What to drink during training - mineral water, or maybe an isotonic drink? Should you start hydrating during exercise or a few hours earlier? What should runners drink during training, and what should people exercising in the gym? Learn the answers to the most frequently asked questions about hydration while exercising, and read on for an easy recipe for homemade isotonic drink.

The questionwhat to drink during trainingshould be asked by every person who starts their adventure with sport. Why? We heat up during training, which in turn causes us to sweat and lose water with sweat. The process of water loss is therefore the body's natural response to the increase in body temperature, a way to cool it down. Unfortunately, along with the water, minerals are lost, and if we do not replenish them on a regular basis, we can lead to dehydration.

Taking randomly selected drinks at irregular intervals is not enough to maintain the water and electrolyte balance of our body. That is why it is worth getting acquainted with the rules of hydrationduring trainingthanks to which you will learn when exactly and in what amounts to drink.

What is the risk of dehydration during training?

The important role of water in the human body has been mentioned many times, but it is worth remembering that it constitutes as much as 92 percent of the blood plasma and is involved in the transport of oxygen in the body. Muscles are 70% and 25% bones.

Meanwhile, exercise leads to the loss of water, and with it electrolytes and energy. If not for this process, we would probably have overheated - on average, for 5 minutes of our activity, body temperature increases by 1 degree, so after half an hour of training it would be over 40 degrees. In such a situation, it would be difficult not only for the effectiveness of the training, but also for its survival.

However, it must be remembered that even if our body weight drops by only 2 percent due to water loss, it causes a significant reduction in the physical and mental capacity of the body. The blood volume also decreases and the workload on the heart increases. In addition, we lose minerals, including magnesium, potassium, calcium and sodium, which are of great importance for the work of our muscles.

For example, the right concentration of magnesium guarantees the correct flow of nerve impulses to the muscle cells. When there is not enough of it, the muscles become weaker, tremble and the risk of injury increases. Sodium, in turn, corresponds to the osmotic balance inside the cells, which means that when it is depleted, the water and electrolyte balance in our entire body is disturbed.

Hence, not only the amount of fluids consumed is so important, but also the amount of minerals that are contained in them.

What to drink during training?

There are many possibilities. Which choice will be the best?

1. Spring water

Spring water brings to mind associations with nature and he alth - and indeed, it is difficult to deny its beneficial effects. It is especially recommended for the youngest - it is the best choice for baby stomachs that do not tolerate minerals. It works well as a daily drink, but not as much as a source of hydration during training. Although our body absorbs it quickly, spring water is poor in minerals - it does not differ in composition from the one we drink from the tap ( although in the case of the latter there is a risk of contamination). Spring water will be perfect for everyday use, but not necessarily as a source of hydration during training.

2. Mineral water

Mineral water is a very good drink for people who train - but only if our training does not last longer than an hour at a time and we do not perform intensive interval exercises. Mineral water, similarly to spring water, is groundwater, but it has a constant - much higher (even 3-5 times) - the level of minerals.

Mineral waters can be divided into:

  • very low mineralized - up to 50 mg / l
  • low mineralized - up to 500 mg / l
  • moderately mineralized - from 500 to 1500 mg / l
  • highly mineralized - over 1500 mg / l.

Adequate hydration during training will be provided by medium mineralized water, because it contains the appropriate dose of calcium (minimum 150 mg / l), magnesium (minimum 50 mg / l), sulphates (minimum 250 mg / l) and bicarbonates (minimum 600 mg /l).

3. Isotonic drinks

Isotonic drinks are a popular method of hydration of the body during training, but it is worth noting that drinking them is not always necessary. If we exercise for less than an hour, we do not have to drink drinks with so much sugar - this especially applies to ready-made isotonic drinks from the store in the form of colorful, flavored drinks.

Sometimes, however, taking isotonic drinks is advisable. This applies to situations where our training is very intense (eg.interval) and long-lasting (lasts over an hour), in addition, it is focused on reducing body fat.

What characterizes isotonic drinks? Their composition is similar to that of human blood: they contain a similar concentration of nutrients and a similar amount of water. What's more, isotonic drinks replenish your muscle glycogen stores. An important component of isotonic drinks is also sodium, which is responsible for the water management of our body - such drinks contain the dose of sodium - 6 mg / 100 ml and sugar - 8 mg / 100 ml of the product necessary for proper hydration during training.

Before training, you can also drink a glass of green tea or coffee, which contain stimulating caffeine.

This will be useful to you

Recipe for homemade isotonic drink

Preparing a home-made isotonic drink should not be a problem even for people who do not like spending time in the kitchen. The whole process takes a few minutes and does not require the use of any hard-to-reach ingredients.

Ingredients:

  • mineral water - 0.5 l
  • 1/8 tablespoons sea s alt
  • 2 tablespoons of honey or sugar
  • half a cup of freshly squeezed juice, e.g. orange, grapefruit, lemon (optional)

Preparation method:

All given ingredients should be mixed until completely dissolved. Drink the drink up to several hours after preparation.

What to drink while running?

