How much fluid should I drink in a day?
Fluid intake is more complicated than the often heard “drink 8 glasses of water a day”. Anywhere from 20 to 100 percent of our fluid needs per day actually come from the foods we eat. Meanwhile, everyone absorbs fluids differently. Healthy athletes to use a few general rules to guide fluid intake:
- Healthy athletes should consume enough fluids to freely urinate light colored urine every 3 to 4 hours.
- Healthy athletes should let thirst decide when to drink through the day.
- Healthy athletes should drink water and clear nonalcoholic fluids such as sport beverages as a first option for hydration.
How much fluid should I drink while exercising?
Fluid losses vary according to the intensity of the sport, environmental conditions, etc. Also, sweat rates vary according to individual biochemistry and body habitus. All healthy athletes should drink fluids during exercise.
- The most scientific way to determine how much fluid to drink during and after exercise is to weigh yourself pre/post workouts to determine your fluid loss per hour in a particular environment. Then, as you are exercising, try to replace up to 80 percent of this hourly loss, divided into every 15 to 20 minutes. For example, let’s say you lose 1 pound in an hour of exercise. This equals roughly approximately 14-16 ounces of water. You can drink to replace up to 80 percent of this loss, divided into every 15 to 20 minutes, which in this case means 3 ounces every 15 minutes.
What kind of fluid should I use with exercise?
- For most activities that last under 1 to 2 hours, plain water is sufficient for healthy athletes maintaining a consistent, regular diet.
- Athletes engaging in activities that exceed 4 hours will lose substantial sodium, and water is insufficient as fluid replacement. Drink sport beverages or make sure you are consuming a salty snack during your physical activity.
Should I drink a sport beverage to perform better?
- Although sport beverages are not necessary, they do contain electrolytes such as sodium and potassium that we lose when we exercise. Keep in mind that these nutrients are easy to find in even the most average diets.
- A sport beverage only needs to have electrolytes such as sodium and potassium and a small amount of carbohydrates to balance mineral and energy losses. You will NOT need any added vitamins, protein, or “extra” substances such as caffeine or taurine during exercise, as their effects can be unpredictable and possibly dangerous.