Please read our privacy policy. Receive the latest advice from our orthopedic and sports performance specialist -- right in your inbox. Sign up for Performance Playbook, the monthly newsletter from Children's Health Andrews Institute.

athlete, dehydration, exercise, hydration, injury prevention, physical fitness, sports, sports injury, sports medicine. X Facebook Linked In Email. Why is hydration important in sports? Benefits of staying hydrated include: Improved muscle function.

Hydrated muscles function better than dehydrated muscles. Regulated blood pressure. Improved circulation. Staying hydrated also improves blood flow and circulation and thus the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to working muscles. Good hydration also helps remove metabolic by-products and waste from muscles, while replacing the water that is lost through sweat.

How can proper hydration help young athletes reduce injury risk? Recommended daily water intake for athletes Fluid needs vary based on activity, intensity, environmental conditions, body size of the athlete and training status.

Calculating sweat rate Knowing an athlete's sweat rate is important when monitoring hydration. Water or sports drink: What is best for athletes? We all know how important proper hydration is to sports performance and avoiding injury.

But did you know several medical conditions cause, or increase the…. Read More ». BPA free plastic is a type of plastic found in some sports drinking bottles and hydration packs. BPA is bisphenol A, a synthetic chemical used…. Does dehydration cause cramp?

Yes, dehydration can be a common cause of muscle cramps. When you become dehydrated, your body loses fluids and electrolytes, such…. No, not alcohol! Dehydration can have a detrimental effect on performance so regularly drinking water is essential.

Staying hydrated enables people to perform at…. Related articles. But did you know several medical conditions cause, or increase the… Read More ». BPA is bisphenol A, a synthetic chemical used… Read More ». When you become dehydrated, your body loses fluids and electrolytes, such… Read More ».

Staying hydrated enables people to perform at… Read More ». This website uses cookies to improve your experience. You can opt-out if you wish. Accept Reject Read More.

Close Privacy Overview This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website.

We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Sawka, Young, Cardarette, et al. It's no secret that tactical professionals have weird schedules. So why do health professionals July 17, By Megan Fischer-Colbrie. Dehydration and Athletic Performance.

Athletes Need Water to Perform Most athletes know to drink water, but besides staying hydrated during practice, post-workout hydration is an important part of recovery. The Impact of Dehydration Hydrating properly can help an athlete sustain work capacity; in other words, athletes will be able to work harder if they drink more water.

Recap It can still be difficult to add in another health habit to a daily routine, if hydration seems out of sight, out of mind, make it more of a priority. About the Author. Related Posts. September 26, Dietary supplements seem like the "magic pill" a tactical operator needs to perform better, Read More.

Luckily, there are ways to ensure proper hydration before your activity, during your activity, and after your activity. Yes, all three times are equally important.

A quick way to calculate how much water you need in a day is to take half your weight in pounds and convert it to ounces per day.

For example, if you weigh pounds, you would need 80 ounces of water. One regular bottle of water is roughly 16 ounces, so you would need at least 5 bottles per day for proper hydration. 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? Hydration is a fast and simple way to help you increase athletic performance, and something to keep consistent during daily activities.

Check out another Bridge blog post on sleep's impact on athletic performance and the importance of good nutrition. References: 1. Sawka, Young, Cardarette, et al. It's no secret that tactical professionals have weird schedules. So why do health professionals July 17, By Megan Fischer-Colbrie.

Dehydration and Athletic Performance. Athletes Need Water to Perform Most athletes know to drink water, but besides staying hydrated during practice, post-workout hydration is an important part of recovery.

The Impact of Dehydration Hydrating properly can help an athlete sustain work capacity; in other words, athletes will be able to work harder if they drink more water. Recap It can still be difficult to add in another health habit to a daily routine, if hydration seems out of sight, out of mind, make it more of a priority.

About the Author. Related Posts. Energy drinks may contain caffeine which helps to promote alertness for improved energy levels and sports performance during intensive training and competition. Caffeine has been shown to increase energy and fight muscle fatigue amongst adults.

In conclusion, you might benefit from moderate consumption of either sports drinks or caffeinated drinks like coffee before training. Also, Learn about Is Diet Coke Better Than Regular Coke? Also, Learn: Is Caffeine a Diuretic? Staying hydrated is vital for athletes who undertake larger than normal volumes of training, and therefore must drink a lot more fluids to match that loss through sweat.

Dehydration impairs performance and therefore must be avoided to maintain training intensity. Normal people who go to the gym and exercise frequently also need to prioritize hydration.

Athletes can measure their hydration status by analyzing their urine color and frequency of urination. Urine should be a clear, straw-like color to show good hydration levels, and going more frequently, whereas a darker yellow color, stronger smell, and going less often suggest dehydration.

Drinks that are classed as diuretics, mainly alcohol and caffeinated drinks over ~mg, may be linked to dehydration.

A urine color test is a very reliable and practical way of assessing hydration status. Monitoring sweat rates are a great way for athletes to determine the correct amount of fluid they need after exercise to rehydrate.

Athletes will generally sweat more in hotter conditions and climates, therefore needing to drink more to rehydrate during and after training.

Having a sweat patch test done during training helps to accurately analyze your total sweat and sodium losses so you know how much and what type of drinks you need to consume to stay fully hydrated to maximize performance.

Water is important for hydration but you can have too much of a good thing, meaning that drinking too much water can be detrimental to sports performance. Drinking too much water can create an imbalance between the amount of water and sodium in your body, which can lead to Hyponatremia.

Athletes will be okay only drinking water for shorter training sessions, typically 1 hour or less. Dehydration causes: 1 Premature fatigue 2 increased heart rate 3 impaired thermoregulation 4 reduced concentration and cognitive function 5 greater reliance on muscle glycogen for energy 6 higher RPE 7 joint stiffness.

Sweat is made up of water but also contains vital electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and chloride. Consuming drinks or supplements that contain these electrolytes helps to rehydrate better than water alone. Water is irreplaceable. Sports drinks can be beneficial if you use them to complement water instead of using them to substitute water.

The main ingredient of sports drinks is water, but the addition of electrolytes and carbohydrates make them a good energy drink during intense training sessions. Drinking enough fluids to ensure your urine is a clear color and you are well hydrated before training is key.

A good rule of thumb is to drink ml two hours before exercise. So long as you are well hydrated before you start training, you can drink to thirst for sessions less than 2 hours long.

On the other hand, some sports like cycling and triathlon that require strategic hydration strategies for their events will need to practice these during training to match their measured sweat rates. Measuring the changes in your body weight during training will give you a good idea of how much to drink to rehydrate.

Weighing yourself before and after training to calculate your weight loss e. This will be different for everyone based on their body weight and activity levels, but a good daily target is to consume 30ml per kg of body mass, plus an extra ml-1L per hour of exercise.

When playing sport it is important to stay well hydrated. Hydration is ensuring the body has sufficient water to do its basic everyday functions properly i. transport blood around the body. Sports drinks contain electrolytes like sodium which can help the body to better retain water when exercise lasts longer than 90 minutes.

Athletes should aim to drink approx 0. Being hydrated helps the body to cool down more effectively. It also lubricates joints, supports brain function and aids the transport of oxygen and nutrients to the working muscles, all of which are impaired in a dehydrated state.

Your email address will not be published.