The level of hydration of the body. Hydration of muscle cells for maximum pumping. Not everything is the water we drink

Of course, you have heard the expression “Water is life”, but have you ever wondered how important this familiar phrase is for swimmers?

The effect of water balance on training

Water is the environment in which swimmers spend most of their training, so athletes often do not realize how much they lose fluids and do not notice when they are really thirsty, because in the pool it seems easier to do without drinking than during training on land.

Water is necessary for all metabolic processes, many of which affect the maintenance and recovery of performance, as well as the effectiveness of training. Our muscles are 73% water, so hydration (from Greek ὕδωρ "water") plays a huge role in everything from muscle recovery to protein synthesis and nutrient absorption.

From the mouth through the esophagus, water enters the stomach, and then into the intestines. There, its active absorption takes place, and together with water, substances dissolved by it are absorbed, and those that were in it from the very beginning - salts, minerals, trace elements, and those that entered our body along with food. Here, water manifests itself as a powerful solvent that provides our cells with all the necessary substances. Once inside, water travels through the blood vessels throughout the body. The blood itself consists of half of blood cells, and half of plasma, which is just water with organic and mineral compounds dissolved in it. Water, which has fulfilled its function of transporting necessary substances throughout the body, performs another important action before leaving it. As a result of biochemical reactions (processing of proteins and carbohydrates), natural waste remains - slag. Water dissolves them and then leaves the body. Water is excreted not only with urine. About 50% of the water consumed is excreted through the kidneys, 15% exits through the intestines, another 15% we exhale into the environment, the remaining 20% ​​evaporate through the skin.

“If you do not drink water, basic biochemical reactions do not occur in your body.”

Dave Salo Special for mad wave

Hydration also helps regulate body temperature and joint function, both of which are essential for swimming, so if you're hydrated, you won't be able to perform well without harming your body.

The importance of hydration for swimmers also lies in the fact that our blood contains 93% water, and blood transports oxygen and essential nutrients to provide energy and maintain health. Having enough water helps the heart to pump blood more efficiently.

“Reducing the required amount of fluid in the body by only 2% can lead to a decrease in performance by 10-20%. These are impressive losses - you will spend a lot of effort during training without getting a significant improvement in results. ”

Dehydration of any degree can adversely affect a swimmer's performance during a swim. With dehydration, swimmers tire faster in training, react more slowly, and the risk of injury and cramps increases not only in the pool, but also outside it.

In short, you will not be able to properly train and recover without proper hydration, so it is very important to provide the body with the elements necessary for this.

Signs of dehydration

One of the easiest ways to detect dehydration is to be thirsty. But, when this symptom appears, the body is most likely already dehydrated. Other symptoms of dehydration are general fatigue and stress. Since the brain tissue is 70-80% water, dehydration worsens mental activity, fatigue and irritability appear. All this, of course, affects the swimmer's performance in the pool.

“Dehydration is accompanied by certain symptoms: a loss of 1% of fluid causes a feeling of thirst, 2% - a decrease in stamina, 3% - a decrease in strength, 5% - increased heart rate, apathy, muscle weakness, nausea."

The most accurate way to check the water balance is the color of the urine. Light yellow urine indicates normal water balance, the darker the urine, the more dehydrated.

Dehydration degree:

Water balance: 0 to 1%
Minimum dehydration: 1 to 3%
Significant dehydration: 3 to 5%
Severe dehydration: more than 5%

Depending on the intensity of work, every thousand meters that an athlete swims during training or pre-competition warm-up, leads to a loss of 100-200 ml of fluid. Thus, a swimmer can lose up to 1 liter of fluid per hour. And we already know that fluid loss of more than 2% of a swimmer's body weight can reduce the effect of performing high-intensity work by 45%.

How to avoid dehydration?

Eliminate dehydration in a natural way is possible only by drinking clean drinking water. Tea, coffee, beer, alcohol, artificial drinks, in addition to containing water, also contain dehydrating substances such as caffeine, as well as various chemical components.
The topic of hydration has been carefully studied by many international organizations and research institutes, but the most common opinion was the US National Academy of Medical Sciences, that the average man aged 19-30 needs about 3.7 liters. fluid per day, and a woman of the same age group 2.7 liters. These calculations are based on the fact that for 1 calorie of food eaten, you need to consume 1 gram of liquid.

