{"id":35388,"date":"2022-06-08T15:06:12","date_gmt":"2022-06-08T13:06:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/?p=35388"},"modified":"2026-11-03T17:30:59","modified_gmt":"2026-11-03T16:30:59","slug":"importance-hydration-sport","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/importance-hydration-sport\/","title":{"rendered":"The importance of hydration in sport"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You often hear a general recommendation to drink 2 L of water a day. It sounds simple. But does it apply to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/personalised-diet-inside-out\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">everyone<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">? What if you exercise, it is hot or you barely sweat? Is <\/span><b>hydration in sport<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> different from hydration for someone who is inactive?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">And does that amount include water from solid foods? Or liquids such as milk?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">There are plenty of questions. Let&#8217;s work through them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-30005 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/agua.jpg\" alt=\"how many litres of water should you drink daily\" width=\"999\" height=\"560\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/agua.jpg 999w, https:\/\/getindya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/agua-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/getindya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/agua-768x431.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 999px) 100vw, 999px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">What is hydration, and why does it matter?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hydration<\/span><b> means supplying the body&#8217;s tissues with the water they need.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">To put this in context, <\/span><b>the body&#8217;s chemical reactions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> rely on <\/span><b>an aqueous environment<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Disturbances in fluid balance can affect muscles, concentration and organs such as the liver and kidneys. <\/span><b>Maintaining appropriate hydration matters<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, especially during exercise.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-28931 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/hidratacion-deportista-1-1.jpg\" alt=\"athlete hydrating from a water bottle\" width=\"2001\" height=\"1001\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/hidratacion-deportista-1-1.jpg 2001w, https:\/\/getindya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/hidratacion-deportista-1-1-300x150.jpg 300w, https:\/\/getindya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/hidratacion-deportista-1-1-768x384.jpg 768w, https:\/\/getindya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/hidratacion-deportista-1-1-1536x768.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2001px) 100vw, 2001px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Why is adequate hydration essential for sport?<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Dehydration<\/span><b> and a related <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">rise in body temperature<\/span><b> can both affect sports performance.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Even excellent sleep, coaching, nutrition and blood-test results cannot compensate for severe dehydration. <\/span><b>Too little fluid can force you to stop<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, and the warning signs can be unpleasant.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">After substantial sweat loss, <\/span><b>rehydration<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> may require more than plain water: <\/span><b>electrolytes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> from food or drinks can help replace losses.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">By extra electrolytes, <\/span><b>we do not mean beer<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. It is not a good recovery drink.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Drinking excessive amounts can also be harmful<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Plan fluid intake around thirst, conditions and individual losses rather than forcing litres at once; overdrinking can cause dangerous dilution of blood sodium.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Hydration should be personalised<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to the exercise and athlete, helping maintain fluid and electrolyte balance. A loss of around 2% or more of body mass during exercise can affect performance in some settings, although this is not a universal diagnostic threshold.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Effects of dehydration<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Symptoms<\/span><b> can become more pronounced as dehydration worsens. They may include:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Greater exercise-related <\/span><b>stress<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Increased <\/span><b>body temperature<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Increased <\/span><b>heart rate<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and <\/span><b>perceived effort<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Reduced <\/span><b>physical performance<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Cramps<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> or severe headaches, though these can also have other causes.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Inadequate hydration can reduce <\/span><b>plasma volume<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and blood flow to the digestive tract. This is one possible contributor to <\/span><b>digestive discomfort<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> during intense exercise.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-28925 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/hidratacion-deporte-agua.jpg\" alt=\"water pouring from a bottle into a glass\" width=\"2001\" height=\"1001\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/hidratacion-deporte-agua.jpg 2001w, https:\/\/getindya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/hidratacion-deporte-agua-300x150.jpg 300w, https:\/\/getindya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/hidratacion-deporte-agua-768x384.jpg 768w, https:\/\/getindya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/hidratacion-deporte-agua-1536x768.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2001px) 100vw, 2001px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">How much water should I drink?