A good state of hydration is essential for the maintenance of cells, tissues, organs, systems, apparatuses and all vital functions.
During sports performance, the body is pushed beyond the normal limit. This means that without good hydration it is impossible to fully express specific athletic potential.
Practically:
> State of Hydration => Performance> Recovery
<State of Hydration = <Performance <Recovery.
The importance of this relationship applies above all to:
High intensity disciplines.
Long-lasting disciplines.
Disciplines that cause intense sweating or predisposed subjects.
, let's focus on the role of hydration in sports performance.
Human movement is based on muscle contraction; at the end of this process, heat and waste molecules are produced.
The transport of nutrients, salts and catabolites is based on the blood flow, while the heat is dispersed through sweating.
Although they both require a lot of water, the two processes are perfectly capable of coexisting.
On the other hand, when the thermal regulation engages too many liquids, the blood volume decreases and the transport function remains compromised, leaving the tissues "dry".
it is a hydrosaline solution that mainly contains water, sodium and potassium; to a lesser extent magnesium and chlorine. It is produced by the sweat glands from the blood plasma.The average amount of sweat lost by a moving organism is about 1.5 liters / hour. On the other hand, if the external temperature is such as to require an uncommon effort, the excretion can reach 4-5 liters / hour.
Sweat is not the only way of expelling water; diuresis and (to a lesser extent) pulmonary ventilation also contribute. On the other hand, the body is able to react to dehydration by decreasing renal filtration and increasing thirst. The relationship between fluid loss and sports performance is very close. Already with a depletion equal to 2-3% of body weight. there is a significant decline in results.
For example, a grown man who weighs 70kg and loses 1.5-2.0 liters is unable to cope with the same efforts as normal.
. It can also be produced at home, by mixing various ingredients. However, there are some great formulas on the market that contain all the most useful nutrients.Some consider the use of hydro-saline and / or multi-vitamin food supplements an "unnatural" attitude. than natural (none excluded).
Food supplements certainly cannot replace a healthy and balanced diet (food and drink), but they allow us to provide the "most critical" nutritional principles without introducing other nutrients that we sometimes do not need (fiber, anti-nutritional molecules, fats, proteins, sugars etc). Furthermore, another very important factor must be considered, namely the absorption potential.
Some think that water is the most easily absorbed liquid by the body; it's not right. In fact, the mucous membranes better absorb liquids with isotonic or slightly hypotonic concentrations. To obtain this property, several mineral salts and some carbohydrates are required.
Note: temperature is also a determining factor for absorption. The drink should be very cool, being careful not to overdo it (ice cold is not good) avoiding the risk of abdominal cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.
little favors dehydration and drinking too much causes other equally harmful problems.
The excess of fluids triggers renal filtration. This process requires the excretion of mineral salts, especially sodium and potassium.
It should be remembered that sodium is generally present in excess in the diet, while potassium in deficiency.
In an attempt to improve hydration, drinking too much water runs the risk of worsening the saline balance, compromising sports performance. To prevent this from happening, simply:
- Listen to the sense of thirst.
- Drink a little more than the volume of liquid expelled in sweat.
- It is sufficient to practice a double weight (before and after training) to know the extent of our sweating and compensate for it in future training.
- Prefer a hydro-saline drink.
To give an example, if after a workout in the gym a sweat loss of 2 liters is estimated, it is necessary to drink at least 2.5-3.0 liters of liquid. It is advisable that at least 1/3 is constituted by an isotonic hydro-saline drink.
while playing sports. Moreover, the various disciplines can be very different from each other.
Drinking during a trekking workout is easy, practical and has few side effects. The same cannot be said of bottom swimming or, worse, of deep underwater apnea (during which you spend a lot of time upside down).
Immersed in water, especially upside down (as occurs in the constant attitude of deep underwater apnea), the following occur easily: reflux, regurgitation, nausea, etc.
To avoid the many inconveniences of drinking during sports it is necessary to:
- Drink in small sips.
- Prefer drinks that are easily absorbed.
- Avoid uncomfortable or tight clothing or slings.
- Energy substrates.
- Mineral salts.
- Vitamins.
When choosing the drink, especially in the case of very intense, prolonged activity and with close sessions, it is advisable to prefer a product rich in all vitamins, potassium, magnesium, maltodextrin and antioxidant nutrients.
