On average, the body loses more than two quarts of water every day—without exercise or excessive sweating. Water is a major component of blood, which nourishes the working muscles. It also helps the body cool itself, regulate body temperature, and circulate blood and other fluids.

For athletes, drinking adequate fluids before, during and after practice, games and events is crucial to performance and to preventing dehydration. Many might be surprised to know that losing just three percent of one’s body weight from sweat can significantly affect performance!

Quench Thirst First
What’s the best way to prevent dehydration? Start by making sure that athletes drink enough of the right stuff on a daily basis. Water, juices and milk can help maintain the body’s overall fluid balance. Water-based foods such as soup, oranges, melons and yogurt can help and double as an after-game or practice snack. Athletes shouldn’t depend on thirst as a hydration indicator.

Athletes should avoid or limit soft drinks, coffee, tea and alcohol: each can have a dehydrating effect, causing the body to lose fluids more rapidly.

Signs of dehydration include thirst, headache, dark urine, weight loss after exercise, muscle fatigue, lightheadedness, nausea and heat intolerance.

Is it possible to over-hydrate? Yes. Also known as hyponatremia, too much fluid throws off the body’s fluid balance, leading to nausea, vomiting and in the most severe cases, seizures and death. Athletes concerned about dehydration or over-drinking can figure their personal intake and output by weighing themselves before and after a game or tournament. Weight loss means he should drink more; weight gain means she should drink less.

Game Day Formula
The day prior to a game or daylong tournament, athletes should drink extra water and other fluids to make sure they are well hydrated. During hard exercise, they should drink in moderation based on size, weight and how much they sweat. After exercise, quench thirst and then keep drinking.

What About Sports Drinks?
Sports drinks contain electrolytes and carbohydrates (glucose, sucrose, fructose, glucose polymers) and are often used to replace small amounts of sodium, potassium and other electrolytes lost in sweating during prolonged exercise. As an electrolyte replacement, a sports drink offers an advantage to athletes who exercise more than 90 minutes. Use the information here to determine use of a sports drink.

Length of Event                   Effect on Performance
0 - 60 minutes                     Water is best
1 - 3 hours                            Sports drinks may improve endurance
3 hours or more                  Sports drinks usually improve endurance

Sports drinks aren’t for everybody. Some can cause gastrointestinal discomfort when consumed in large volumes or not diluted properly. Some are weak replacements for eating fruit, yogurt and other wholesome foods that can similarly replace lost electrolytes after a hard workout. Last, not all sports drinks are the same. Read the labels carefully.

If athletes are going to use a sport drink, there are a couple of options. Athletes can use a drink containing 6 to 8 percent carbohydrate to maintain circulatory and thermoregulatory function during exercise. Better yet, choose a drink that contains carbohydrates and protein. Such a combination has been shown to facilitate recovery after a hard workout. In either case, advise athletes to test the drink prior to competition.

Don’t want to spend the money on sports drinks? Make an inexpensive, but effective version at home, mixing one quart Kool-aid or similar product and a teaspoon of salt. Chocolate milk is also an effective drink.

Prevent Exhaustion During Competition
Studies have shown that ingesting 6 to 8 ounces of 6 to 8 percent carbohydrate solution every 15 to 30 minutes during athletic performance can help delay onset of exhaustion in an average-sized, well-trained athlete. For recreational athletes, plain water is sufficient with an appropriate diet.

Sports medicine physician Grant Morrison, M.D., sees athletes at Fairview Sports and Orthopedic Care in Burnsville and at Edina Sports Health and Wellness, P.A., in Edina, Minn. He is a member of Minnesota Sports Medicine. He provides medical coverage for the Twin Cities and Grandmas marathons, the U.S.A. Soccer Cup and Minnesota State High School League tournaments.

For more information, call Fairview Sports and Orthopedic Care at 952-460-4900.