The Importance of Drinking Water During Exercise

As an essential component of your body, water regulates your body's temperature while cushioning your organs and aiding your digestive system. According to the American Council on Exercise, 75 percent of water composes your muscle tissue while 10 percent composes your fatty tissue. Benefits of water include hydration, lubrication for your joints, protection of your spinal cord, and body waste disposal through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements.

Water and the Body

Composing more than half of our body, water plays an essential role in the maintenance of our body and its conduction of normal function. Urinating and sweating causes the loss of body water on a daily basis, but even normal exhalation allows small amounts of water loss. Replacing water loss prevents dehydration from occurring and allows your body to function normally. While women are advised to consume 2.7 liters of water daily, men should drink 3.7 liters.

Facts of Dehydration

When your body does not receive a sufficient amount of water, its ability to cool down through perspiration and perform other bodily functions decreases. Hence, your body enters a state of dehydration which can lead to heat exhaustion and possible heat stroke. Dehydration also leads to muscle fatigue and a loss of coordination, resulting in cramping and a lack of energy while slowing down physical activity performance. In order to prevent this, you must drink water before, during, and after any exercise.

Staying Hydrated During Exercise

Exercise and athletics challenge the physiological function of your body, requiring you to constantly replenish its fluid supplies. Environmental factors, such as temperature, also influence your body to secrete more fluid during exercise than in a sedentary state. However, a loss of fluid affects your body's ability to function properly and leads to a decrease in performance. Increasing water intake during exercise is important and beneficial to not only your exercise performance, but in reducing risks of medical injuries and internal body problems, such as heat exhaustion.

Recommended Water Intake

A sufficient fluid intake during exercise properly hydrates your body allowing it to maintain body temperature in order to avoid dehydration. The American Council on Exercise recommends drinking 17 to 20 oz. of water 2 to 3 hours before starting a physical activity. Thirty minutes before, drink 8 oz., and then rehydrate with 7 to 8 oz. every 10 to 20 minutes during physical exertion. For activities lasting more than an hour, a sports drink replaces the loss of electrolytes which may hinder optimal performance during an activity.

Tips

Increasing your fluid intake provides nourishment for your body and helps it function properly. Keeping a water bottle with you during exercise allows for easy access and rehydration during exertion. Sometimes, the sensation of hunger misinterprets the sensation of thirst. If you feel hungry, drinking a glass of water will satisfy your thirst relieving the hunger pangs. However, water cannot satisfy actual hunger, hence, allowing your body to signal for nourishment.