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Hydration strategies for hot weather endurance activities -

Endurance sports place heavy demands on your body. When you exercise for hours on end, your hydration needs including electrolyte needs increase dramatically.

This is a typical complaint I hear from runners, cyclists, and swimmers alike. Somewhere along that long-awaited marathon, triathlon, or Iron Man, they bonk.

And after the race, they stay bonked for a long time. Though it may seem counter-intuitive, adding water without electrolytes may make this situation worse. In actuality, that myth can be quite harmful—and even more-so than dehydration. Drinking water without replacing lost sodium dilutes blood sodium levels , and can cause a dangerous condition called hyponatremia.

The headaches, cramps, and confusion that come with exercise-associated hyponatremia plague a large portion of athletes. To make matters worse, exercise-associated hyponatremia is often confused with dehydration.

This results in a dangerous and ineffective prescription: Drink more water. Endurance athletes need to drink more water than most folks to replace the fluids lost through their sweat. But for the sake of their health, that water NEEDS to contain sodium.

There are two factors at play here: 1 water, to provide the fluid volume to minimize stress on the cardiorespiratory system, improve evaporative cooling, etc. This will set the stage for later, when we get into hydrating for endurance sports.

Hydration is a state of fluid balance in your body, not the act of pounding fluids. A state of euhydration is essential for good health.

Normally, your body does a nice job maintaining euhydration. Electrolytes are essential too— especially sodium. Sodium is a positively charged mineral called a cation responsible for regulating extracellular fluid balance, or the water outside of your cells.

This suboptimal hydration takes two forms:. I want to cover each separately, because both states can sap your energy, performance, and recovery. Long-distance and high-intensity activities like running, cycling, and obstacle racing provoke tremendous sweat loss. As a result, total body water decreases significantly.

While this is certainly an interesting thought, a few things are still not clear. For starters, how do these folks manage to use this technique without disrupting electrolyte balance?

And is part of the reason that these athletes manage to compete at such a high level due to their ability to function at a modestly dehydrated state? At a minimum, we can argue the case that truly elite athletes are not necessarily avoiding dehydration at all costs.

Dehydration , in case you were wondering, is the process of losing those fluids. Hypohydration is the result. When someone is hypohydrated, exercise tolerance decreases and performance suffers. This is well-documented , but the mechanisms behind why this happens are up for debate.

One potential reason? Skin temperature increases, and your ability to sweat and, therefore, cool down decreases. This is also why, at any given temperature, higher humidity makes exercise harder and more physically stressful.

Even whilst well hydrated, high humidity reduces the effectiveness of evaporative cooling via sweat. To reinforce that last point, in one study , researchers found that when cyclists were hypohydrated, performance declined in lock step with rising skin temperature.

Should you just drink more water, then? Since sodium regulates fluid balance, adequate sodium intake is required to retain water and maintain the electrochemical gradient produced by higher concentrations of sodium outside cells and higher concentrations of potassium inside cells.

A consensus statement from the International Olympic Committee reads:. To prevent dehydration, many athletes guzzle sodium-free water beyond what thirst prompts. To make matters worse, guzzling water creates a bigger problem: Hyperhydration.

Hyperhydration, also known as overwatering or water intoxication, is a potentially fatal state of electrolyte disturbance brought on by excessive water consumption. You see this a lot in marathons.

Runners drink electrolyte-free water on a set schedule, dilute blood sodium levels, then suffer the consequences of exercise-associated hyponatremia low serum sodium. Hyponatremia is serious stuff.

In the beginning, it causes headaches, cramps, confusion, and fatigue. As sodium levels continue to fall, seizures, brain damage, and even death can result. More than a few elite athletes have perished from hyponatremia. What about dehydration? Not one sports-related death, in all the medical literature.

However, excessive sweating without proper hydration can lead to dehydration, impacting your athletic performance and overall well-being. Water is essential for regulating body temperature, allowing you to maintain optimal physical function even in the heat. Adequate hydration helps replenish lost fluids and ensures your body's cooling system remains efficient.

When you're dehydrated , blood volume decreases, impairing oxygen delivery to muscles and vital organs. This results in decreased stamina, reduced strength, and compromised endurance. On the other hand, staying hydrated optimises blood circulation, delivering oxygen and nutrients to muscles, which promotes better performance, faster recovery, and improved focus.

Electrolytes play a vital role in muscle contractions, nerve function, and maintaining fluid balance. Hydrating with electrolyte-rich beverages or consuming electrolyte supplements helps replenish these crucial minerals, preventing muscle cramps, fatigue, and even heat exhaustion.

These conditions can be life-threatening if not properly addressed. Staying well-hydrated is a primary defence against heat illness, as it helps regulate body temperature and supports the body's natural cooling mechanisms.

Athletes should prioritise pre-, during, and post-workout hydration to mitigate the risks associated with hot weather exercise. To optimise hydration in hot weather, athletes should adopt the following strategies:. a Pre-hydration : Begin hydrating well in advance of exercise, allowing your body time to absorb and distribute fluids.

Aim to drink ml of water or a sports drink hours before physical activity. b During exercise : Drink fluids at regular intervals during your workout, even if you don't feel excessively thirsty. Sip on water or electrolyte-rich drinks, ideally every minutes, throughout the duration of your training sessions to maintain hydration levels and replenish electrolytes.

c Post-workout: Rehydration is essential after exercise. Aim to drink approx. Choose water or electrolyte drinks to restore fluid balance and aid recovery.

d Monitor urine colour: Pay attention to the colour of your urine as an indicator of hydration. Clear or light-yellow urine suggests proper hydration, while darker urine indicates dehydration and the need for more fluids.

For athletes, hot weather poses unique challenges that demand a proactive approach to hydration. Staying properly hydrated optimises performance, aids in recovery, and mitigates the risks associated with exercising in high temperatures. Remember, hydration is a continuous process, and regular fluid intake is key.

By prioritising hydration strategies, athletes can unleash their full potential and excel in their chosen disciplines, no matter how scorching the weather may be. So, drink up, stay cool, and conquer the heat with your unbeatable athletic prowess!

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