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sweat rate, body size, exercise, humidity and temperature all influence fluid needs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Your <\/span><b>sweat rate<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is the amount of sweat lost during 1 hour of training. Heat generally increases sweating as your body dissipates exercise-generated heat, increasing fluid and electrolyte losses. Adapt your hydration plan accordingly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As you can imagine, 2 L of water per day may not be right for you. The <\/span><b>amount and composition<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> need to reflect the athlete, including sweat rate, and the <\/span><b>particular training session<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Both the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/athlete-diet-different-sports\/\"><b>sports diet<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and hydration plan change with these demands.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-28928 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/hidratacion-deporte-gimnasio.jpg\" alt=\"athlete with a water bottle at the gym\" width=\"2001\" height=\"1001\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/hidratacion-deporte-gimnasio.jpg 2001w, https:\/\/getindya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/hidratacion-deporte-gimnasio-300x150.jpg 300w, https:\/\/getindya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/hidratacion-deporte-gimnasio-768x384.jpg 768w, https:\/\/getindya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/hidratacion-deporte-gimnasio-1536x768.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2001px) 100vw, 2001px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hydration guidelines for sport<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Where appropriate, <\/span><b>sports drinks<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> can supply 6\u20139% <\/span><b>carbohydrate<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, mainly readily available sugars, and <\/span><b>sodium<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> at around 0.5\u20130.7 g per litre. The original article also describes total sodium intakes of 0.5\u20131.2 g per hour using drinks, salty foods or salt tablets. These are context-dependent ranges, not automatic requirements; sodium does not make excessive drinking safe.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A commonly cited pre-exercise guide is 5\u20137 ml per kilogram over the 3\u20134 <\/span><b>hours before<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> training, adjusted to individual needs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For effective<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/post-workout-what-to-eat\/\"><b>post-workout recovery<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, one guide is approximately 1.5 L of fluid per kilogram lost, spread over recovery. The original article suggests drinks containing 0.3\u20130.7 g of <\/span><b>sodium per litre, plus carbohydrate<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, with <\/span><b>protein<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> considered where useful. Individualise the plan rather than forcing intake.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As always, <\/span><b>adapt these guidelines<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to each athlete. Like nutrition, <\/span><b>hydration should be personalised<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> with support from <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">sports nutritionists<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-28926 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/hidratacion-deporte-alimentos.jpg\" alt=\"water-rich foods on a grey table\" width=\"2001\" height=\"1001\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/hidratacion-deporte-alimentos.jpg 2001w, https:\/\/getindya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/hidratacion-deporte-alimentos-300x150.jpg 300w, https:\/\/getindya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/hidratacion-deporte-alimentos-768x384.jpg 768w, https:\/\/getindya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/hidratacion-deporte-alimentos-1536x768.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2001px) 100vw, 2001px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Which foods contain the most water?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Remember: <\/span><b>we eat water as well as drink it<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. The original article estimates that around 30% of intake comes from food, though this varies. Foods contribute to overall hydration.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For example, hake is about 76% water and yoghurt about 86%. Lettuce, oranges, tomatoes and cucumbers are also water-rich. A boiled egg provides protein as well as water.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you find drinking water difficult, dishes such as gazpacho, salmorejo, vegetable soups and salads can contribute to your <\/span><b>nutritional plan<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fancy something sweet? <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/7-homemade-ice-cream-recipes\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Homemade ice creams<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> can also contribute fluid as part of your diet.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Remember that a hydration plan that suits you may differ from the one that suits your coach, trail-running partner or CrossFit partner.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Your eating and hydration plan is as unique as you are. A <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/getindya.com\/nutricionistas\/\"><b>nutritionist<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> can help you understand why, and teach you to manage the many variables involved in truly personalised nutrition.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why does hydration matter in sport? Learn about dehydration, fluid needs and practical ways to personalise your hydration plan.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":13494,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35388","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sin-categoria"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35388","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35388"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35388\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35866,"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35388\/revisions\/35866"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13494"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35388"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35388"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35388"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}