When it comes to physical performance, both athletes and regular workers tend to underestimate the power of water. Nonetheless, water, the chemical that covers up to 60% of our bodies, is an essential component in exercise and daily activities. This simple fact is one of the key reasons why do many top athletes and those who are looking to optimise performance choose to take supplements such as hydration tablets, rehydration powders and electrolyte drinks to help then maintain hydration. In this article, we will be developing the importance of hydration by providing five ways by which water helps our physical health: Water gives muscles energy: Though it is mainly the sugar and glucose that provide this energy, water helps the muscles to use this glucose. Electrolytes, a term used to refer to electrically charged minerals that are essential to body health, are also transported to the muscles by water. As a result, water maintains a balance of nutrients that keep us vigilant and ready-to-act. Water promotes agility and flexibility: The synovial fluid is responsible for lubricating our joints and ligaments to have a smooth exercise. Water helps build this fluid and supplies the body with vital elements such as sodium and potassium. If you are a weightlifter, your muscles must be facilitated enough to avoid the painful stress acting on them. Water controls calories in diet: It is no wonder that water-rich foods are suggested as dietary elements for their low-calorie count. Moreover, these meals are effective at maintaining good health by cutting down the extra fat. Since these foods take time to be assimilated into bodies, you wouldn’t be too hungry and, therefore, not consume calories. Teeth health is improved as well as these meals with fiber require excessive chewing. Water speeds up recovery and decreases pain: If you’re an athlete, it is likely for you to be injured on several occasions. However, drinking water will reduce such happening as muscles are made more robust with proper water intake. With an adequate water supply, toxins are removed quickly, resulting in low pain sensitivity. Water provides efficiency in exercise: Water transports heat throughout the body to maintain the body temperature to support energy usage. Without the proper temperature, metabolic reactions in the body would slow down, leading to inefficient exercise. Without enough energy, you are likely to feel dull and tired, even before you start your activities! Water also reduces inflammation and heat stress. If you are an athlete, it can be tempting to get plump muscles and tiring to do all those straining exercises. Fortunately, as mentioned above, water can help reduce your stress by giving you an extra push, both emotionally and physically, so that you can get the body you always wanted! It is recommended that an average person drinks 3 liters of water each day to lead a healthy life. The amount of water intake is important, but the time you drink water plays a significant role as well. For athletes especially, it is suggested that drinking water a few hours before exercise can help improve performance, and drinking after training will result in improved agility. Post-exercise drinking also replenishes the water lost as sweat. Apart from physical health benefits, water is proved to help get clear and wrinkle-free skin and help keep organs functioning properly. It also plays a significant part in bowel health. Rehydration powders, tablets and pills are all great ways to ensure that you remain hydrated. When choosing a supplement always ensure that there is a high concentration of electrolytes. We prefer electrolyte powders and electrolyte drinks as these methods allow for the highest level of absorption into the blood stream

Hydration is essential for everyone; however, some aspects are different when it comes to hydration for cyclists specifically. As a cyclist, one must have high metabolism rates to enable their bodies to supply the energy they need. Cycling is a strenuous exercise, so glucose, electrolytes, and other nutrients are required alongside the water. In this article, we will see how hydration helps cyclists, what happens as a result of poor hydration, how to stay hydrated as a cycle driver and we will discuss the idea of sports hydration in detail. How hydration helps cyclists? Adequate amounts of fluids in the body increase one’s flexibility by lubricating muscles, tissues, and joints. During paddling, a cyclist’s knees must be bent easily and smoothly. Hydration helps do that. Apart from that, cells are given more oxygen at a faster rate to break glucose down and produce energy. Water helps build muscles by transporting amino acids and other nourishments needed for muscle growth and development. It boosts stamina, increases endurance, and makes you feel less tired. Your overall performance is improved as a result of increased concentration and attention to the road. Yes, this fluid helps you concentrate as well! After a vigorous exercise, you need to replenish the water lost through sweat along with the nutrients and minerals. These minerals are often termed electrolytes, which mainly include sodium, potassium, and magnesium. Sodium helps prevent muscle cramps, whereas others improve the efficiency of absorption of fluids. What happens if hydration for cyclists is insufficient? During hot days, cyclists may feel weak if they do not drink enough. Feeble muscles can result in low performance, and unmindfulness can cause accidents! Without enough fluids, lethargy seems to be an unpleasant symptom, and so do headaches. In worst cases, the cyclist can suffer from unconsciousness and low blood pressure. These are both dangerous to any sportsmen and should be avoided at any cost. How to stay hydrated as a cyclist? If you are a cycle-rider, drinking water is essential before, during, and after your exercise. You need about 2 liters for each hour of cycling, but when the weather is hot, you can increase the amount or decrease it if it is cold outside. Do not gulp all the liters at once though, drink 500ml every 15 minutes. If you do not adore plain water, try opting for electrolyte drinks or juices. Electrolytes are important to retain the water you drink instead of letting it go away. Electrolyte supplements can also help. To strengthen your muscles, you can try protein shakes that contain nutrients to repair your muscles. Exercise does reduce blood sugar levels, so eat something sweet to replenish those. Consume these within 2 hours of cycling. Hydration for cyclists need glucose. Additionally, lemonades are a great way to intake vitamin C, and we suggest you take these before the ride to replenish all water lost in daily activities. This vitamin also keeps you away from flu and colds. Conclusion Hydration for cyclists is a must to ensure consistent performance and efficient exercise. It’s great that you cycle to keep your body fit, but remember to follow the aforementioned tips, or you might suffer severely from dehydration. Happy cycling!

