No matter how intense or advanced your training level is, hydration is one of the most crucial considerations when working out. The math is simple: Water makes up about 60 percent of your body, but much of that water is lost during exercise due to perspiration and heavy breathing.

Learn why hydration is so essential to an active, healthy lifestyle and how you can ensure your body always has the water it needs.

Why Is It Important to Be Hydrated When Working Out?

Proper hydration is critical for strength training, running, cardio, Pilates, and balance workouts. A good workout makes you sweat, which means losing bodily fluids. Replacing those lost fluids is essential for maintaining healthy blood flow, oxygen delivery, muscle recovery, and overall bodily function. 

But water isn’t the only thing you lose during a workout. Perspiration also removes essential nutrients, such as salt and electrolytes, from your body. Prioritizing hydration during workouts means your body receives the nutrients it needs. 

While fitness and hydration are closely related, healthy hydration is even more essential if you have diabetes, heart disease, or other medical conditions. 

What Can Happen If You Don’t Hydrate Properly

According to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), the national anti-doping organization for Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American, and Parapan American sports, “Hypohydration, or reduced total body water, is known to negatively affect strength by 2 percent, power by 3 percent, and endurance by 10 percent.”

The agency adds that the best way for athletes to determine their hydration status is by periodically checking their urine color. Dark urine indicates dehydration.  

Without proper hydration, a lack of water can cause blood to thicken, limiting the blood’s ability to carry oxygen throughout the body.

The average athlete should suspect possible dehydration if any of the following occurs during exercise:

• Increased heart rate
• Higher temperature
• Excess fatigue
• Impairment of cognitive functions
• Mood changes 
• Loss of motor control
• Nausea or other gastrointestinal upset

The bottom line is that the human body requires healthy hydration to run properly. In addition to reducing physical performance, dehydration also makes the body susceptible to numerous potentially serious health risks. 

Other Hydration Benefits

Proper hydration can reduce your risk of developing kidney disease, including painful kidney stones. Drinking plenty of water can also help prevent constipation. Good hydration rids the body of all sorts of wastes and toxins through perspiration, urination, and defecation, and it benefits your joints with lubrication and cushioning. 

Whether you maintain a daily workout regimen or only visit the gym on occasion, staying adequately hydrated at all times benefits your overall health. 

How to Properly Hydrate Yourself

Generally speaking, female athletes should consume 91 ounces (11 cups) of fluid daily, while male athletes should consume 125 ounces, or 15 cups. Keep in mind that these are volumetric measurements, not the number of glasses you need to drink! Fluid in foods, such as fruits and vegetables, also contributes to hydration. Ideal hydration levels vary by individual based on weight and height.

Sports drinks are a popular option for hydration before and after exercise. These drinks not only supply the body with fluids, but with electrolytes that can reduce muscle cramping. However, some sports drinks contain too much sodium for the average workout. These beverages are best suited for longer periods of exercise, such as an hour or more. Be aware of the carbohydrates, calories, and sugar found in certain sports drinks when choosing the right one for your needs.

When exercising in hot weather, sports drinks may be the better choice for hydration. Heavy sweating means heavy sodium loss. In these conditions, water alone will not provide sufficient sodium in the bloodstream.   

While tea and coffee are fluids, they are not considered good hydration choices. In the past, these beverages were considered dehydrating, but studies have shown that this is not the case. However, tea is a mild diuretic, and coffee and tea consumption can cause an elevated heart rate, anxiety, or restlessness. That’s not the state you want to be in before commencing a workout!

Of course, consuming alcohol before, during, or after exercise has a negative effect. Alcohol is very dehydrating—as anyone who has ever had a hangover knows all too well. 

Before a Workout

Hydrate at least an hour prior to your workout. For best results, start hydrating a few hours before exercise by consuming between 17 and 20 ounces of water. Drink 8 ounces of water approximately 20 to 30 minutes before exercising.

Weigh yourself to set a pre-workout benchmark.

During a Workout

Athletes should try to consume 4 to 8 fluid ounces every 15 to 20 minutes while exercising. Rather than gulp down a large amount of fluid all at once, take small but regular sips.

After a Workout

If you weighed yourself before the workout, weigh yourself immediately afterward to determine how much fluid you lost. Your body should need about 3 cups of water per every pound lost to maintain a healthy equilibrium.

Do not drink all of this fluid immediately. Space your water consumption for post-workout fluid replacement over the next few hours. 

IV Infusion Therapy

Perhaps the best way for athletes to stay hydrated is IV infusion therapy. While drinking sufficient amounts of water daily is necessary, it is not the most efficient way to hydrate your body.

Water must pass through your gastrointestinal tract before entering your bloodstream, meaning complete hydration can take a few hours to achieve. IV infusion therapy bypasses this process by adding a rehydration solution directly to your bloodstream. Along with virtually instant rehydration, this process also restores the electrolytes lost during a strenuous workout. IV therapy services may allow you to add supplemental vitamins, minerals, and medications to the IV hydration package for additional health benefits.

After an intense workout, IV infusion therapy helps athletes recover more quickly. Fast-acting rehydration reduces the risk of muscle soreness, oxidative stress, and inflammation. 

One of the great advantages of IV infusion therapy is that you can undergo treatment in the privacy of your home, office, or gym. While IV infusion is not a replacement for drinking sufficient water on a daily basis, it can help tremendously after a hard workout.

Hydration 101: What do I Need to Know?