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Gym Session Ahead? Get a Sweat; Don't Dehydrate

Creator: Dr. Krishanga
Keywords: hydration, electrolyte balance, dehydration, summer, exercise, water, minerals

by Dr. Krishanga on May 10, 2023 at 5:48 PM

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Highlights:

Hydration is crucial for maintaining electrolyte balance
In addition to drinking enough fluids, choosing the right type of fluid can also enhance performance during exercise
To combat summertime heat and dehydration, it's important to avoid exercising during the hottest hours of the day

Every year, a lot of us promise ourselves to get fit and make that resolution that goes by the tagline "hustle for the muscle." However, with this summer in full swing, exercising can feel a lot harder and can completely drain us out. But this fatigue can be avoided by replenishing your body with all the lost water and minerals.

For Maintaining Electrolyte Balance, Hydration is Essential

Beverage's electrolyte content seems to have the biggest impact on the hydration of the body, especially during the summer when the temperature outside the glass window of the gym is already set to drain you of all the water that it can (1^✔).

As per research, it can be claimed that electrolytes have a dual role in hydration.

They can hydrate your body at a quicker pace
They sustain hydration for longer periods (2^✔)

What can a Lack of Water do to you?

Lack of water can cause heat to build up in our bodies during strenuous activities like sports, travel, and work, raising the rate of cardiovascular strain, glycogen utilization, and muscle lactate, making the body work harder than it needs to.

‘Whether it's summer or not, the purpose of hydrating while working out is to replenish fluids lost through perspiration.’

A well-hydrated body performs better, and electrolytes like sodium (Na) are vital for regulating blood pressure and keeping you calm.

Whatever You Do, Take Water With You: The Ideal Amount of Hydration

Anushka Saran, a dietician, and co-founder of Nourish Now India, claims that the goal of drinking when exercising, regardless of whether it is summer or not, is to replace fluids lost through perspiration. Inadequate hydration during exercise would lead to muscle exhaustion and heat, she added.

Dehydration has been proven to decrease the muscle's ability to contract, which can hinder performance. "Symptoms of dehydration can range from moderate headaches and appetite loss to severe muscle spasms and hallucinations, depending on the severity of the condition. The three most frequent issues are heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. It's best to rehydrate with 100-200 ml of water every 10-15 minutes, according to Anushka.

"The fluid would differ depending on the type of exercise performed. Plain, cool water for light weight lifting or cardio training. ORS/BCAA (branched chain amino acids): increased energy levels; arginine: faster muscle recovery for intense weight training and cardio. For athletic training (mostly outdoor and lasting more than 2 hours), sports drinks containing 6-8% glucose are recommended," she added further.

Break Away and Enjoy the Summer Heat with These Simple Tips

The heat and rising temperatures are having a modest to major influence on everyone, according to Dr. Pooja Singh, a health expert from Fast&Up. She also provided tips on how to stay hydrated this summer that are among the best, simplest, and most reasonably priced, especially for people who work and athletes who are competing this year.

Water

:
Alright, let's start off by dispelling the idea that being hydrated is aided by drinking enough water. Well, this notion holds absolutely no truth. Water is necessary for hydration, but it is insufficient on its own in this situation (3^✔).

Minerals

:
Adding electrolytes to water can help the body maintain a healthy acid-alkaline and electrolyte balance.

Minerals known as electrolytes contain electrically charged ions that are dissolved in a polar solvent, like water. They also assist in controlling important bodily functions.

Calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, chloride, and phosphorus are important minerals. In essence, we need these ions to get to the organs that lead to better oxygenation in order to maintain our physical and mental fitness in this rising temperature (controlling parameters like B.P., pulse, heart rate, etc.) (4^✔).

The best high-mineral and electrolyte fluid choices are:

Coconut water
Milk
Yogurt
Nut
Fruit, and vegetable smoothies (5^✔)

Water that has been infused with tablets is more convenient to use and carry when traveling or spending most of the time outside.

Fruit juices:

The fruits with the lowest sugar levels and highest water content are the best. When that happens, watermelon juice is a miracle cure.

How to not Dehydrate in the Gym

Additionally, Dr. Pooja Singh offered some exercise advice to combat the summertime heat and dehydration.

Exercise Timing

:
Try to avoid exercising in the hottest hours of the day.

Exercise Intensity

:
To prevent fluid depletion, aim to maintain your workout intensity at moderate or high levels, depending on your electrolyte and internal organ hydration levels.

Recovery

:
Eating a well-balanced diet and getting enough sleep are critical for keeping the body and mind in shape, especially during the summer.

Hydrating Meals:

You can rely on hydrating meals to get that extra drop of hydration.

It is advised to drink enough water while exercising in the summer and integrating hydrated meals and drinks into your regular routine can enhance performance, according to Sanil Rane, a nutritionist from GoodEatz. You can keep hydrated by including nutrient-dense foods like mushroom soup and masala oats in your diet and drinking lots of water, he noted.

Are you Getting that Fiber

Masala oats are a great source of fiber and other necessary nutrients that can keep you feeling full and energized all day. The rich vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant content of mushroom soup makes it a great replenishing snack for those mid-afternoon cravings (6^✔).

To conclude,
Don't let your fitness goals be affected by the sun, try these simple ways to make hydration fun.

References:

The Beverage Hydration Index: Influence of Electrolytes, Carbohydrate and Protein - (https:pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34578811/)
Effect of a carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage, lemon tea, or water on rehydration during short-term recovery from exercise - (https:pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21813913/)
Water as an essential nutrient: the physiological basis of hydration - (https:pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19724292/)
Disturbances of Free Water, Electrolytes, Acid-Base Balance, and Oncotic Pressure - (https:www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7149330/)
Comparison of coconut water and a carbohydrate-electrolyte sport drink on measures of hydration and physical performance in exercise-trained men - (https:pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22257640/)
Fibre and water binding - (https:pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12756971/)

Source: Medindia

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