When working out, there’s a thin line between drinking too much water and drinking water that’s not enough for your body. Having too much or too little water can have serious health implications. The question is how much water should I drink when working out? Below is a discussion on overhydration, dehydration, and how to strike a balance for hydrating while working out .
What Is Dehydration?
When working out, dehydration occurs when you lose more water than you’re taking in. This lack of water disrupts the metabolic process. You’ve to make sure that you’re replacing the fluids that you’re losing through sweat when you work out. The symptoms of dehydration include headaches, dizziness, and shortness of breath. The color of your urine is also indicative of whether you’re dehydrated or not. If the urine color is dark yellow, this is a sign that you need to take in more water. If you don’t, you may get seriously dehydrated.
What Is Overhydration?
Overhydration is rarely discussed and is believed to be a myth. Overhydration, however, is a real condition that can compromise your wellness. Overhydration is when you take in too much water when working out. When you reach levels of water intoxication, your kidneys become overwhelmed and are unable to process the fluids. The excess water leaves the blood and goes into the cells, causing inflammation. The salts in your body and the electrolytes become too diluted. A dip in electrolyte levels may cause death. This is why striking a balance is important.
Water Retention
Water retention may be caused by taking in too much water. Water retention takes place when your body is unable to get rid of the excess water that’s trapped inside your body. The cells in the body may drown in the water and die.
Overhydration – Symptoms and Effects
The tricky part about hydrating while working out is that some of its symptoms are the same as the symptoms you experience when you’re dehydrated. You may begin to experience headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and nausea. Overhydration also may cause one to go into a coma, to be unconscious, and become disoriented. The health implications of overhydration include failure of the heart, kidneys, and liver, and other conditions including diabetes.
How Much Should I Take?
The Institute of Medicine guidelines suggest 78 – 100 ounces per day. This amounts to 9 – 13 cups of water per day. It’s important to note that water intake varies from individual to individual. The determining factors include age, weight, sex, and different health conditions.
Medical products that help with hydrating while working out, strike the right balance of electrolytes that you need in your body. If you work out, investing in these products may help you reduce the uncertainty of whether you’re taking too much or too little water.
The catch to drinking water when exercising, is that you’ve to know when to drink the water and how much. Some guidelines need to be followed to make sure that you don’t risk getting dehydrated or drink too much water. It’s recommended that you drink 15-20 ounces of water 2 hours before your work-out. You should drink another 8 – 10 ounces 15 minutes before you begin your session. During the work-out, 8 ounces of water is needed every 15 minutes.
Remembering these recommendations may take the fun out of working out. Sometimes, work out sessions are spontaneous and you don’t start taking in water long before you begin. This is when the medical products that help with the regulation of electrolytes come in handy.
Who is at risk?
Any workout or sport that leads to sweat means that the body loses water and needs replenishing. It’s known that marathon runners, cyclists, rugby players, rowers, and hikers are at the top risk when it comes to overhydration and dehydration. This isn’t to say that those who do general exercise are safe from overhydration and dehydration. Making sure that you take in the required amounts of water is recommended regardless of the style of working out that you take up.
How to avoid dehydration or overhydration
For you to avoid over hydrating while working out, you’ve got to be aware and mindful of the balance. You’ve got to follow the recommended times and amounts of water to drink before, during, and after the routine. Through-out the day, you also have to continue drinking the recommended cups of water to achieve the cup levels that are required by the body.
There are platforms where you can check if your water levels are balanced. These give you an indication of what your urine color looks like and what it’s supposed to look like. If you purchase medical products that assist you with striking a balance, be certain to follow the instructions that come with it.
Medical Intervention
Some conditions that come about because of working out can’t be solved by increasing or reducing the amount of water intake. If you experience problems after working out, such as abdominal pain, heavy breathing, and chest pains, be sure to seek medical advice. You can also get your hydration levels checked and discuss the intake of medical products to help you achieve the electrolyte balance that your body requires.
Conclusion
Exercising requires a very careful ritual of drinking water. Before, during, and after your work out, you’ve got to take the recommended cups of water. Doing so reduces the risks that come with becoming dehydrated or overhydrated. Both instances are dangerous to your health. Conditions such as heart and liver failure may result if electrolytes are imbalanced in your body. Medical products that balance out the levels of electrolytes needed in your body are convenient and reduce the risk of taking too much or too little water. Make sure to follow the instructions that come with these products for the best outcomes.
If you experience physical ailments such as chest pain, abdominal pain, headache, dizziness, and nausea, be sure to seek medical intervention. These are all indicative of either dehydration or overhydration. However, these symptoms may also indicate other serious underlying health problems that can’t be left to self-diagnosis.
