Fun and Fitness for the 40-Something

It’s finally heating up in SoCal to the Chicago summer temps that I miss, making proper hydration more important than ever. That’s probably why Active.com recently featured an article with some of the most up-to-date info on managing hydration to improve your performance and maintain optimal health. And it turns out that some of the convention wisdom on hydration doesn’t hold water.

Myth #1: You should drink before you become thirsty.

I have a very distinct memory of Oprah of all people saying that, by the time you feel thirsty, you’re already dehydrated—and you know how reliable Oprah’s health tips are. But recent studies show that such slight dehydration has no detrimental effect on your performance or health. Drinking too much can cause problems, though, so just let your thirst dictate your intake.

Myth #2: You should try to prevent dehydration altogether.

We’ve heard for years that we should consume as much liquid during a workout as we lose to sweat. This incorrectly assumes that all of the weight lost in a workout comes from body fluid evaporating as sweat. Research now shows that as much as 60 percent of the weight loss stems from the loss of water stored in fat and carb molecules released from muscles when they’re converted to energy. And such fluid loss doesn’t have a dehydrating effect because it doesn’t affect blood volume.

Drinking to preempt dehydration also tends to dilute the concentration of sodium and other electrolytes in your blood, especially during workouts that run more than two hours. The result could be hyponatremia, which has potentially dangerous effects like rapid brain swelling, coma and even death.

Myth #3: You can properly with hydrate with either water or sports drinks.

Until 2003, USA Track & Field’s hydration guidelines for runners indicated that water and sports drinks were equally acceptable hydration choices during intense physical activity. The revised guidelines state a preference for sports drinks with sodium and other electrolytes, based on the risks of blood sodium dilution. Sports drinks are absorbed into the bloodstream faster than water is absorbed. They also offer nutrients critical to regulating fluids in the body.

That said, you can still rely on water for easy to moderate workouts of less than an hour. If you’re losing substantial sweat, though, reach for a sports drink.

Myth #4: Protein makes dehydration worse.

Sports drinks increasingly include both carbs and protein, a combo that has been shown to improve performance. Protein may improve absorption and retention of fluids in both competitive athletes and regular exercisers. But avoid too much of a good thing—you only need only about five grams of protein per 12 oz. of drink to enhance absorption, performance and recovery.

Myth #5: Caffeine makes dehydration worse.

Yes, caffeine is a diuretic, but the body can override its dehydrating effect. In fact, caffeine actually can improve performance by stimulating the nervous system and reducing perceived effort. Again, though, you can overdo it. Save your caffeine consumption for races and occasional high-intensity workouts.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 30th, 2009 at 7:48 am and is filed under General Fitness, Health and Wellness. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.