The World Health Organization estimates that a person should drink 30 ml of water per kilogram of a person's weight per day. This method of calculation is the most correct and optimal, since the amount of water consumed must correspond to the mass of a person. With a weight of 100 kg, it is necessary to consume 3 liters every day, and for a person weighing 60 kg - 1.8 liters.

If you train at a high intensity, weigh yourself before and after your workout to get a better idea of ​​how much water your body has lost. For optimal performance and health, it is recommended to drink 600 to 720 ml of water for every 500 grams lost. A change in body weight indicates the risk of dehydration, as well as whether the body is getting enough fluid.

By following these guidelines, you can keep your body hydrated and train longer and harder without getting overtired or dehydrated. At the same time, do not forget that the body of each person is unique, has its own metabolism and constitution, and you need to regulate your drinking regimen, taking into account personal characteristics.

What is "proper body hydration"? Proper hydration of the body (moisturizing) has long been considered a key factor in the fight against excess weight in a natural way. Our body needs a certain amount of fluid to keep all its organs and systems working at an optimal level. In addition, we also need moisture in order to control hunger and thus avoid excessive calorie intake during the day. For this reason, insufficient water intake can lead to weight gain and various health problems. Fortunately, there are drinks that have moisturizing properties. And there are those that are not only able to provide us with the necessary liquid, but also to give "additional" nutrients for natural weight loss. So, get acquainted: green juice! Below we share the recipe for this wonderful drink so you can include it in your diet and enjoy it while shedding those extra pounds. Do you want to know how it is prepared? Moisturizing juice to fight excess weight without harm to health. This natural juice is a combination of products with moisturizing properties and high nutritional value: spinach, celery, cucumbers and apples. Their high content of dietary fiber improves intestinal motility and helps to cope with digestive problems that affect the process of deposition of fats. They are also an important source of antioxidants and chlorophyll, whose effects on the body are very beneficial, as these substances stop oxidative processes and prevent the accumulation of toxins. Benefits of spinach Spinach contains a substance known as thylakoid, which makes you feel 95% full and promotes weight loss up to 43%. Spinach is also a source of vitamins A, C and E, as well as minerals such as potassium, iron and magnesium. But the great thing about this product is that 100 g of spinach contains only 26 calories and a huge amount of antioxidants. Useful properties of cucumber Cucumber is 96% water, which explains its diuretic properties and the fact that it promotes good digestion. Consumption of cucumbers helps the body to regulate the amount of fluid and stimulates the elimination of waste and harmful substances. Cucumber is one of the most commonly used foods in weight loss diets. After all, it is low in calories and contains enzymes that facilitate the absorption of fats. Health Benefits of Green Apples Green apples are also very low in calories, sodium and fat. In addition, it is a natural source of pectin (a type of dietary fiber that helps control cholesterol levels and remove waste from the colon). Green apples contain powerful enzymes that improve nutrient absorption and the absorption of proteins and fats. Consumption of apples activates metabolic function and gives a feeling of satiety for a long time, unlike other foods. Benefits of Celery Celery contains a lot of water and only 16 calories (in every 100 g). Consumption of celery promotes natural hydration of the body and helps eliminate fluid retention in the tissues. It contains natural oils such as limonene, selinene and asparagine, as well as vitamins A, E and B vitamins. How to make a moisturizing juice for weight loss? Juice To make our juice even more effective, we suggest adding an extra pinch of grated ginger and a little lemon juice. As a result, you will have a hearty drink that you can drink in the morning on an empty stomach or any other time when you feel hungry. You can drink it two or three times a day because it is very low in calories and high in important nutrients. Such a juice will be the best choice to keep the body hydrated and promote all the internal processes that require water and mineral salts. Ingredients: 1 cup spinach (30 g) 1/2 green cucumber 2 stalks celery 2 green apples 1 lemon 1 pinch ginger 2 cups water (400 ml) Preparation: Thoroughly wash all vegetables, fruits and herbs and cut them into pieces to lighten mixing process. You can even sanitize apples with vinegar and then remove the seeds from them. Place all ingredients in a blender, add lemon juice, grated ginger and two cups of water. Mix everything until you get a homogeneous consistency without lumps. How to consume: Start by drinking a glass of this juice in the morning on an empty stomach, and you can drink the rest during the day (between main meals). Ideally, drink it every day for one week (and repeat this "cleansing" course once a month). Just pay attention to the fact that the effect of the fight against excess weight will be noticeable only with a healthy and balanced diet. Follow our recommendations and experience all the benefits of this natural green juice. According to steptohealth

