Advantages of hydration in exercise
The importance of hydration is an unknown topic for many, even those who exercise. First of all, it is important to know that water helps transport nutrients, improve circulation, digestion, regulate blood pressure and much more. But in addition, being the main constituent of the human body, as a nutrient, it interferes with the functioning of all systems and organs. Some of its main functions are:
- Transport nutrients and oxygen to the cells
- regulate body temperature
- help eliminate unnecessary waste through urine
- decrease the risk of kidney stones (kidney stones)
- Preserve skin elasticity
- Enable healthy heart function
- lubricate and protect joints
- promote proper muscle function
- Collaborate in digestion
- prevent constipation
- help maximize attention, concentration
- help maximize memory capacity
All, excellent reasons to drink water! but, how much water per day?
Quantity
The amount of water to drink per day varies according to the physical characteristics of each individual and according to external factors, such as physical activity, weather conditions and/or the person’s age. However, in general, it is recommended that water consumption be:
- adults: between one and a half liters to 2 liters (the equivalent of 8 to 10 glasses of water).
- children: between 1 litre and one and a half litres (values dependent on age and much lower below 12 months)
Other forms of hydration besides drinking water
There are other sources rich in water that we can consume, it is not just by drinking water that we can guarantee good hydration. These are forms that should be seen as a complement, however they help us with hydration, namely:
- Natural fruit juices, no added sugar
- herbal infusion or tea
- milk
- soup
- water flavored with pieces of fruit, no added sugar
- vegetables and fruit, such as lettuce, cucumber, tomato, watermelon, melon, plum among others)
Hydration and physical activity
Reasons for hydration during physical activity:
1- Faster recovery: After exercise – facilitates muscle recovery and tissue repair. Adequate hydration helps remove toxins from the muscles, reducing muscle pain and speeding up the recovery process. 2- Body temperature regulation: During exercise – the body produces heat to sustain muscular activity. Sweat is the mechanism that the body uses to cool itself, however, this involves the loss of water. Adequate hydration is essential for regulating body temperature. 3- Injury prevention: Hydrated muscles – they are more flexible and less susceptible to injuries. Water acts as a lubricant for joints, reducing the risk of muscle strains/injuries. Adequate hydration contributes to maintaining tissue elasticity. 4- Improved physical performance: Dehydration – leads to early fatigue and decreased performance. When we are dehydrated, blood flow to the muscles decreases, resulting in reduced endurance and strength. Staying hydrated contributes to improved performance for longer periods of time.
The water
Water is located inside and outside the cells. Muscle contains approximately 70-75% water, while adipose tissue contains only 10-15%. Athletes, generally having more muscle and less adipose tissue than sedentary people, have a higher percentage of water in their body. Due to the fact that at least 60% of our body is made up of water, we can imagine the real importance of this liquid in the functioning of our body. Sports activity can lead to a decrease in our body’s water reserves, due to losses through sweat and respiratory tract. Sports performance decreases as a hydration deficit sets in. The greater this deficit, the greater the loss of competitive income. A loss of 5% of body weight due to dehydration can represent a decrease of around 3% in sports performance. All practitioners linked to exercise/sporting activity have experienced, mainly on very hot days, cases of poor sporting performance and even lives put in danger due to dehydration. Most of us are very aware of the sudden withdrawal of Portuguese super champion Carlos Lopes in a race in S. Silvestre in São Paulo, just over a thousand meters from the end, when everyone thought that victory was just around the corner. This is one of many examples in the world history of sports due to water balance disorders in the body. Our body’s cooling system comprises: evaporation of water from sweat, heat lost through breathing, heat loss through the skin, through contact with the environment. 
Hydration and cooling during exercise or competition
Cooling the body during competition will be facilitated if:
- The athlete has a large body surface;
- Your fat percentage in your body weight is low;
- The athlete is little subject to the action of the sun’s rays;
- Their sweat glands are in large number and effective;
- The athlete has a good heart and an effective vascular system;
- the relative humidity of the environment is low;
- The wind blows soft;
- The ambient temperature is between 12 and 18 °C.
Knowing the relative humidity and dry temperature of the environment where the competition will be held, we can know whether cooling conditions are easy, difficult or impossible. Adaptation to heat and humidity, for an athlete who comes from a cold and dry climate, is integrated at the end of 21 days of exposure in a new climate. The first workouts should be light, and progressively increase in intensity. Be careful with hydration and mineral replacement after training.
Conditions
If the cooling conditions are bad, the following precautions should be taken:
As few clothes as possible; Wet hat on head; Reduce the competitive pace; Drink liquids during the competition; Do a short, light warm-up; Wet your body or sponge your face, arms and neck during competition or during breaks. After the competition we must take a shower 30 to 60 minutes after it ends and never before. We shouldn’t dress too much to facilitate body cooling. We should not keep sweaty clothes on our bodies.
To a dehydrated athlete we must:
Place it in the shade and where there is a breeze; Wet the body with water, especially the head; Immerse it in cold water or place bags of ice on the skin; Give him only small amounts of water, especially on his head. We must drink fluids during a competition or in between, especially if it is long and the cooling conditions are poor.
The drink should be:
Water or water with glucose and/or fructose in concentrations ranging between 20 and 60 grams per liter depending on the main purpose of the drink (hydration or energy supply); Contain sodium in a concentration between 400 and 1100 milligrams per liter; Contain a few drops of lemon, flavoring or a little tea; Taken right from the beginning of the competition; Given in small quantities and repeatedly, never more than 12 ml/kg of weight/hour of competition. We must drink fluids before the competition, especially if it is long in time and if the cooling conditions are poor.
The drink should:
To be taken from two hours before the competition. Do not take anything in the 30 minutes before the start of the warm-up. Five to ten milliliters per kg of body weight; Be ingested regularly and in small quantities; Not be a carbohydrate drink, but simply water or water with glycerin in low concentrations; We can drink coffee to increase the use of fatty acids, saving glycogen; After the race we should take two precautions: Watch the weight loss during the competition: more than 3% of body weight is equal to severe dehydration; See the color of urine and its quantity. Little urine and dark urine after competition equals dehydration.
After the exercise we should:
Drink an energy drink rich in carbohydrates and minerals that are lost through sweating or alternatively a homemade drink made up of water, glucose and/or fructose and a pinch of salt.
After the competition, we should not drink drinks:
Alcoholics; With caffeine (coca-cola, coffee); Non-natural (coca-cola, soft drinks…). Commercial drinks sold for hydration are not multipurpose for use before, during and after competition, and should be used with caution and with some modifications.
Homemade recipe for the drink to use during the competition is as follows:
1 Liter of water; Glucose/or fructose (between 20 and 60 grams depending on the purpose of the drink); A pinch of salt; Lemon juice to taste.
Additional Note
In cold weather, use: Drink with fructose or glucose in a higher concentration than that used in hot weather; Hot drink, which can be water or tea; Before competition/exercise, do not drink carbohydrate drinks, drink hot tea without sugar.
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