Drinking enough water is important every day, but especially when sports are part of your routine, and you may need electrolytes as well. 雷文·奈恩，m.s.S., R.D., L.D., a dietitian with the Johns Hopkins University Student 健康 and Wellness Center, answers some common questions about sports hydration, 运动饮料 and what’s best to drink ― and when.

Why is it important for athletes to stay hydrated?

Getting enough to drink before, during and after a sport or activity is essential. For every hour of activity, people can lose up to 2 quarts of fluid ― and salt along with it. 耐力的活动, such as distance running and intense hiking and bicycling, can drain up to 3 quarts per hour.

“在比赛中补水, tournament or 锻炼 ― not just before and after ― can fall below the radar of an athlete and their trainer, 但性能取决于它. Getting dehydrated puts you at risk of headaches, cramping and more serious complications like 中暑 或其他 热疾病.”

脱水会影响你的比赛吗?

“Dehydration is a heavy hitter when it comes to athletic performance,奈恩说. Running low on water and electrolytes can affect:

• 运动性能. 水 cushions the joints, and being dehydrated can affect your flexibility and speed.
• 耐力. Hydration is essential for proper muscle function (包括心脏 muscles), 它可以帮助你避免抽筋.
• 呼吸. 当你吸气时, you need body fluids to moisten the air so it’s easier to absorb oxygen through your lungs.
• 情绪. 你的大脑需要水来工作. Just as a drop in blood sugar can make a person “hangry,” dehydration can affect mood and concentration and cause headaches and irritability.

电解质是什么?? 为什么运动员需要它们?

Electrolytes include salt and minerals such as potassium, phosphate, calcium and magnesium. Maintaining electrolyte balance maximizes the performance of the body’s muscles, organs and joints. With the exception of bicarbonate, which the body can produce itself, electrolytes come from the food and beverages you consume.

“在运动补水方面, when we’re talking about electrolytes, bet8九州下载主要讨论的是盐, 简单明了,奈恩说. Salt is particularly important to help nerves transmit electrical signals to the muscles of the body, 包括心脏, and to help the body absorb nutrients into its cells.

Because electrolytes dissolve in water, levels can go down when the body loses water through elimination of waste (urine and stool), breath evaporation and sweating. Nairn notes these last two functions can be speeded up in people playing sports, which is why it’s important for athletes to be aware of their electrolyte intake during periods of activity.

脱水的症状

Dehydration can sneak up on both adults and 孩子们, especially when they’re exerting themselves. Waiting until you’re thirsty to grab a drink may be short-changing your hydration needs. Nairn says, “By the time you actually feel thirsty, it’s too late ― you’re already too low on fluids.”

尿液是另一个线索. Peeing less frequently or in smaller amounts is a clue to needing fluids, as is the urine’s color: “Ideally, 你的尿液应该是苍白的, 草黄色,她说。. “If it’s deeper yellow or golden, you’re likely dehydrated.”

脱水的其他症状:

• 肌肉抽筋
• 乏力
• 头晕
• 头晕
• 混乱
• 口腔和粘膜干燥
• Increased heart rate and breathing

What should athletes drink to stay hydrated? 当?

水, 运动饮料, caffeinated beverages and even chocolate milk are some favorites among athletes. Nairn says they all can play a role in staying hydrated.

水:基本水合作用

水 is the most basic form of hydration, and certainly the least expensive. Nairn says sparkling water is just as hydrating as noncarbonated tap water.

“Athletes may get bored with water,” she observes. 在某种程度上, plain water is not always the best ― drinking too much water can dilute electrolytes. The goal is to maintain balance.

Along with water, eating your hydration is important. 我推荐水果, 比如菠萝或西瓜, combined with 运动饮料 or water infused with electrolytes and water-soluble vitamins such as C and Bs.”

运动饮料

Sports drinks include commercially produced bottled or canned beverages that are designed to help you stay hydrated and replenished when you’re training, 锻炼或做运动. 通常, 它们含有水, 口味, 颜色, electrolytes (chiefly salt) and sugar for energy, although zero-sugar drinks are also available.

There is a huge market for these products, and a lot to choose from. Electrolytes with flavorings are also sold in packets or tablets that can be added to water. Marathon runners may use gels that contain salt and sugar for energy. “You can also make your own sports drink by sprinkling 1/2 teaspoon of salt into a liter of water and adding a bit of sweetener, lemon or fruit to make it taste better,奈恩说.

