The importance of staying hydrated with activity

Water, roughly between 60-70% of what comprises you and I, plays a vital role in the functioning of everyday life. From better overall health to improved body temperature regulation, increased body lubrication and even improved weight maintenance, you will reap greater benefits if you stay well hydrated with water or water-rich fluids.

Hydration is vital to a successful athletic performance. When there is a lack of hydration, from the food you eat to beverages you drink, you will end up dehydrated. This commonly leads to fatigue; muscle cramping and even can reduce your coordination. It also compromises the body’s ability to cool itself through sweating which can also lead to dizziness, fatigue or even heatstroke.

When the difference between top finishers in an endurance event is only a few seconds or less, athletes can’t afford to loose time to dehydration. Athletes should pay close attention to fueling their bodies with fluids and foods consistently by finding their individual sweat rates.” This consists of weighing yourself before and after an athletic event to see how much body weight was lost due to hydration loss.

When you know how much fluid was lost by an athletic event, and then take the next step to learn how to ingest this amount during training, fluid consumption becomes much more automatic and the chance for dehydration during a time of importance (such as a competition) diminishes significantly.

Research suggests that 20-24oz of fluid needs to be consumed for each pound of body weight lost. For athletes who opt for endurance events, make sure to consume a sports drink that has both carbohydrates and an adequate amount of electrolytes by searching for drinks that have 200mg of sodium per 8oz of fluid.

For more information on hydration and athletic performance you can check out the position statement by the NATA.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1323420/