Hydration and Sports Performance Signs and symptoms Water is the most important nutrient, particularly for athletes this is because water is 85% of the body

Authors Avatar

Unit 10 – Sports Nutrition

Hydration and Sports Performance

Signs and symptoms

Water is the most important nutrient, particularly for athletes this is because water is 85% of the body. It is important to keep hydrated before, after and during exercise this is because an athlete can lose up to 1 litre of water per hour during endurance exercise. Therefore re-hydration is essential especially in a hot environment.

The symptoms of hydration are:

  • Thirst
  • Decreased blood volume
  • Concentrated urine
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Dizziness
  • Breathing difficulties
  • Confusion and poor speech
  • Muscle spasms
  • Tingling and numbness of limbs
  • Renal failure
  • Death

Conditions caused by lack of fluids

Muscle cramps are sudden, involuntary contractions or spasms in one or more of your muscles. They often occur after exercise, lasting a few seconds to several minutes. They can occur after exercise of up to 2 hours and are often the result of luid loss or inadequate slt intake when sweating heavy.

Join now!

Heat exhaustion

Heat exhaustion is where the body loses its ability to cool down efficiently. Normally, the body cools itself by sweating. But if you are exposed to high temperatures for a long time and don't replace the fluids you lose, the body systems that regulate temperature become overwhelmed. The athlete’s skin will feel moist and clammy they will have a fast, weak pulse and shallow breathing, they may look pale and feel weak and dizzy.

Hyponatraemia

Hyponatraemia is a result of an overhydrating in the body. It can happen during activites where water is constantly drunk ...

This is a preview of the whole essay