The Importance of Hydration

Roughly 75% of Americans suffer from chronic dehydration each year, this affects our bodies in horrific ways. Sixty percent of our bodies are composed of water, seventy-five percent in our muscles, eighty-five percent in our brains. Just moderate dehydration has the potential to cause serious problems, most significantly in extreme cases seizures, hypovolemic shock, and most importantly death.

Who am I?

Hello health and fitness enthusiasts, I am Ateazi, I am a sports trainer in the South-Eastern United States, I started my career in fitness right after I finished high school, I work with division one collegiate athletes, and some even from other countries. Furthermore I am new to Steemit my goal here is to spread my knowledge with everyone, giving the ability to better our lives, in a safer, more progressive way.

What dehydration does to the human body

Exercise performance is impaired when an individual is dehydrated by as little as 2% of body weight. Losses in excess of 5% of body weight can decrease the capacity for work by about 30%, not only does it decrease your capabilities to perform, but it puts you at risk from dry mouth, headache, and dizziness to low blood pressure, difficulty breathing, fainting, chest and abdominal pain, and a fever above 103 Fahrenheit. On top of all that, it can cause urinary tract infections, produce kidney stones, and in some cases kidney failure

Back problems? Dehydration could be why!

Dehydration is factor that plays into not just performance and organs, but it affects your back aswell. When you are hydrated there is water between your vertebrae keeping them from rubbing against each other, however when you are dehydrated there is no cushioning between each vertebrae causing pain, swelling, or even a bulge or rupture in the disks.

Just walking for a period of time can cause dehydration

A study investigated the capacity of eight subjects to perform treadmill walking in very hot, dry conditions when they were euhydrated and when they were dehydrated by a 3%, 5%, or 7% loss of body mass. All eight subjects were able to complete 140 minutes walking when euhydrated and 3% dehydrated. Seven subjects completed the walk when 5% dehydrated, but when dehydrated by 7%, six subjects stopped walking after an average of only 64 minutes. Thus, even for relatively low-intensity exercise, dehydration clearly increases the incidence of exhaustion from heat strain.

How to prevent dehydration

• Drink water regularly throughout the day, especially during meals and snacks. Frequently sip water between meals.
• Drink 20 ounces of water one hour before exercise.
• Frequently take big gulps of water during exercise.
• Drink 24 ounces of water for every pound lost after exercise by comparing your weight before and after.
• Drink a sports drink if your activity lasts longer than an hour, it's a grueling event or you have multiple events during the day.
• Eat fruits and vegetables as snacks for their hydration properties, as well as fuel.
• Avoid energy drinks while doing any form of exercise, your heart does not need that much pressure.

Recommended daily water intake

You should drink anywhere between 8-10 cups of water if you are a female and 10-12 cups of water if you are a male, be cautious anytime you are in moderate to hot weather for extended periods of time, or if you are working out vigorously for an hour or longer. If you do happen to find yourself doing either of those, follow the guidelines above and you will remain hydrated and protected from serious harm.

I hope this helps and that you enjoyed it as well, more so I hope everyone will remain safe whenever they exercise and get out in this summer heat.

Thanks for reading!