Hydration Station: What Role Does Water Play in Athletic Performance? By Summer C. McNeill | B.S. Nutrition and Dietetics
Every athlete has heard their coaches say “hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!” especially when it’s hot outside. But, why is hydration so important? What role does water play in athletic performance? And how much water should you really be drinking? Let’s start with the basics. Water plays many important roles in our bodies. It regulates our body temperature, transports essential nutrients to muscles and carries away by-products, eliminates metabolic waste through urine, maintains blood volume, lubricates joints, cushions organs, and improves the body’s ability to recover. During exercise especially, water is used to cool the body through sweat. As we move into the warmer months of the year, it’s important to be aware of the amount of sweat you are losing so that you can replenish your body with enough fluids to avoid dehydration.
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What’s the deal with dehydration? Dehydration impairs your ability to train at your best and can lead to a lack of improvement in your perfor-
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mance. Being in a state of dehydration increases your body temperature and heart rate, decreases your blood pressure, makes you feel tired and fatigued faster, leads to muscle cramps and headaches, and can even cause nausea and vomiting. As athletes, you put in so much time and work to be your best, don’t let dehydration be the thing that holds you back from your potential. Those most at risk of dehydration are endurance athletes and athletes who train hard (over an hour) every day. Athletes who train moderately (30-60 minutes) three or four times a week should be able to easily maintain their fluid balance through a healthy diet. You never want to begin a workout in a dehydrated state. If you notice that you are dehydrated, drink some fluids and give your body some time to soak it up before you begin your exercise. How do I know if I am hydrated? The easiest way to track your hydration is by monitoring your urine color and output. Ideally, your pee should be the color of lemonade or light beer. Completely transparent urine may be a sign that you are over-
