It may also vary based on your body size, sport, how much you sweat and where you train. If you sweat heavily or have salty sweat, you may need even more fluid with the addition of more salt. Figuring out if this applies to you can be a bit tricky and needs special equipment.

One quick and simple way to start to determine if this is an issue for you is to taste your sweat. If your sweat tastes salty or burns your eyes, you might be someone who sweats a lot of salt. Yes, you can. If you drink too much water quickly, it can cause a problem called hyponatremia.

When you drink too much water, it dilutes the sodium in your body. Sodium helps control the amount of water in and around your cells. If you want more specific advice, you can make an appointment with our sports dietitian.

We offer a variety of appointment types. Learn more or call to schedule now. Skip Navigation Home News Room Blogs How to Hydrate as an Athlete. Print Share. How to Hydrate as an Athlete. Check your urine. Note the amount and its color. After exercise, athletes should drink enough water to replace the fluids they lost during exercise.

For every 1 pound lost during the water, the athlete asked to consume 20 oz of water. This helps ensure that the athlete replenishes what was lost through sweat but also allows them to get ahead on their hydration for recovery and activities to come later on or on the next day.

Drink Plenty of Water: The most obvious way to stay hydrated is to drink plenty of water. Athletes should aim to drink at least half of their body weight in pounds in ounces of water per day and more if they are exercising.

Eat Hydrating Foods: Some foods, such as watermelon, cucumber, and oranges, are high in water content and can help athletes stay hydrated. Avoid Dehydrating Drinks: Certain drinks, such as soda, coffee, and alcohol, can dehydrate the body. Athletes should avoid these drinks, especially when training or competing.

Monitor Urine Color: A good way to monitor hydration levels is to check the color of urine. Clear or light-colored urine indicates proper hydration, while dark-colored urine may indicate dehydration. Hydration is a crucial aspect of athletic performance. By drinking plenty of water, eating hydrating foods, avoiding dehydrating drinks, monitoring urine color, and using a hydration system, athletes can stay properly hydrated and perform at their best.

Remember to drink water before, during, and after exercise to ensure your body stays hydrated and ready to perform. Sweating causes a loss of electrolytes like potassium, magnesium, sodium, and calcium, which play a pivotal role in muscle function and fluid balance.

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Check out more workouts and drills in our soccer training video gallery. Pre-activity nutrition Pre-activity nutrition is divided into two main time frames, based on when practices and games are scheduled. Pre-activity meal hours before grams of carbohydrates High in lean protein Low in fiber and fat fl.

milk, juice or sports drink Example: Grilled chicken, brown rice, corn, green beans, salad and vanilla pudding With less time, try something smaller, lower in fat and fiber, like instant oatmeal with fruit and milk, or an apple with nuts or peanut butter. Pre-activity snack grams of easily digestible carbohydrate Moderate in protein Low in fiber and fat fl.

water or sports drink Example: Banana and peanut butter, yogurt and small amounts of granola, cereal and milk, granola bar, etc. Nutrition during training or competition Effective nutrition and hydration strategies during workouts and games depend on how long each session lasts, the environmental conditions, and whether you are training or competing just once or multiple times on the same day.

Nutrition during activity Drink oz. Recovery Nutrition post-workout or game is also very important, because it promotes recovery by replenishing glycogen stores and helping repair muscle damage.

Post-activity meal High in whole grain carbohydrates High in lean protein Good amount of fiber and fats fl. chocolate milk, smoothie, sports drink, water Example: in. Hydration A sweat loss of more than 2 percent of your pre-activity, normally hydrated body weight has been shown to negatively affect your athletic performance, and more so in a hot and humid environment.

Use the following strategies to avoid significant dehydration: If you are thirsty, you are probably already somewhat dehydrated. Minimize pre-activity body water deficits by drinking regularly throughout the day. Check the color of your urine. A darker color, similar to apple juice, signifies you are dehydrated.

A color closer to lemonade means you are properly hydrated. Determine your sweat rate by weighing yourself before and after a training session and competition on different days in different environments to get an average rate of sweat loss.

The difference in body weight divided by time will give you an estimate of sweating rate. After activity, for every one pound lost, drink ounces of fluids before the next bout, unless you only have a short recovery time.

If you are a heavy sweater, incorporate salty snacks into your diet, as the salt encourages you to drink and helps to distribute and retain ingested water.