Every day we strive to take lots of liquids to prevent dehydration, not knowing that water alone isn’t the best way to stay hydrated. While it’s our core body fuel, we also need a balance of essential mineral salts, commonly known as electrolytes, to keep our processes optimised. Fluids and minerals loss affects human performance in several ways. It’s the cause of fatigue, mood swings, and lack of concentration. Even the mildest form of it can affect your normal functions. As such, it’s crucial to keep a proper balance by doing electrolyte replacement adequately. Why isn’t Water Enough To Prevent Dehydration? For mild desiccation, Adam’s ale should be enough to top up your body moisture. But it will only be effective if you’ve been keeping your hydration status in check with rehydration drinks. In its plain form, it lacks essential mineral salts such as sodium, magnesium, chloride, potassium, calcium, and many others. When dehydrated, you need a new flash of mineral salts to top up the losses and boost fluid retention capabilities. Taking oral rehydration solutions is the most effective way to prevent dehydration. Although very rare, taking too much of this naturally occurring liquid can cause harm, especially in those who exercise for long hours. That’s because it causes the kidney to work hard to excrete the surplus through urine, which flushes a lot of sodium with it. With the reduced levels of this critical electrolyte, imbalance chips in, resulting in hyponatremia. While taking too much of this body fuel might not pose serious harm to your body, there are better ways to stay hydrated. How to Prevent Dehydration When you lose more fluids than you’re taking in, dehydration is the result. Some of the causes include vomiting, diarrhoea, excessive alcohol consumption, excessive sweating, failure to drink enough liquids, among others. It can be dangerous in young children and older people. To stay hydrated at all times, you need a proper salts and fluids balance. The following are more effective ways to prevent dehydration other than just drinking plain water. Hydration tablets These are tablets containing proper proportions of the essential minerals such as sodium and calcium needed to stay hydrated. Unlike sports drinks, they do not have sugars and carbs hence very effective in electrolyte replacement. These tabs are taken with water and boost your body’s retention capacity, thus highly effective in reversing the loss of fluids. Oral rehydration solutions Like the hydration tabs, the ORS are ready solutions with proper amounts of necessary electrolytes to keep you hydrated. They can also be in the form of powder in sachets, where you’ll have to dissolve in water to create the hydration drink. ORS is highly effective and ideal when dehydrated from vomiting, diarrhoea, a hangover, or food poisoning. Generally, make it a habit to drink this rehydration solution even when not faced with severe loss of fluids and electrolytes. Consume mineral-rich foods Naturally occurring foods that are rich in mineral salts are also ideal for keeping the body hydrated. These include coconut water, watermelon juice, peanuts, spinach, almonds, broccoli, and fruits. Essentially, avoid processed foods and sports drinks after experiencing a hangover, food poisoning, or illness. These contain too much sugar and can spike stomach upsets resulting in vomiting or diarrhoea. Final Thoughts The crucial point to take is that you shouldn’t stop drinking water or take less, nor should you swap it for rehydration drinks. But if you intend to remain optimally hydrated, it’s crucial to adopt a slow and steady rhythm to consumption. Also, couple it with electrolyte drinks and mineral-rich foods to keep a proper balance of moisture and salts in your body.

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