Hydration boosts performance on test of executive function following exercise in older adults. Dehydration impairs executive function task in middle-age and older adults following endurance exercise.
Water Matters: Why You Need to Drink Enough Water Everyday
Water is essential to balance body fluids, boost brain function, improve digestion, prevent kidney stones, regulate body temperature, and control cholesterol. The required water intake for adult men and women is 3.7 and 2.7 liters per day.
Water is essential to balance body fluids, boost brain function, improve digestion, prevent kidney stones, regulate body temperature, and control cholesterol. The required water intake for adult men and women is 3.7 and 2.7 liters per day.
‘Older people should drink more water to reap the full cognitive benefits of exercise.’
Dehydration has been shown to impair exercise performance and brain function in young people, but less is known about its impact on older populations. The researchers recruited recreational cyclists (average age 55) who participated in a large cycling event on a warm day (78-86 degrees F). The cyclists performed a "trail-making" executive function test--quickly and accurately connecting numbered dots using paper and pencil--before and after the event. Executive function includes the skills needed to plan, focus, remember and multitask. Exercise has been shown to improve intellectual health, including executive function.
The research team tested the volunteers' urine before they exercised and divided them into two groups--normal hydration and dehydrated--based on their hydration status. The normal hydration group showed noticeable improvement in the completion time of the trail-making test after cycling when compared to their pre-cycling test. The dehydration group also completed their post-cycling test more quickly, but the time reduction was not significant. "This suggests that older adults should adopt adequate drinking behaviors to reduce cognitive fatigue and potentially enhance the cognitive benefits of regular exercise participation," the researchers wrote.
Daily Water Intake
Calculate how much glasses of water you need to drink each day to avoid dehydration using this daily water intake calculator.
Calculate how much glasses of water you need to drink each day to avoid dehydration using this daily water intake calculator.
Source-Eurekalert
Exercise for Seniors
Poor health and recurrent illnesses can severely compromise quality of life for seniors. But with appropriate exercise, seniors can age gracefully and maintain overall good health.
Poor health and recurrent illnesses can severely compromise quality of life for seniors. But with appropriate exercise, seniors can age gracefully and maintain overall good health.
Eight Ways to Stay Hydrated Besides Water
Many hydrating drinks other than water like coconut water; lemon, fennel, copper infused water; fruits and whey provide nutrients and have antibacterial effects.
Many hydrating drinks other than water like coconut water; lemon, fennel, copper infused water; fruits and whey provide nutrients and have antibacterial effects.
