Thanks to prominent displays of sports beverages on supermarket shelves and in ads, consumers recognize adequate fluid intake is key to turning in a winning athletic performance. However, as with many health-related issues there is a big difference between what people know, and what they actually do. Perhaps it shouldn't be surprising then that the majority of Americans--whether they are couch potatoes or endurance athletes--have sub-clinical dehydration.
Sports beverage manufactures'claims not withstanding, the beverage that most people (including athletes) need more of is water. According to exercise physiologists and other knowledgeable professionals, specifically formulated sports beverages are needed only during endurance events.
To minimize the risk of dehydration, athletes should drink water before, during, and after an event or practice session. And because thirst lags behind dehydration, athletes need to drink whether or not they feel thirsty. The most widely recommended hydration protocol is for athletes to drink 10-14 oz of fluid 20 to 30 minutes before an event, and rehydrate themselves with 3 oz of fluid every 10-15 minutes during exercise. Athletes also need to get in the habit of weighing themselves (without clothes) before and after exercise, and then drinking enough fluid to replace the lost "water weight." [For more information on fluid requirements see "Water: The Less You Drink the Less You Weigh" in the More Dietary Myths section.]
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