HYDRATE TO PERFORM AT A HIGHER LEVEL

Especially in the heat of the summer, it’s important to keep vigilant about hydration. Keeping your body hydrated is critical to your health and performance. Follow these guidelines:

• A 6 – 8 percent carbohydrate solution maintains optimal carbohydrate metabolism.
• Fluids with salt (sodium chloride) are beneficial to increasing thirst and voluntary fluid intake as well as offsetting fluid losses.
• Cool beverages at temperatures of 50 – 79 degrees F are recommended.

What NOT to Drink:

• Fruit juices, carbohydrate gels, sodas and some sports drinks that have a carbohydrate level greater than 8 percent are not recommended during exercise.
• Carbohydrate concentrations greater than 8 percent slow fluid absorption and are not recommended.
• Beverages containing caffeine, alcohol and carbonation are discouraged during activity, because they can dehydrate the body by stimulating excess urine production.

Before exercise:

• Two to three hours before exercise, drink 17-20 ounces of water or sports drink.
• 10-20 minutes before exercise, drink 7-10 ounces of water or sports drink.

During exercise:

• Every 10-20 minutes, drink 7-10 ounces of water or sports drink. Don’t just drink until you are no longer thirsty.

After exercise:

• Within two hours of exercise, drink enough to replace any weight loss from exercise (20 ounces per pound of weight loss).
• Within six hours, drink an additional 25%-50% more than weight loss from exercise.

According to David Harsha, MD, Medical Director for St. Vincent Sports Medicine, staying hydrated is important to athletes because dehydration can:

• Cause a drop in performance
• Cause heat illness by placing more strain on the cardiovascular system and increasing the body temperature
• Cause hyperthermia

In addition, staying hydrated helps maintain a general state of wellbeing, Dr. Harsha adds. “Athletes tend to underdrink, so drink at least a pint of fluid for every pound of body weight lost during exercise.”

Sources 1) The National Athletic Trainers’ Association’s Position Statement on Fluid Replacement of Athletes, The Journal of Athletic Training, Vo. 35, No. 2, April-June 2000.  St. Vincent Director of Sports Medicine/Sports Performance Ralph Reiff MEd, LAT, ATC, co-authored the article with Casa, D.: Armstrong, L.;  Hillman, S.; Montain, S.; Rich, B.; Roberts, W.; Stone, J. 2) Gatorade Sports Science Institute.