CHAPTER 17

WATER AND ELECTROLYTES—

Critical Ingredients for Endurance

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Water is among the most important nutrients for athletes.

Unfortunately, it’s also the most common nutritional deficiency. Proper intake of water is vital to overall fitness and health, with normal fluctuations in water loss of less than 1 percent of body weight. A loss of as little as just over 1 percent of water may begin the process of dehydration and start signs and symptoms of dysfunction. A loss of water that is 2 percent of body weight or more can result in significant performance loss.

For a 150-pound athlete, this is only 3 pounds. Assessing yourself for proper hydration can be as simple as weighing yourself on an accurate scale, without clothes, immediately before and after a long training session, for example, to gain a better idea of how much water you’ve lost. Any level of dehydration can affect the brain, muscles, and metabolism.

 

 

 

Certain minerals, called electrolytes, are also very important in relation to water regulation. The key to maintaining proper hydration is to drink plenty of water throughout the day and consume adequate amounts of electrolytes, especially sodium, in the diet. As previously discussed, adrenal function, important for water and electrolyte regulation, is also key to maintain proper hydration and mineral balance.