Hydration For Best Performance
Most athletes are aware that proper hydration is important for effective exercise but many people don’t realize that even a small level of dehydration can make a big difference in performance. This means that adequate hydration when you are performing any prolonged exercise (over 1 hr) becomes critically important. What’s the best solution for you? This post intends to cover some of the different tools you can use to keep hydrated and performing at your best.
Here’s a little background: Studies suggest that exercise performance is impaired when an individual is dehydrated by as little as 2% of body weight (2.6lbs for a 130lbs person) and losses in excess of 5% of body weight can decrease the capacity for work by about 30%. This occurs due to several physiological responses; reduction in blood volume,decreased skin blood flow, decreased sweat rate, decreased heat dissipation, increased core temperature, increased rate of muscle glycogen use.
Water is generally not sufficient as a sole source to offset these physiological effects. Since you are not just losing water through your sweat you need to replace the minerals that are also being eliminated. This is where sports drinks or drinks supplemented with electrolytes are useful.
As a side note, the mineral loss from sweat has actually been associated with increased bone porosity (osteopoenia, osteoporosis) in endurance athletes so an electrolyte replacement has other benefits than just hydration, especially for slightly built endurance junkies and active women concerned with bone health.
We won’t cover ongoing caloric supplementation for prolonged exercise in this article but you should understand that if you are exercising for more than 1.5 hrs your performance will be improved by ingesting some other calories. These can be taken in your drink, as a gel, blocks, bars, fruit, etc.
When determining appropriate fluid replacement you should first find your sweat rate and/or whether you are a salty sweater. Here’s how:
1) Weigh yourself nude right before your chosen exercise.
2) Exercise at your race pace for one hour, keeping track of how much you drink (in ounces) during the hour.
3) Afterwards, strip down, towel off any sweat, and weigh yourself nude again.
4) Subtract your weight from your pre-exercise weight and convert to ounces. Then add to that number however many ounces of liquid you consumed. (For example, if you lost a pound (16 ounces) and drank 16 ounces of fluid, your total fluid loss is 32 ounces.)
5) To determine how much you should be drinking about every 15 minutes, divide your hourly fluid loss by 4 (in the above example it would be 8 ounces).
6) Environmental conditions change so retesting in different conditions/seasons can be helpful.
If you are a salty sweater your loss of sodium is often greater than for other athletes and can lead to cramping and more rapid dehydration. Three simple questions can highlight whether you might be a salty sweater. If you are, you may wish to add some healthy sodium to your diet in advance of any key athletics events.
How often have you experienced muscle cramps during a long/intense workout or race?
• Never
• Sometimes
• Frequently
When you sweat, does your sweat often sting your eyes or taste salty?
• Tastes Salty
• Stings Eyes
• Neither
After a long or intense event, do you notice dried sweat on your face, helmet straps, clothing?
• Never
• Sometimes
• Frequently
So what are your hydration options? Below are two different approaches to supplementation.
Electrolyte Replacement Only: These items are mixed with or taken with plain water. Several options are on the market. Determine your preferences based on taste, portability etc.
Pills- several brands exist. Examples incl. Hammer Endurolytes
Drinks/Drink Mixes- Fizzy tabs are quite popular. They aren’t too sweet and people tend to reach for flavored drinks more quickly than plain water. Nuun is a common brand but others are also available. Also products like Vitamin Water and Smart Water function in a pre-mixed formula with no added calories.
Electrolytes + Calories: There is some debate over whether a carb-only vs. a carb/protein blend for re-hydration is most effective. I suggest using what works best (and feels best) for you. I know many athletes who swear by a protein/carb blend for longer races but the addition of protein in a drink mix doesn’t work for me. I can train with them but I experience intestinal distress with the added intensity of a race. I can eat some protein if it’s a solid food. Only experimentation will identify what works for you.
Carb-Only- Common drink brands include Gatorade, Powerade, Powerbar Endurance, Cytomax. Note that if you buy the pre-mixed versions of some sports drinks the main sweetener is often High Fructose Corn Syrup. To avoid this choose a powder and always dose according to the directions for best effect. In hot conditions you may also want to add electrolyte pills. Gel or Gummy blocks can also provide a good source of electrolytes and carbs. They need to be consumed with water.
Carb + Protein- Common drink brands include Hammer Products, Perpetuem and Sustained Energy, both with a 7:1 Protein Carb ratio. They are suggested for events lasting greater than 2hrs. Again, experimentation in training (intense and relaxed) is critical when choosing the right energy source for you. Protein powders can also be added to homemade drinks as well. Be aware that most drinks including a protein component will spoil more easily in warm weather when pre-mixed. Solid bar options also exist as a protein supplement to plain carb-only drinks.
Finally, a good program of PRE-hydration before an event can help lessen the effects of a hard effort, keep cramping at bay and performance high. A good idea is to begin a program of hydration 2-3 days before a big event. I often use a combination of water, a little extra healthy salt in my meals, coconut water/juice and a homemade drink of chia fresca.
Coconut Juice/Water is becoming very popular as a natural source of electrolyte replenishment. Due to its compatibility with the body’s natural electrolyte balance, coconut water was actually used as a substitute for blood plasma in the Pacific during WWII. It’s a great way to top up your fluid stores. Another pre-hydration tool is Chia Fresca. Used by the Tarahumara Indians and popularized in the book “Born to Run”, Chia seeds have many purported benefits. Although there is no electrolyte component, Chia’s hydrophilic properties make it an excellent choice before a long event, helping to top up your fluid levels.
- Chia Seeds Before Soaking
Here’s an easy recipe for Chia Fresca. Be warned, the chia seeds get kind of gelatinous like tapioca after soaking so the drink will be thick and a little jelly-like.
1 cup spring or filtered water
1 tablespoon chia seeds
2 teaspoons fresh lemon or lime juice
2 teaspoons honey or agave
Whisk the chia seeds into the water and allow them to soak for 10-15 minutes. Stir in lemon or lime juice and agave and whisk well. Drink immediately. Makes 1 serving.
- Chia Fresca
I have also heard of some people combining coconut juice and chia for an added electrolyte hit.
Experiment and see what works best for you! If you have any insights or observations to share, please post a comment. It’s great to learn from one another.
