No-nonsense Hydration

How to manage your hydration and electrolyte levels to run better.

- RENEE MCGREGOR

Hydration is crucial to running success, but it’s something many neglect. Just a 2% loss in body weight due to dehydration can impair performance; so fluid intake during exercise is essential, especially in longer sessions and competition events. It helps to maintain hydration, body temperature and adequate plasma (blood) volume.

Ensuring your plasma volume and temp stay optimal directly impacts performance. Decreased plasma volume leads to increased heart rate, which accelerates fatigue. Dehydration also affects cognitive function, resulting in an inability to think clearly. Symptoms of low sodium intake and dehydration include gastrointestinal distress, nausea, bloating, fatigue, impaired concentration and dizziness.

The importance of sodium

Sweat consists of water, minerals (sodium is the key component), lactate and urea. Sweating is crucial to thermoregulation and is therefore necessary during times of physical exertion or exposure to hot climates.