Why do doctors and coaches insist that you drink at least eight glasses of water a day? Why does the body need water in such large quantities? What happens if you drink less?

Water is the most valuable and most abundant component in the human body, it is necessary as a medium for the most important metabolic reactions, it serves as a transport system for respiratory system gases, metabolic heat, cellular substrates and by-products of their vital activity. Water is the foundation of the circulatory system. You will be interested to know these facts about water and body hydration.

Percentage

On average, a person gets water from three main sources: 60% comes from drinks, 30% from food, and 10% as a by-product of metabolism. Water loss occurs in four ways, normally 60% of the fluid leaves the body with urine, 30% through the skin and lungs; 5% through sweat and 5% with feces. The kidneys are responsible for maintaining the internal fluid balance, they regulate the loss of water and, if necessary, retain it in the body.

How does dehydration happen?

Dehydration can be caused by physical activity, increased heart rate, and increased body temperature. With insufficient fluid intake, the body loses its ability to cool down and can get heat stroke. Excessive sweating can lead to severe dehydration, a loss of 2% of body weight is already dehydration, in this state, physical and mental performance decreases. Joking with dehydration is dangerous, it comes unnoticed, but entails dangerous consequences.

How to protect yourself from dehydration?

It is not enough to drink the recommended eight glasses of water a day, the need for fluid depends on the level of physical activity. Before any workout or intense physical activity, you should drink at least 500 ml of water. The need for water during training depends on its intensity and duration, with heavy loads you need to drink 150-200 ml of water every 15 minutes.

Keeping your body well hydrated during exercise reduces the risk of overheating and heat stroke.

Do not rely on your natural thirst mechanism, it can work with a great delay. It is important to learn to recognize conditions when the need for water increases. Factors that increase the need for water include low-carbohydrate diets. Popular protein diets increase fluid loss through the urinary system, and people voluntarily expose themselves to dehydration and heat damage.

The need for water consumption increases as a person ages. After 30 years, the ability to thermoregulate deteriorates, a person becomes more prone to dehydration. Older people will have a much higher water requirement than middle-aged people, especially if they are taking medication.

Mindlessly drinking eight glasses of water a day or drinking sports drinks, you can't be sure that your body is adequately hydrated. Explore these myths about fluid in the body and protect your health from mistakes.

Myth: If you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated.

In fact, the feeling of thirst can be considered a fairly good indicator of the level of fluid in the body. Dehydration is the natural loss of fluid through sweat, tears, and breathing. The kidneys control the balance of water in the body, when it is not enough, they send a signal to the brain, which causes thirst. This is a completely normal feeling, which should not be taken at all as an alarming sign of excessive fluid loss.

Myth: You need to drink eight glasses of water every day.

Of course, it is very important that your body regularly receives water. However, the eight-glass advice is just a stereotype and can be dangerous. If you have heart or kidney problems, drinking too much fluid can cause heart problems, lung problems, and water poisoning. In such cases, water consumption should be limited. You need to take into account the individual needs of the body. Large people or those who sweat profusely need more liquid, but miniature eight glasses will be too much.

Myth: You should start your day with water.

