid replacement. To adequately rehydrate after your exercise session, aim to drink one and a half times the fluid you lost while exercising.

Spread it over the next two to six hours. You need to drink more fluid than you lost while exercising because you continue to lose fluid through sweating and urination for some time after you have finished your session. This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:.

Content on this website is provided for information purposes only. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not in any way endorse or support such therapy, service, product or treatment and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional.

The information and materials contained on this website are not intended to constitute a comprehensive guide concerning all aspects of the therapy, product or treatment described on the website. All users are urged to always seek advice from a registered health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their medical questions and to ascertain whether the particular therapy, service, product or treatment described on the website is suitable in their circumstances.

The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website. Skip to main content. Keeping active.

Water regulates your body temperature and lubricates your joints. It helps transport nutrients to give you energy and keep you healthy. You may feel tired, have muscle cramps, dizziness, or other serious symptoms.

If your urine is usually colorless or light yellow, you are most likely well hydrated. Dark yellow or amber-colored urine can be a sign of dehydration. There are no exact rules for how much water to drink while exercising, because everyone is different.

You need to consider factors including your sweat rate, the heat and humidity in your environment, your clothing, and how long and hard you are exercising. You may need to stay better hydrated if you have certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cystic fibrosis.

Some medications can act as diuretics, causing the body to lose more fluid. The American Council on Exercise has suggested the following basic guidelines for drinking water before, during, and after exercise:. Athletes may want to measure how much fluid they lose during exercise to get a more specific measurement of how much water to drink 16 to 24 ounces of water for every pound of body weight lost.

For most people, water is all that is needed to stay hydrated. However, if you will be exercising at a high intensity for longer than an hour, a sports drink may be helpful.

The calories, potassium, and other nutrients in sports drinks can provide energy and electrolytes to help you perform for a longer period of time. Choose a sports drink wisely. They are often high in calories from added sugar and may contain high levels of sodium.

Also, check the serving size. One bottle may contain several servings. If you drink the entire bottle, you may need to double or triple the amounts given on the nutrition facts label. Some sports drinks contain caffeine. If you consume a sports drink that contains caffeine, be careful not to add too much caffeine to your diet.

Caffeine may cause a diuretic effect on your body. This means that you may have to urinate more often. Sugary drinks, such as juice and soda, are not healthy options for staying hydrated. Dehydration happens when you lose more fluid than you drink.

Dehydration can range from mild to severe. Symptoms of dehydration can include the following:. Symptoms of severe dehydration can include mental confusion, weakness, and loss of consciousness. You should get emergency medical attention immediately if you have any of these symptoms.

There are 3 stages of heat illness:. Symptoms of heat cramps include painful muscle spasms in the legs, stomach, arms, or back.

Symptoms of heat exhaustion are more serious. They can include faint or weak feelings, nausea, headache, fast heartbeat, and low blood pressure.

Follow these tips to develop your hydration strategy based on your individual needs to stay ahead of your competition. Hydration is something that can often be dismissed. Staying hydrated adds tremendous value and importance to the everyday functions of our bodies.

It is important for each athlete to monitor their hydration and take responsibility for creating their re-hydration strategy. Train harder, practice longer and perform better by staying hydrated. Are you an athlete looking to improve your performance?

Our team of therapists and trainers are here to help you! Schedule an appointment today. Effects of Dehydration on Athletic Performance. Home Exercise Running Effects of Dehydration on Athletic Performance. Previous Next. Signs of Dehydration Dehydration occurs when there is a decrease in total body water content due to fluid loss, diminished fluid intake, or both.

Importance of Hydration for Athletic Performance Did you know that not staying properly hydrated can reduce exercise endurance nearly in half? How to Hydrate Luckily, there are ways to ensure proper hydration before your activity, during your activity, and after your activity. Before Activity The goal is to be hydrated well before you even begin your physical activity.