Hydration rules for running training are the same as for cardio training and other activities. For a person who runs for half an hour, mineral water will be sufficient. Those who conduct longer and more intense workouts - at least one hour - should reach for isotonic drinks. Some runners also reach for carbohydrate drinks, but it is worth noting that these are already products for real long-distance runners, e.g. people running marathons. They contain large doses of sodium and potassium, the most of which we get rid of from the body with sweat.

The potassium deficiencies caused by water loss can also be supplemented with a proper diet: bananas, walnuts, dried apricots.

Even 1-2% dehydration in runners disturbs the thermoregulatory mechanisms in the body, while intense aerobic exercise causes the loss of up to 5 liters of water per hour. Therefore, it is recommended that the fluid deficiency be no more than 2 percent. On the other hand, it is inadvisable to drink too much fluid, because the symptoms of hypotonic overhydration are similar to those that cause dehydration, i.e. confusion and weakness. Overhydration is a problemmainly beginner runners who go on long runs and drink as much as more experienced runners who run faster and sweat more. Mainly women are prone to drinking too much fluid, while they sweat less than men.

What to drink during strength training?

Intensive strength training causes less water loss than running training - about 2-3 liters per hour. It is worth adding, however, that in the case of people undertaking strength effort, proper hydration is important because 75 percent of the muscle composition is water.

During strength and mass training, it is advisable to take 1.5 liters of mineral water or isotonic alcohol (depending on the duration of the training), and during endurance training - to drink 2-3 liters of fluid.

How much to drink before, during and after training?

It is worth knowing not only what to drink during training, but also in what amounts. Much research has been done on this issue and some guidance has been established.

American College of Sports Medicine (ACMS)1recommends drinking400 to 600 ml (2-3 glasses) of fluid 2 hours before training, while already during exercise, we should consumefrom 150 to 350 ml (about 1.5 cups) of drinks every 15-20 minutes .

In order to avoid dehydration, you need to take care of the proper water and mineral balance in the body also after exercise. It is recommended to drink 1.5 times more fluids after exercise than we lost during exercise, i.e.approximately 450-675 ml of fluid for every half a kilogram of body weight lost during training .

The appropriate temperature of the liquids we consume is also important - it should be 15-22 degrees Celsius, because too cold a drink can cause respiratory infections. On the other hand, too hot water will be absorbed by the body more slowly.

Don't do that

What not to drink during training?

Sweet fizzy drinks and juices will definitely not work as a source of hydration during training. The former slowly quench their thirst due to the high carbohydrate content. On the other hand, juices and nectars contain fructose, which irritates the intestines and stomach and may cause disturbances in the functioning of the digestive system during exercise.

6 most important drinking rules during training

To sum up, regardless of the type of physical activity we practice, we should remember about the most important rules of hydration during exercise.

1. Adjust the type of fluid you take to the length of your workout

a) training 30-60 min - mineral water

b)training over 60 minutes or shorter, but intense - isotonic drinks

c) training over 60 minutes of high intensity - isotonic drinks with glucose polymers

2. Drink not only during, but also before and after training

During training, replenish fluids every 15-20 minutes (in the amount of 150-350 ml), and after training, drink at least 450 ml of water / isotonic. It is also important to drink before exercise - two hours before exercise, drink a minimum of 400 ml of fluid, because if you start training inadequately hydrated, you will dehydrate your body even faster.

3. Drink water in small doses and slowly

Not taking drinks for half the duration of training and consuming a large amount suddenly and quickly only after that time is definitely not a solution - and so for a long time we exercised with lower efficiency and too high body temperature. Therefore, it is better to drink your drinks regularly and definitely not violently.

4. Avoid carbonated drinks and juices

Carbonated drinks and juices are tasty, but not recommended as a source of hydration during training. Some contain too much carbohydrate and some contain too much fructose. If you lack taste in the water, you can add mint, lemon or homemade raspberry juice to it.

5. Avoid Water Loss Factors

Avoid exercising in rooms that are too hot, because the warmer it is, the more we sweat. Too high air humidity also has a negative effect, because then the sweat evaporates less, which in turn leads to a lower cooling efficiency.

6. Monitor your hydration status

Recommendations regarding the indicated amount of fluid intake during training are a big hint for the exercisers, however, we can also observe whether our body is properly hydrated. If spots appear in front of our eyes - especially when getting up quickly - it may indicate a disturbance of our water and electrolyte balance.

Likewise, muscle aches and cramps, which are a sign of too little sodium and potassium in the body. Another indicator of fluid deficiency in the body is abdominal pain and colic. The intestines absorb water from food, and their poor work causes increased water absorption and, consequently, the formation of a colic.

Dehydration also leads to irregular heartbeat - too little electrolyte level causes palpitations. Another bad symptom is the change in color and consistency of urine - if you become dehydrated, it becomesdenser and darker. Why? Too little fluid supply causes the kidneys to build up the water reserves needed to produce urine and it becomes more concentrated.

Moreover, if we do not hydrate properly during training, it can also be seen in the condition of our skin. If we catch it with a quick move, lift it up and let go of the skin on the hand, and it returns to the appearance it had before this activity, it will mean that everything is fine. However, if the skin takes longer to recover from pre-stretching, it can be considered a sign of insufficient hydration.

Category:

Diets for active people