You may have heard before that you should start your day with a glass of water. You may actually feel thirsty, but you don't have to drink water at all. During normal kidney function, it is pleasant to drink a glass of water, but there is no vital need for this. Some people think that fluid balance needs to be replenished after sleep, but this is not the case. You can determine the lack of fluid in the urine - if it is dark, the kidneys produce more concentrated waste due to insufficient water.

Myth: Coconut water is the best recovery drink.

This trendy drink is supposed to help you recover from a party or hard workout. Yes, coconut water has fewer calories than other potassium-rich foods, but it's not always the best option. To prevent dehydration, you can also drink plain drinking water. In addition, in people with kidney disease, drinking coconut water can lead to a dangerous increase in potassium levels in the body.

Myth: You can't drink too much

If you overzealous even with something useful, you can still face harm to the body. This is also true for water. People think that it is impossible to drink too much water. In reality, this is quite possible, and the consequences can be deadly. A condition called hyponatremia is the result of drinking too much fluid, which causes a decrease in salt in the body. This can lead to convulsions, blackouts, and even death, especially if you're running.

Myth: Water is all you need

Yes, you can indeed go longer without food than you can without water, but sometimes fluid doesn't give the body all it needs. Consider how intensely you train, whether it's hot outside, whether you're sweating a lot. If you're losing a lot of electrolytes, plain water won't help you get back to normal.

Myth: Drinks with electrolytes are very healthy.

Think twice before you decide to drink the popular sports drink. After light physical activity, you will not need it, besides, some varieties use rather dubious ingredients. For example, some contain vegetable oils that are harmful to the thyroid gland. In addition, a large amount of sugar can harm the body, especially if this sugar is used in the form of high fructose corn syrup, which causes diabetes.

Myth: Caffeine causes dehydration

Does an invigorating cup of coffee deprive your body of fluids? The common belief that coffee causes dehydration is completely wrong, especially if you don't drink too much. Large doses of caffeine can cause dehydration, but coffee or tea also contains water, which neutralizes the effect. The problem may arise if you are taking caffeine supplements - then you should drink more.

Myth: You only need to drink more during exercise.

If you think it's enough to drink cola or tea if you're not exercising, you might be in trouble. Do not think that fluid is needed only during physical exertion - this approach can cause mild dehydration. Try to drink a little water throughout the day. This will help you ensure the normal functioning of the body.

Myth: You need to determine the level of liquid by the color of urine.

Of course, urine color can indeed indicate dehydration, but there are other important indicators. In addition, if you are taking a multivitamin or eating a lot of protein, the color may be dark and irrelevant to the amount of liquid. Control not only the color, but also the volume. If you drink a lot, the liquid should leave the body intensively. If you rarely visit the toilet, this is a sign of insufficient water.

Going in for sports, each of us wants to get the maximum result from training, whatever the purpose of training, and at the same time not harm our body. In order to increase the productivity of physical activity, it is necessary to follow a number of recommendations that will help make them even more effective.

Everyone is well aware that during movement, as well as performing strength training, the body loses much more fluid than when it is at rest. If you do not replenish fluid reserves, the body's thermoregulation will be disrupted and malfunctions in the cardiovascular system will occur. Even a slight deviation from the norm can cause a decrease in performance and a deterioration in well-being. To prevent this, during intensive training, you should adhere to a certain drinking regimen, which will help provide the body with enough moisture and prevent it from overheating.

The value of the drinking regime

An inevitable companion of serious physical activity is profuse sweating, which increases in proportion to the increase in the load on the body. In the process of one intense session lasting about two hours, a person loses approximately 3% of the total fluid contained in the body. The critical limit for moisture loss is 7%, so appropriate measures must be taken to prevent dehydration. With a decrease in the level of fluid in the body, the blood becomes more viscous, the rate of metabolic processes occurring in the body decreases, efficiency and endurance decrease, and there is a risk of thrombosis.

Fluid is not the only thing the body loses during exercise. Together with water, calcium, potassium and sodium are removed from it, which take part in the processes of recovery and vital activity. The lack of mineral salts leads not only to brittle bones and frequent cramps, but also to a general imbalance in the body. Do not forget about the energy, which is also consumed in large quantities during intense training. That is why it is necessary to regularly consume liquid, which will speed up the metabolism in the body and contribute to the release of more energy produced by burning calories.

