Sport & Hydration: What you need to know

Water is our body’s main constituent! As well as being important for our cells, water helps regulate body temperature, transport molecules, and eliminate waste! Our bodies are 60% water, and our muscles are 76% water. Yet, around 70% of athletes fail to meet their water needs, while a 1% dehydration level results in a 10% loss of physical capacity.

Water loss:

• Through the respiratory tract 
  From 60 ml/h (50% Vo2 max) to 150 ml/h (80% Vo2 max). 
• Through the skin 
  70 to 80% of water loss during exercise (depending on intensity and heat), i.e. 0.5L/h to 2.5L/h.
• Through urine and the gastrointestinal system
  These losses are accentuated in athletes and vary according to physical activity, intensity, duration, outside or indoor temperature on kinomap.

So it’s vital to take care to maintain an optimal hydration level that’s right for your health as well as your performance.

SOME ADVICES:

BEFORE EXERCISE 

Drink small quantities of water every 30 minutes. 

DURING EXERCISE 

Drink water at regular intervals (every 15 min) to avoid a drop in performance. 

AFTER EXERCISE 

Make sure you rehydrate properly to eliminate waste products and promote cell construction. For example, sparkling water can replenish mineral losses, or you could opt for a homemade recovery drink (see recipe).

Which drink to choose according to the time and type of effort? 

• For an effort lasting between 30 minutes and 1 hour, water alone will suffice. You can add a little syrup (such as grenadine) for carbohydrate intake. Additionally, adding electrolytes can help keep you hydrated and compensate for mineral losses during short efforts. 
• For efforts lasting more than 1 hour, it’s important to consume electrolytes at the very least to compensate for mineral losses. In addition to carbohydrates, sodium, and water, the vitamin C found in some exercise drinks helps combat oxidative stress (and prevents cramps).

How to create your own homemade recovery drink?

Recipe – 2 ingredients: 

1/3 organic black grape juice + 2/3 sparkling water rich in minerals and bicarbonate (St Yorre for example)

Sparkling Water is a water rich in minerals and bicarbonate, which helps compensate for mineral losses and has an alkalizing effect (preserving muscles). 

Organic black grape juice provides fast-acting sugars, antioxidants, alkalizing properties, and vitamin B and C content.

Chloé Masson
Nutrition project manager
chloemasson.nutrition@gmail.com

See also other nutrition articles:
HOW SHOULD YOU EAT BEFORE TRAINING?