We’ve all been there; you’re struggling through a workout you know you can ace, and feel especially tired afterwards. You might think it’s down to your fitness levels, a lack of sleep, or maybe it’s just ‘one of those days’ where things don’t quite click. In reality, it might be far simpler than that.
You might be dehydrated.
What is dehydration?
Dehydration happens when the body is losing more fluid than it is taking in, slowing down your ability to function and reducing the body’s number of electrolytes. For any exercise, staying hydrated is especially crucial.
Dehydration can lead to issues like fatigue and decreased focus, with the lost electrolytes driving unregulated fluid levels, nerve function, and muscle contractions. That’s why electrolytes are one of the key ingredients behind our very own The Hydrate Blend supplement.
While current UK guidelines suggest that adults aim for around 6-8 glasses of water (1.5-2 litres on average) to stay hydrated, this figure doesn’t consider any sweat-loss water through exercise. As such, healthy hydration can differ greatly from person to person depending on exercise (eccentric, isometric &/or concentric), body type, temperature, age and plenty more.
So that leaves the question: how much fluid do you need to stay hydrated? How do we know we are getting enough? And why is effective exercise hydration so important?
The importance of hydration?
It might seem obvious now, but healthy hydration during exercise is fundamental, yet frequently overlooked. In addition to the more general benefits of an improved mood and increased ability to concentrate, hydrating effectively also has these typical benefits to workout performance:
Delivers oxygen and nutrients
Rehydration drinks are an unmatched tool for your body to transfer oxygen and therefore fuel the muscles. The increased nutrients in the muscle such as carbohydrates, proteins (like those found in our The Lean Protein) and electrolytes, allow you to go the extra mile during your workout.
Improved energy levels
Hydration plays a pivotal role in energy production. When you're dehydrated, your blood volume decreases, making it more difficult for your heart to pump blood efficiently. This can lead to reduced oxygen delivery to your muscles, resulting in fatigue and decreased energy levels.
Regulate body temperature
When core temperature rises because of a workout, our body’s natural response is to sweat to cool it down. Dehydration however limits the production of sweat meaning that the body can no longer regulate temperature properly during intense exercise.
Joint lubrication
When you're hydrated well (especially during strength workouts where you push to the max), your body can produce enough of a joint lubricant called synovial fluid. This reduces friction between the bones and cartilage in your joints, preventing wear and tear and reducing the risk of injury and inflammation.
Faster recovery
Adequate hydration is essential for post-workout recovery, helping your body repair and rebuild damaged muscle tissue. This means you can support your body's natural recovery process and return to your next workout feeling refreshed and ready to perform.
When is the best time to rehydrate?
Proper fuelling and hydration should occur at every stage of a workout to get the best benefit for your workout. According to a study from the nutrition journal, ‘maintaining proper hydration before, during, and after’ a workout will help to reduce any fluid loss, lower submaximal heart rate and help to maintain performance throughout.
This includes pre-workout hydration, workout rehydration drinking and post-workout recovery hydration.
Pre-workout hydration
Hydrating at this stage provides optimal oxygen to the muscles and enhances your focus and concentration to ensure your body is ready to perform at its best.
Exercise hydration
Drinking during exercise allows for immediate replenishment of fluids (and subsequent electrolytes, proteins and oxygen to the blood) once they are lost to sweat, fuelling your workout and reducing fatigue.
Post-workout hydration
Fuelling with hydration after a workout allows for effective muscle recovery as well as nutrient absorption, ensuring the body can quickly repair and rebuild any muscle tissue.
How much should I drink during exercise?
The American Council on Exercise (ACE) suggests individuals consume:
- Around 500ml-600ml of water 2-3 hours before a workout
- 200ml-300ml of water 30 minutes before a workout
- 200-300ml of water per 10-20 minutes of exercise
- 230ml of fluid 30 minutes after a workout.
These figures however, are fairly general estimations.
The amount of water you should drink before, during, and after exercise depends on several factors including:
- Temperature and humidity
- Intensity of the workout
- Personal sweat rate
Tips for staying hydrated
As well as knowing when to hydrate, it’s just as important to know how to stay hydrated and the best ways to keep hydrated during a workout. Fear not. We have included our top 5 go-to tips for staying hydrated.
Listen to your body
With several different factors, only you know how hydrated you are. The most obvious thing to say would be to drink when you’re thirsty, however, there are other signs to rehydrate such as dry mouth, muscle cramping and fatigue.
Drink proactively
It’s a good tip to try and drink before you get to a point of needing rehydration. Consider sipping water regularly throughout your workout, even when you're not thirsty. This helps maintain hydration levels and prevents dehydration from becoming severe.
Consider your environment
As we mentioned at the start, your environment plays a large part in how much you need to drink to rehydrate. While heat can play a large part in needing to hydrate more (hard exercise in warm weather is particularly tough), the intensity of your workout also plays a large part in hydration.
Choose the right rehydration drink
Water is the tried and true rehydration drink, however, it’s also important to consider any hydration supplements such as Innermost’s The Hydrate Blend.
Look for any signs of dehydration
The last tip is to look for any signs that could indicate dehydration and rehydrate as soon as possible if the symptoms do begin to show. Below are a few of the signs to look out for:
- Headaches and Dizziness
- Muscle Cramps
- Dry Mouth and Throat
- Fatigue
- Difficulty Concentrating
Choosing the best workout drink
When it comes down to your workout, healthy hydration is possibly one of the simplest yet overlooked tools to smash your next workout. By staying hydrated with regular sips of water infused with Innermost’s The Hydrate Blend, your body’s muscles will be infused with both oxygen as well as performance-driving nutrients such as proteins and electrolytes.
As with all our products, The Hydrate Blend ingredients are backed by science, and science never lies.
References
- Sawka M, Latzka, R. et al. Hydration effects on temperature regulation. Int J Sports Med. Click here
- Duvillard S, Braun W, R. et al. Fluids and hydration in prolonged endurance performance. Nutrition. Click here
