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Water You Talking About

Posted June 26, 2008 at 01:30 PM by Donnell Peavy

Section: His Fitness, Cardio Training, Strength Training, His Health, Physical Health, Lifestyle Health

It’s summertime, and if you live in a climate like mine, it is HOT. It’s not uncommon for temperatures here to be between 90 and 110 between June and September. This poses a major danger while exercising – dehydration. Dehydration not only impairs physical performance, it can lead to things like heat exhaustion and stroke, which of course can lead to death.

What exactly is dehydration?
Simply put, dehydration is excessive water loss from the body. When you exercise, you are subject to mild fluid loss, as you will lose water via sweating. Working out in the heat increases the amount of water lost, as the increased heat causes the body to sweat more.

What effects can dehydration have on performance?
As your body temperature increases, your heart rate also increases, as your body has to increase blood flow to aid in the cooling process. Now, you have an internal struggle as both your skin and muscles require blood flow, and you only have one heart trying to cater to them both. If blood flow to the skin is impaired, the body cannot cool itself fast enough and body temperature continues to rise, possibly resulting in heat exhaustion.

How do you know when you are becoming dehydrated?
Can you rely on thirst to indicate dehydration? Nope. By the time thirst kicks in, the dehydration process has already begun. Thirst kicks in when the body experiences a 2% water loss!  At a level of 3% the dry mouth feeling some people refer to as cotton mouth occurs. Though 11% water loss from a mass that is 70% water may not seem like much, this is the level where death can result from heat exhaustion or stroke.

Preventing dehydration is remarkably easy – drink! Consuming water, sports beverages, etc. will keep the body hydrated and in the case of sports drinks, supplied with electrolytes. Be sure to avoid caffeinated beverages if you are exercising in the heat. Caffeine is a diuretic and as such causes you to urinate, hastening the onset of dehydration. Alcohol should be avoided for the same reasons, so no beer while playing your summer sport of choice with the guys.

Get out and enjoy the summer sun, just be safe while doing so. Keep active and stay hydrated.

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Tags: caffeine, dehydration, donnell peavy, donnellpeavy, exercise and dehydration, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, hydration, water

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