Hydration for sports performance

 

Why is fluid important?

Fluid intake is important in sports performance because it helps to maintain blood volume, regulate body temperature and allows muscles to contractions to take place. The main way the body regulates its temperature is through sweating so when exercising we need to replace fluid lost during sweating. The intake of fluid reduces the risk of heat stress, maintains muscle function and prevent dehydration.

Nautral food finder (2015)

Above shows the daily fluid intake for people at certain body weights.

There is a possibility of over drinking so sports nutritionists regulate sweat rates and from that they work out how much fluid is needed for the individual sports performer.

Dehydration

Dehydration occurs when your body looses more fluid than it has taken in. The main cause of dehydration is when people do not take in enough fluid when taking part in exercise, this can also be effected by the climate and humidity of the area. To not become dehydrated you must take on plenty of fluids trying to avoid fizzy drinks. The most common cause of dehydration in athletes are excessive sweating, inadequate fluid intake, failure to replace fluids that have been lost during exercise and exercising in hot weather conditions.

Fitness sports and deployed forces support (2015)

Above is a urine chart showing the colour your urine would be a ponts of hydration down to dehydration.

                                                         lucozade sport (2015)
This video above shows the different tests carried out at a top level to avoid dehydration and to sustain peak performance.

Hyponatraemia

 

Hyponatraemia occurs when the sodium levels in the body are to little, this is common in endurance athletes such as marathon runners because a cause of hyponatraemia is drinking to much but as an endurance athlete you have to drink lots to try to replace fluid thats lost because of sweating. When the sodium levels become low this causes your cells to swell with water, which can cause your brain to swell and your lungs to fill with fluid. The symptoms of hyponatraemia are confusion, headache, vomitting and swelling of the hands and feet.

Pre, inter and post hydration

Pre event hydration

This is recommended for athletes so that they are fully hydrated at the start of training or a competition, you are recommended to take 300-500 ml of fluid 10-15 minutes before exercise. this can have a substantial impact on sports performance because it makes sure you are fully hydrated and gives you the abilty to keep hydrated.

 

Inter event hydration

 

At this stage you are trying to replenish what you have lost whilst training or in a competition. The rehydration process can be speeded by drinking cool still drinks. the more intense the activity the more fluid is needed to be taken on, you should take on about 150-200ml of fluid every 15-20 mins during exercise.

 

Post event hydration

Sports nutritionalists often take into account weight and urine colour when trying to determine how much fluid needs to be taken on, these tests done frequently can help provide information for both pre and inter event hydration.

How this effects sports performance?

Hydration can have a massive impact on sports performance because when you are fully hydrated you are able to last longer and symptoms of fatigue dont show as much as when you are not hydrated. Not being hydrated it leads to a loss in energy and can often lead to injury or dehydration. A sports performer which is hydrated compared to one who isnt fully hydrated, the hydrated would perform better as they would have more energy and be better hydrated throughout the game.

References

Lucozade sport (2015) Lucozade Sport Performance Day 2012 - Hydration (Online at url) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzB-sPj9uOQ [Accessed on 27/04/2015]

Nautral food finder (2015) hydration thurst for truth. (Online at url) http://www.naturalfoodfinder.co.uk/hydration-thirst-truth-blog [Accessed on 27/04/2015]

Fitness sports and deplyed forces support (2015) Hydrate (Online at url) http://www.navyfitness.org/nutrition/noffs_fueling_series/hydrate/ [Accessed on 27/04/2015]