What drink

One of the best sources of fluid replenishment in the body is still mineral water. It is better to refuse sodas, since carbon dioxide, which is part of their composition, contributes to the leaching of mineral salts from the body, which already come out of it in large quantities through the sweat glands. Preference should be given to table mineral water, which, due to its composition, not only quenches thirst and normalizes water balance, but also restores the level of salts in the body.

The next type of fluid recommended during an intense workout are natural juices. It can be fruit or vegetable juice made from fresh ingredients. To reduce the concentration of juice, it should be diluted with water in a ratio of 1:2, respectively. This will prevent irritation of the mucous membrane of the digestive tract. In addition, some juices will help meet the body's need for carbohydrates and maintain a normal balance of vitamins that are so necessary for energy production.

Another drink that can effectively quench the thirst of an athlete is tea. Plain green tea without added sugar or any other sweeteners. Please note that tea should not only be not sweet, but also not hot and have an average strength. Otherwise, the effect of it can be completely opposite. Since green tea is a powerful antioxidant, it helps not only replenish fluids, but also get rid of toxins and toxins, increase efficiency, and strengthen cartilage tissues that are involved in strength and aerobic exercises and wear out quickly.

Hydration of the body

Hydration is the preparation of the body for the upcoming intense exercise and the replenishment of fluid reserves that will be lost during intense physical activity. Hydration is important and has a direct impact on both the flow of the workout and its result.

It is believed that the norm for an adult is 1.5 liters of water per day. When playing sports, this value increases by at least a liter. Athletes need to consume at least 2.5 liters of fluid throughout the day, most of which occurs directly during the training period. However, this is not the limit, there are no restrictions on the amount of liquid, if you feel thirsty and need water, you should not deny yourself and dehydrate the body. If the training takes place in the summer season and the air temperature in the room where you are exercising is higher than recommended, then the amount of fluid consumed should also be increased, since thirst during training is unacceptable. However, do not overdo it and drink too much water, as this will be an additional burden on an already stressed body.

You need to start preparing the body for the upcoming loss of fluid in advance, so the drinking regime begins three hours before the start of the workout. It is necessary to drink a glass of water every half hour and one more 15 minutes before the start of the workout. As for the use of water directly in the process of exercising, then you should drink small sips of water or juice at room temperature every time you feel thirsty. Ideally, fluids should be taken every 10-15 minutes. At the end of the workout, fluid intake does not end. Within an hour after the end of the lesson, you should drink half a liter of liquid, preferring tea or water. You need to drink every 15 minutes until your thirst is completely quenched.

Body dehydration

It is not difficult to guess that dehydration is dehydration that can occur as a result of non-compliance with the drinking regime described above. We are used to the fact that dehydration is the result of diarrhea, vomiting or lack of moisture, however, it can also occur with intense fluid loss in the form of sweating. The category of people whose sweating process is significantly accelerated includes athletes, so their risk of dehydration increases.

Symptoms of dehydration are a strong feeling of thirst, dry mouth, dry skin, decreased urine output, cessation of tear fluid, dizziness, drowsiness, slow reactions, headache, and even constipation. In some cases, dehydration can be accompanied by increased heart rate, irritability, rapid breathing, and fever. If you notice any of the symptoms of dehydration, take immediate action and replenish fluids as quickly as possible.

Water for weight loss

Quite often, the goal of intensive training and regular physical activity is to lose weight. And here you will need water, which will not only give strength and energy, but also contribute to weight loss. By maintaining the water balance in the body, the process of burning fats is normalized and metabolism is accelerated. Thus, you will not only increase your muscle mass, but also reduce body fat, having received a double effect from the usual workout. The absence of thirst will save you from overeating, as we often confuse it with hunger, as a result of which we overeat and gain weight. In a word, adhering to the drinking regimen, you can improve your body, get rid of excess weight and make your body fit and beautiful.

Makhnonosova Ekaterina
for women's magazine website

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