Bottom line Make sure you come to practice properly hydrated by consuming fluids regularly throughout the day. Focus on fueling appropriately for your sport.

Read More. Knee Bracing: What Works? Sore Muscles from Exercise. Exercise and Seniors. Nutrition for Athletes. The Exercise Habit. Why Exercise? Exercise: How To Get Started.

Home Prevention and Wellness Exercise and Fitness Exercise Basics Hydration for Athletes. How much water should I drink while exercising? The American Council on Exercise has suggested the following basic guidelines for drinking water before, during, and after exercise: Drink 17 to 20 ounces of water 2 to 3 hours before you start exercising.

Drink 8 ounces of water 20 to 30 minutes before you start exercising or during your warm-up. Drink 7 to 10 ounces of water every 10 to 20 minutes during exercise. Drink 8 ounces of water no more than 30 minutes after you exercise. What about sports drinks? Things to consider Dehydration happens when you lose more fluid than you drink.

Symptoms of dehydration can include the following: Dizziness or lightheaded feeling Nausea or vomiting Muscle cramps Dry mouth Lack of sweating Hard, fast heartbeat Symptoms of severe dehydration can include mental confusion, weakness, and loss of consciousness.

What is heat illness? There are 3 stages of heat illness: Heat cramps Heat exhaustion Heatstroke Symptoms of heat cramps include painful muscle spasms in the legs, stomach, arms, or back.

How much water is too much? When to see a doctor You should see a doctor immediately if you have symptoms of dehydration, heat exhaustion, or heatstroke. Questions to ask your doctor How much water should I drink each day? How much more water should I drink when I am exercising? What is the best way for me to prevent dehydration?

Am I more at risk for becoming dehydrated? Does altitude affect hydration? Is there a reason I should consider sports drinks while exercising?

Resources American Council on Exercise: Healthy Hydration American Heart Association: Staying Hydrated — Staying Healthy National Institutes of Health, MedlinePlus: Dehydration. Last Updated: June 2, This article was contributed by familydoctor.

org editorial staff. Categories: Exercise and Fitness , Exercise Basics , Prevention and Wellness. Tags: dehydration , hydration. Copyright © American Academy of Family Physicians This information provides a general overview and may not apply to everyone.

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PRESS CONTACTS. MEDIA CENTER EXPERTS. Optimizing Hydration for Athletes. Optimizing Hydration for Athletes Sub Heading Hydration status affects athletic performance more than you may realize. Main Image. Duration MAR. Description Water makes up two-thirds of the body's composition, and one way that humans lose water is through sweat, which is amplified during exercise.

The Impact of Dehydration on Athletic Performance In simple terms, fluid intake must match fluid loss to maintain a well-hydrated state. Niko Mihic, head of Real Madrid's medical team. Rehydration for Athletes: Key Strategies Maintaining adequate hydration before, during and after exercise practice or competition requires intentional fluid habits among athletes.

Before Exercise Two to four hours leading up to exercise, an athlete should drink 2 to 4 milliliters per pound of body weight in fluids.

After Exercise The goal after training is to drink approximately 16 to 24 ounces of fluid for every pound of weight loss during exercise. Composition of Rehydration Beverages Water is necessary for hydration, but electrolytes are crucial for healthy nerve function, muscle contraction and enhanced fluid uptake.

For example, sodium helps the body retain fluid, reduce urine production and prevent muscle cramps , and glucose and sodium work together to help promote gut absorption. Hakim Bouzamondo, head of Research and Development at Abbott. RELATED ARTICLE. Keto-Friendly Recipes for the Holidays Main Image.

Heading Keto-Friendly Recipes for the Holidays. Use the following strategies to avoid significant dehydration: If you are thirsty, you are probably already somewhat dehydrated. Minimize pre-activity body water deficits by drinking regularly throughout the day.

Check the color of your urine. A darker color, similar to apple juice, signifies you are dehydrated. A color closer to lemonade means you are properly hydrated. Determine your sweat rate by weighing yourself before and after a training session and competition on different days in different environments to get an average rate of sweat loss.

The difference in body weight divided by time will give you an estimate of sweating rate. After activity, for every one pound lost, drink ounces of fluids before the next bout, unless you only have a short recovery time.

If you are a heavy sweater, incorporate salty snacks into your diet, as the salt encourages you to drink and helps to distribute and retain ingested water.

