Athletes Need to Stay Hydrated!

Hydration for the Athlete

Dehydration is one of the most common nutritional factors that can affect athletic performance. Cramping, fainting, heat strokes, and electrolyte imbalances are common side effects of dehydration.

General guidelines
Athletes should drink generous amounts of water the day before training or an event. This helps decrease the risk of becoming dehydrated during training the next day. Drinking 13-20 oz of water 2-3 hours before exercise will also help decrease the risk of becoming dehydrated during training. A larger athlete may need to drink more. Athletes should drink at least 6-12 oz of fluid every 15-20 minutes during exercise.

The first nutritional priority after exercise is to replace any fluid lost during exercise. In general the best way to determine how much to drink is to:
Weigh yourself before and after exercise
o Replace fluid losses by drinking 20-24 fl oz water for every 1 lb of weight lost
o Sports drinks may be helpful if exercise lasts longer than 1 hour. Sports drinks are also helpful when no food is consumed after exercise.

Tired of the regular old sports drink? Here is a recipe for a homemade sports drink.

¼ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup hot water
¼ cup orange juice (not from concentrate)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 ½ cups cold water

In the bottom of a pitcher, dissolve the sugar and salt in the hot water. Add the juice and remaining water. Chill and enjoy! Other flavors such as cranberry and lemonade can be used.

Yield: 1 quart

Calories: 200
Calories per 8 ounces: 50
Carbohydrate: 12 grams
Sodium: 110 mg

References:

Sports and Fitness Nutrition, by Robert Wildman and Barry Miller. Thomson Learning, 2004.

Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook, 3rd Edition by Nancy Clark, MS, RD. Human Kinetics, 2003.