Anticipate your thirst and take a sip of water to stay ahead. Plan your activities a day in advance and properly hydrate the evening prior to put yourself in the best possible position to succeed. During Activity To keep up with your hydration throughout your activity, make sure to be drinking enough fluid to combat the water lost through sweat while also avoiding excessive body fluid loss and over-consumption of fluids.

We use advertising cookies to allow us, through certain data assigned and obtained from the user's device, to store or share with third parties information related to user's browsing activity in our website, in order to create an advertising profile and place relevant advertising in our website or those third parties websites.

For more information about how Abbott uses cookies please see our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy. Links which take you out of Abbott worldwide websites are not under the control of Abbott, and Abbott is not responsible for the contents of any such site or any further links from such site.

Abbott is providing these links to you only as a convenience, and the inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement of the linked site by Abbott.

NUTRITION NEWS. NUTRITION CARE. NUTRITION CARE ILLNESS. HEALTHY LIVING. AGING WELL. TACKLING A GLOBAL ISSUE. SCIENCE NEWS. EXPERT VIEWS. GLOBAL NUTRITION. MEDIA CENTER. PRESS RELEASES. ASSET LIBRARY. PRESS CONTACTS.

MEDIA CENTER EXPERTS. How Athletes Can Stay Hydrated and Boost Performance. Hydration for Athletes Abbott Nutrition Sub Heading How Dehydration Impacts Sports Performance and How to Stay Hydrated.

Main Image. Duration OCT. Description Most people know that to stay healthy, you need to drink water. What's Your Hydration Status? The Effects of Dehydration on Sports Performance Even in a state of mild dehydration, cells throughout the body — from the brain to muscles — cannot function properly.

Smart Hydration Strategies for Sports The first step to staying hydrated during sports is to already be well hydrated when entering training or competition.

RELATED ARTICLE. Heading How Long Does It Take to Create a Healthy Habit That Lasts? Heading Understanding Sports Nutrition for Teens. Description If you're a parent of a teen athlete, you want to see your child thrive in their sport.

References Baker L, Jeukendrup A. Optimal Composition of Fluid-Replacement. Comprehensive Physiology ;– Goulet ED.

Dehydration and endurance performance in competitive athletes. Nutrition Reviews ;– Sawka M, Burke L, Eichner R, Maughan R, Montain S, Stanchenfield N. Exercise and Fluid Replacement. Category: Environmental Issues , Nutrition and Supplements , Pediatric and Adolescent Athletes ,. What is it? Finnoff, DO References Baker L, Jeukendrup A.

HOME WHAT IS A SPORTS MED PHYSICIAN? For US States - use only letter abbreviations. Choose Search Type Last Name First Name City State Country Keyword Enter Search Term Zip Code: Choose Search Radius: 5 Miles 10 Miles 25 Miles 50 Miles. HYDRATION [ Back ] What is it?

Category: Environmental Issues , Nutrition and Supplements , Pediatric and Adolescent Athletes , [ Back ]. FIND A SPORTS DOC Please enter a search term relevant to the search type.

Proper hydration can positively affect an athlete's performance and physiological function, including your hip joints. Hydration is a fundamental factor in maximizing endurance, strength, power, and potential to win the game. Benjamin Domb , Founder and Medical Director at American Hip Institute, is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in Sports Medicine and Hip Arthroscopy.

The hip joint is one of the most important joints in the human body. It is formed by the head of the femur thigh bone fitting into the acetabulum of the pelvis, enabling a wide range of motion to the legs while bearing the weight of the upper bo Read more. What Are the Most Common Skiing Injuries?

Skiing can be exciting for many, but its classification as an extreme sport means participants are prone to a range of musculoskeletal injuries. Football Injury: How Long Does It Take for a Hip Flexor To Heal.

Grade I strains heal relatively quickly. Players can begin a tailored rehabilitation program within two weeks, focusing on gentle stretching and stre Advanced Technologies in Hip Arthroscopy. Hip Function, Restored. Doing What You Love To Do, Pain Free.