Get a Handle on Hydration

Devastating Dehydration

News flash! It is getting hot outside. The month of July is notorious for two things: heat and humidity.  Usually it is that way. Highs in the mid-80s this week are quite pleasant and not the norm for central Arkansas this time of year.  Be prepared because the heat is returning Monday.  Even with milder temperatures dehydration can still be an issue.  From the fitness enthusiasts’ perspective, dehydration centers on training.  But it often begins long before the training session starts.

Did you wake up this morning?  Odds are you did so dehydrated; before the day began your ability to function and perform has already hampered by something healthy. Something healthy is hurting your hydration? Yes, that hopefully restful night of sleep you woke up from forced you to go several hours without drinking anything. The result being deprivation in fluid levels of the body with the result being dehydration. What do you think happens to that early morning exerciser if they start to train hard in a dehydrated state? Performance will impaired but that is not all that may go wrong. Drinking plenty of water is a vital part in maintaining a healthy, safe body temperature.  Training in a state of dehydration especially in hot and humid weather, at the very least will impair performance resulting in a subpar workout. Potentially this can lead to a medical emergency such as heat stroke. To avoid these problems we need to understand how vital water is to the function of the human body.

Water represents approximate 65% of a person’s total body weight.  Hydration is important; the body can survive up 30 days without food; without water maybe a week. Death by dehydration aside, the muscle tissues are comprised of approximately 75% water. Remove the muscle fibers and cells, what is left to make the muscles work? Water. What kind of athletic performance or training is going to be accomplished if the muscles are lacking the component that makes three quarters of the muscle structure?

Dehydration happens easier than most people realize under normal circumstances.  Add in heat and humidity and suddenly most people, especially athletes and fitness enthusiasts, are living in a near constant state of dehydration. So what is the best way to determine if more water intake is necessary? If you are like most people, you drink when you feel thirsty. If this is you, you waited too long. Proper hydration should begin immediately after your morning ritual in the bathroom. Why? The color of urine is a far more accurate method of assessing hydration than simply feeling thirsty. If the urine is yellow, dark, or has a strong-smell then the body is dehydrated.  This rule applies to any time day, not just first thing in the morning. By failing to consume enough water to correct this state of dehydration a person enters a state of living voluntarily dehydrated. This can lead to cognitive performance issues as well as athletic ones.

When fluid loss is equal to 1% of bodyweight, just 2lbs on a 200lb person, internal body temperature begins to rise above normal.  This is the major health concern for those who are physically active outdoors in the heat of summer. If the dehydration continues to the point of loss of 3-5% of bodyweight (6 to 10lbs on a 200lb person), there is a high risk of cardiovascular strain and potential damage as well as a decrease in the body’s ability to regulate body temperature. This results in a faster rise of internal body temperature. If fluid loss hits the 7% mark (14lbs on a 200lb person) physical collapse and the medical emergency known as heat stroke is likely.

In the heat and humidity of a southern summer it is quite normal to sweat off two to three pounds in an hour depending upon exercise intensity.  For football players or other athletes wearing heavy pads this rate can be even faster.  This is why it is vital to weigh before and after physical activity outdoors. Try this simple test the next time you exercise outdoors. The change on the scale resulting from fluids lost because of sweating will surprise you. An accurate understanding of heat-related weight loss during exercise is important to ensure proper rehydration. For every pound of sweat lost during outdoor activity is necessary to drink one pint of water or sports drink to properly rehydrate.  But monitoring weight loss on a per workout basis is not enough.  Weekly weight change must also be monitored. If a weight loss of more than 5lbs per week happens the body has likely entered a state of chronic dehydration; more than just being dehydrated on a daily basis.

Head start to Stay Hydrated

Hydration starts 1-2 hours before exercise by drinking a minimum of sixteen ounces of water. During outdoor activity at least eight ounces of water should be consumed every thirty minutes. This should happen every fifteen to twenty minutes for people who will be outdoors for more than an hour or are practicing wearing heavy sports equipment (take note football players, parents, and moronic coaches who think water breaks are for weaklings). Whenever possible fluids should be easily accessible and consume regularly.  The body’s thirst mechanism does not function properly in a state of dehydration.  Drink even if you do not feel thirsty. Keep water in a convenient place to maximize consumption. After exercise drink one pint of water for every pound of body weight lost. Water should be the primary source of fluid intake. Remember what I said earlier about how much water contributes to bodyweight? Sports drinks are not necessary for aiding in rehydration unless physical activity will last longer than the one hour. However, sports drinks may be beneficial if it makes a person more conscious about drinking enough fluids. The risk of dehydration can be reduced by performing exercise early in the morning or later in the evening. Avoid exercising in the heat of the day.

Outside in the heat and the humidity is the most common place that dehydration can occur but it is not time that dehydration happens. It can happen indoors. Are you familiar with the space age looking sauna suits? Those things do nothing to help lose body fat. Those suits are a clothing version of hot and humid weather. Yes, you will sweat harder if you train in one.  But wearing that suit does not equate to a higher calorie burn. You are just losing water weight faster than someone not wearing a suit. The sauna suits can create a dehydration medical emergency just as effectively as hot weather.  I know because I have called ambulances for people training in those things (not a client of mine, just another gym-goer). Do not waste your time or your health on one of those. Drink up, stay hydrated and get the most health improvement out of your efforts.