Sports drinks and electrolyte beverages can also make a person feel better if they are experiencing dehydration due to fever, 腹泻或呕吐.

运动饮料的种类

Depending on the balance of carbohydrates (sugar) and electrolytes, 运动饮料 fall into one of three categories:

• 等渗饮料 have approximately the same balance of carbohydrates and electrolytes as human blood. They are meant to restore electrolyte balance after sports that involve sweating and electrolyte loss. Most commercial 运动饮料 are in this category.
• 低渗的饮料 contain lower amounts of carbohydrates and electrolytes than the human body. These can be appropriate after a 锻炼.
• 高渗公式 have higher amounts of carbohydrates and electrolytes than human blood. 电解质凝胶, with their higher concentration of sugar and salt, would be similar to these in composition. These can benefit people who do endurance sports, and are useful for replenishing stores of glycogen in the muscles that provide energy.

如何选择运动饮料

Nairn advises reading the label to see what’s in the sports drink and ensure it meets your needs and preferences for carbs, 卡路里和盐.

“Choose a drink based on how much salt you lose in your sweat, which differs from person to person. You may perspire very lightly or soak your shirt, 留下盐晶体, or find you’re somewhere in between.” Activities that involve wearing heavy gear or padding, 比如足球, can push sweating and fluid loss, 特别是在炎热的天气. There can be anywhere between 200 milligrams to 2,000 milligrams of salt in each liter of sweat.

Kids and adults handle water and salt loss differently. “While 孩子们 are considered dehydrated after losing 1% of their fluid levels, adults can lose up to 2% before hitting that definition. Puberty makes a big difference in sweat output. It’s important to know that a teenager may sweat out fluid and electrolytes faster than they did as a child.”

“As a guideline, adults should aim for 200 milligrams of salt per 16-ounce serving of sports drink. A 12-ounce bottle should have at least 150 milligrams,奈恩说.

In terms of sugar, the drink should contain 6% to 8% total carbohydrates for energy replacement.

Other Types of Drinks for Athletes

• 椰子汁 and 运动饮料 made with it are not at the top of Nairn’s recommendation list. “椰子汁 is high in potassium, but this electrolyte is not one that people lose a lot of through perspiration. It’s the salt that needs to be replenished.”
• 咖啡因 is an ingredient in some sports and energy drinks, and some athletes like to drink coffee 或其他 caffeinated beverages a few hours before a game or 锻炼 to boost their energy. “这不是问题,奈恩说, 但她警告说, caffeine can upset the stomach and stimulate the bowel, necessitating an unplanned trip to the bathroom.
• 巧克力牛奶. Chocolate-flavored whole milk provides fats that can help lessen the impact of post-exercise inflammation, and the protein can help in recovery.

Sports Hydration: A Sample Plan

Here’s a guideline of what you should drink for every 20 minutes of sports play:

• 成人:6至12盎司
• Teens (age 13 to 18): 11 to 16 ounces
• Kids (age 9 to 12): 3 to 8 ounces  

至于之前喝什么, 练习期间和之后, 锻炼, 游戏或锦标赛, 奈恩建议:

• 之前: Have 24 ounces of sports drink or electrolyte-infused water two hours before the activity.
• 在: If the activity is going to go on for more than 45 minutes (adults) or more than an hour for kids, make sure you’re using a sports drink and not just plain water to hydrate.
• 之后: Drink 16–24 ounces of water or hypotonic sports drink, depending on how much you’ve sweated ― Nairn says the ideal goal is 24 ounces per pound lost. This is also a good time for chocolate milk.

Is it possible to drink too much electrolyte?

Nairn是这么说的, drinking large quantities of electrolytes does not put healthy people in danger. That’s because they are water soluble. “What you don’t use passes through the body in the urine,” she explains.

然而, people who have very high blood pressure or kidney problems should check with a doctor or dietitian to ensure they are not getting too much salt.

Some 运动饮料 have a high sugar content, which can add calories and increase the risk of obesity if they are overconsumed, particularly by 孩子们 and people who are not expending calories through exercise.  

Stay Motivated to Stay Hydrated

To help you stay on top of your hydration needs, Nairn says a good tip is using “motivational” water bottles that have water levels marked with time intervals to remind you to drink enough water throughout the day.

她还指出，父母, coaches and trainers can use a little psychology to encourage athletes to drink more water and electrolytes: “Tap into their competitive spirit,她建议道。. “Stress to players and clients that if they’re not hydrating, their performances will suffer ― this motivates them.”