Bottom line Make sure you come to practice properly hydrated by consuming fluids regularly throughout the day. Focus on fueling appropriately for your sport. Timing matters. In order to meet your energy and nutrient needs, eat every three to four hours.

Include a variety of foods in your daily diet. Incorporate whole grains, lean meats, and fruits and vegetables in most meals.

Make sure to try out new food and drink options in practices or workouts — not on game day. This helps you determine what choices work best for you and what your body is able to tolerate, without undue risk to your game-day performance.

The right nutrition and hydration plan can be a game-changer. SHN Staff Sanford Health News is your site for health news from the experts at Sanford Health.

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Pre-Exercise Hydration Strategies ml fl oz of water or a sports drink should be consumed hours prior to activity. Individuals should begin all physical activity properly hydrated to help prevent dehydration from occurring.

Exercise Hydration Strategies ml fl oz of water should be consumed every minutes during activity in order to try to maintain hydration levels. Amount of fluid intake and frequency of intake should be based on their rate of sweating and environmental conditions.

Individuals participating in activities where breaks only occur during time-outs or between quarters, like distance running, field hockey, lacrosse, and soccer, should ingest enough fluids to maximize hydration.

Post-Exercise Hydration Strategies The primary goal of rehydrating after activity is to immediately return physiologic function.

Rehydration fluids should be consumed within 2 hours after activity. The calories, potassium, and other nutrients in sports drinks can provide energy and electrolytes to help you perform for a longer period of time. Choose a sports drink wisely.

They are often high in calories from added sugar and may contain high levels of sodium. Also, check the serving size. One bottle may contain several servings. If you drink the entire bottle, you may need to double or triple the amounts given on the nutrition facts label.

Some sports drinks contain caffeine. If you consume a sports drink that contains caffeine, be careful not to add too much caffeine to your diet. Caffeine may cause a diuretic effect on your body. This means that you may have to urinate more often. Sugary drinks, such as juice and soda, are not healthy options for staying hydrated.

Dehydration happens when you lose more fluid than you drink. Dehydration can range from mild to severe. Symptoms of dehydration can include the following:. Symptoms of severe dehydration can include mental confusion, weakness, and loss of consciousness.

You should get emergency medical attention immediately if you have any of these symptoms. There are 3 stages of heat illness:. Symptoms of heat cramps include painful muscle spasms in the legs, stomach, arms, or back.

Symptoms of heat exhaustion are more serious. They can include faint or weak feelings, nausea, headache, fast heartbeat, and low blood pressure. The most serious heat-related illness is heatstroke.

Symptoms can include high body temperature higher than °F , fast heartbeat, flushed skin, fast breathing, and possibly even confusion or delirium, loss of consciousness, or seizures. You should get emergency medical attention immediately if you experience any of the symptoms of heatstroke.

Untreated heatstroke can lead to death. This depends on your body and the kind of activity you are doing. Talk to your family doctor if you have questions about the right amount of water to drink while exercising. You should see a doctor immediately if you have symptoms of dehydration, heat exhaustion, or heatstroke.

You should also see a doctor if you have symptoms of a rare condition called hyponatremia. These include confusion, headache, vomiting, and swelling of the hands and feet.

American Council on Exercise: Healthy Hydration. American Heart Association: Staying Hydrated — Staying Healthy. National Institutes of Health, MedlinePlus: Dehydration. Last Updated: June 2, Take advantage of every opportunity during a game to take a drink.

Swallow the drink rather than rinsing your mouth and spitting it out. Water and electrolyte needs for football training and match-play. Sports Sci. Maughan RM, Shirreffs SM, Merson SJ, Horwsill CA.

Fluid and electrolyte balance in elite male football soccer players training in a cool environment. Sport Sci. Shirreffs SM, Aragon-Vargas LF, Chamorro M, Maughan RJ, Serratosa L, Zachwieja JJ.

The sweating response of elite professional soccer players to training in the heat. Sports Med. Broad EM, Burke LM, Cox GR, Heeley P, and Riley M.

Body weight changes and voluntary fluid intakes during training and competition sessions in team sports. Sport Nutr.

Maughan RJ, Merson SJ, Broad NP, Shirreffs SM. Fluid and electrolyte intake and loss in elite soccer players during training. Below P. Fluid and carbohydrate ingestion indpendently improve performance during 1 h of intense exercise. Sports Exerc.