Dehydration: To Perform or Not to Perform!

Dehydration; to perform or not to perform!

"You're not sick; you're thirsty"
Dr. F. Batmanghelidj

Hydration is one of the most misunderstood factors in health, daily function, and sports performance. Your muscles are 70% water, your blood 82% water, your lungs are 90%, your brain 76%, and your bones are 25% water. Water is involved in a multitude of bodily functions including urine production (essential for detoxification), synovial tissue, blood, and the lymphatic system just to name a few. For a compound that makes up such a large percentage of our body, one would think that we would put a little more focus on it when it comes to fitness and health.

What is dehydration really?

Dehydration is the loss of body water, and, just as important, electrolytes (minerals). Both H20 and minerals are essential for the body's functions. Magnesium for example is involved in over 300 enzyme reactions. The consequences for dehydration are not often fully recognized. For example, every 1% we are dehydrated we lose 10% in performance. So for a 120lb female that's 16oz (500mls or two glasses) of water. Not hard to lose considering we can breathe out that much water when we sleep. Your daily activities can reduce your body water easily by another 16 oz (500 ml). Add diuretics like alcohol and coffee to the mix and you can have someone boarding on chronic dehydration.

Unfortunately, we can lose up to 2% of our body water before we even feel thirsty. I have observed people lose only 4-8% of their body weight in water develop headaches, dizzy spells, and nearly pass out. Research has shown that dehydration can cause not only an inhibition of short-term memory but also interference with the recall of long-term memory. Food for thought when you are pounding down the coffee all day to stay awake; when coffee is a natural diuretic (promotes water loss from the body). The odd coffee, here and there, is fine, but, the uplifting effects are short lived if it worsens the already poor state of hydration.

So, what are some signs you are dehydrated? What are the potential consequences?

• Mild dehydration: symptoms start at dark urine, Dry mouth, Hunger.
• Moderate: Eyes begin to sink in (partially due to brain shrinkage),loss of skin elasticity, and nearly no urine output.
• Severe- Pulse can be rapid but weak, cold hands and feet, hyperventilation, and lethargy. Eventually this can end in coma or seizures if untreated.

As mentioned earlier water its self is only half of the equation. Minerals (electrolytes) are essential for human existence. If water is Santa clause then minerals would be his Reindeer. H20 cannot function effectively without minerals. An illustration of this is hyper-hydration sickness and even deaths in athletes and soldiers, a condition called "Hyponatremia". This is where hyper hydration "washes out" minerals from the body. The resulting mineral loss causes all sorts of physiological issues such as those noted above. The balance of minerals such as magnesium, sodium, potassium, and calcium are essential. In fact our nerve impulses are created by sodium and potassium entering and leaving the nerve. If any of these minerals get out of balance you can be in trouble, and no matter how much you "hydrate" you will wind up dehydrated if you lose minerals. Sounds like double Dutch right? Minerals help you utilize H20 in the body. Without the minerals water utilization is impaired.

Sodium: Prevents water intoxication, Essential for nerve impulse, maintains water balance, Helps maintain blood pressure

Potassium: Helps maintain normal water balance, helps the body utilize glycogen, Enables muscle contraction, prevents muscle fatigue, enables nerve impulse

Chloride: Prevents dehydration, maintains water balance, helps break down proteins, helps to absorb B vitamins, enables nerve impulse, enables normal muscle contraction and relaxation.

Magnesium: Stimulates metabolism of Fats and carbohydrates for energy, helps build proteins, essential for the conversion of ATP for energy, prevents over-stimulation of sympathetic nervous system hence decreasing inflammation, fights cortisol hence prevents muscle breakdown, allows nerve impulse, strengthens immune system.

So, what's the answer for active individuals on the go? We don't recommend any of the over the counter sports drinks on the market because they have a ton of artificial flavors, sugars and coloring that are toxic to the body. Our personal favorite is HDX Hydration Mix, and BodyWorks Lifestyle regularly recommends this to our active clients and athletes.

BodyWorks Lifestyle

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