food and sports

Hydration in Sport: How much and what do you drink?

Introduction

The state of hydration is a very important factor, both for health and for sporting performance.

Since the adult organism contains up to 50-60% of water, all bodily functions depend on the state of hydration.

In fact, in the extra- and intra-cellular water many elements are diluted and transported, including large molecules and small ions.

Water is crucial for regulating body temperature, digestion and transport of nutritional elements and waste substances.

A good state of hydration is fundamental for the maintenance of cells, tissues, organs, systems, apparatuses and all vital functions.

During sports performance, the body is pushed beyond the normality limit. This means that without good hydration it is impossible to fully express specific athletic potential.

Practically:

> Hydration status => Performance> Recovery

<Hydration Status = <Performance <Recovery.

The importance of this relationship is especially true for:

  • High intensity disciplines.
  • Long term disciplines.
  • Disciplines that cause intense sweating or predisposed subjects.

Function of Water and Sweat

Leaving aside the vital functions exercised by water for the human body, let us dwell on the role of hydration in sports performance.

Human movement is based on muscle contraction; at the end of this process heat and waste molecules are produced.

The transport of nutrients, salts and catabolites is based on blood flow, while heat is dispersed through sweating.

Although both require a lot of water, the two processes are perfectly able to coexist.

On the other hand, when the thermal regulation engages too many liquids, the blood volume decreases and the transport function is compromised leaving the tissues "dry".

Composition, Dispersion and Performance

Sweat is a hydrosaline solution that contains mainly water, sodium and potassium; to a lesser extent magnesium and chlorine. It is produced by the sweat glands starting from the blood plasma.

The average amount of sweat dispersed by a moving organism is about 1.5 liters / hour. On the other hand, if the external temperature is such as to require an uncommon commitment, the excretion can reach 4-5 liters / hour.

Sweat is not the only way to expel water; diuresis and (to a lesser extent) lung ventilation also contribute. On the other hand, the physicist is able to react to dehydration by decreasing renal filtration and increasing thirst.

The relationship between fluid loss and sports performance is very close. Already with a depletion of 2-3% compared to body weight there is a significant drop in results.

For example, an adult man who weighs 70kg and loses 1.5-2.0 liters cannot cope with the same efforts as normal.

Improving hydration in sport

It is certainly not a novelty that to fight sweating it is necessary to drink more.

How?

What to drink?

We specify immediately that the drinks are not all the same.

Many mistakenly believe that water is the best drink.

This assumption is easily denied because, as we have already seen, the composition of sweat is different and richer than water.

The optimal drink should necessarily contain potassium and magnesium.

It can also be produced at home, mixing various ingredients. However, excellent formulas are available on the market that contain all the most useful nutrients.

Some consider the use of hydro-saline and / or multi-vitamin food supplements an "unnatural" attitude. On the other hand, by analyzing the athletic effort necessary for most disciplines, one realizes that these are activities that are anything but natural (without exception).

Food supplements can certainly not replace a healthy and balanced diet (food and drink), but allow to provide the "most critical" nutritional principles without introducing other nutrients that we sometimes don't need (fibers, anti-nutritional molecules, fats, proteins, sugars etc).

Furthermore, another very important factor must be considered, namely the potential for absorption.

Some think that water is the liquid most easily absorbed by the body; it's incorrect. In fact, the mucous membranes absorb liquids with isotonic or mildly hypotonic concentration better. To obtain this property several mineral salts and some carbohydrates are needed.

NB . Temperature is also a determining factor for absorption. The drink should be very fresh, being careful not to overdo it (ice is not good!) Avoiding the risk of abdominal cramps, vomiting, diarrhea etc.

How much do you drink?

It may seem trivial but the answer is "neither little nor too much".

Drinking little encourages dehydration and drinking too much causes other equally harmful problems.

Excess liquids trigger renal filtration. This process requires the excretion of mineral salts, especially sodium and potassium.

It should be remembered that sodium is generally present in excess in the diet, while potassium in defect.

Here, in an attempt to improve hydration, drinking too much water runs the risk of worsening the salt balance and compromising sports performance.

To prevent this from happening it is sufficient:

  • Listen to the sense of thirst.
  • Drink little more than the volume of liquid expelled with sweat.
  • It is sufficient to do a double weigh (before and after training) to know the extent of our sweating and to compensate for it in future training sessions.
  • Prefer a hydro-saline drink.

As an example, if a sweat loss of 2 liters is estimated after a workout in the gym, at least 2.5-3.0 liters of liquid should be drunk. It is advisable that at least 1/3 is made up of an isotonic hydro-saline drink.

When to drink?

Understanding the best time to drink is not easy. Theoretically, dehydration should be prevented by drinking a lot, both just before and during the activity. On the other hand, many subjective variables come into play.

Not everyone can tolerate stomach fluids while practicing sports. Moreover, the various disciplines can be very different from each other.

Drinking during a trekking workout is easy, practical and has few side effects. The same cannot be said of bottom swimming or worse of deep underwater apnea (during which time is spent upside down).

Immersed in water, especially upside down (as happens in the constant setting of deep underwater apnea), they occur easily: reflux, regurgitation, nausea, etc.

To avoid the many inconveniences of drinking during sport it is necessary:

  • Drink in small sips.
  • Prefer easily absorbed drinks.
  • Avoid uncomfortable or tight clothing or slings.

Other Considerations

We conclude by recalling that, in addition to liquids, motor activity also causes losses of:

  • Energy substrates.
  • Mineral salts.
  • Vitamins.

In the choice of the drink, especially in the case of very intense, prolonged and close sessions, it is advisable to prefer a product rich in all the vitamins, potassium, magnesium, maltodextrin and antioxidant nutrients.