You’re thirsty, so you reach for a glass of war, drink, and the problem is solved, right? No not at all! Thirst alone is not the best indicator of dehydration. Our brain is a little slow when it comes to letting us know we are dehydrated. By the time you are thirsty, it’s too late. We are already dehydrated. Most people don’t drink enough water and are not operating at peak efficiency.
The human body is approximately 2/3 water, about 75% of the brain is water, and 90% of blood is made of water. That’s a lot of water. Nearly every bodily function depends on water, especially the condition of your skin. A key cause of aging skin is lack of moisture. In order to have soft, supple skin, you need to drink plenty of water throughout the day.
Water is even more crucial for exercisers and athletes. As little as 2% dehydration significantly decreases athletic performance.
Dehydration symptoms include fatigue, headaches, mild nausea, and dizziness, even increased heart rate and confusion.
One of the best indicators of being hydrated is urine color. A well hydrated body “generally” excretes lightly colored urine, although this can be confusing because some vitamins cause urine color to be a much brighter shade of yellow.
About 80% of our fluid comes from beverages, the other 20% comes from our food. As a general rule of thumb, men need about 125oz of fluid and women need about 90oz of fluid. But fluid depends on many factors so here is a formula to calculate your particular fluid needs. Divide your body weight in half, that’s the number of ounces needed daily, then add 8 more oz for every 20-30 minutes of exercise at a medium pace, more if the pace is intense.
So guys to be as efficient as you can be………….Drink Up