Hydration alone is not enough when exercising! There are two more that must be supplemented

In the hot summer, people sweat a lot. "Drink more water when exercising" is the general concept. In fact, in addition to replenishing more water, it is easy to overlook that electrolytes and sugars are also needed. These three magic weapons are indispensable to help the body maintain balance and improve exercise endurance.

More than 90% of human blood is water. If an average person loses about 1% of their body weight in water, their physical strength and athletic performance will be affected. However, we don’t feel thirsty easily during exercise, or we don’t have time to replenish water, so we often feel thirsty after losing 2% to 3% of our body weight in water. Once water loss exceeds 5% of body weight, it may lead to dehydration, heat stroke, cramps, heat exhaustion, and even myocardial infarction, so you must be careful.

Remember to drink water before, during, and after exercise

It is recommended to remember to replenish water before, during and after exercise. During exercise, you need to replenish 150-200cc of water every 10 to 15 minutes, and continue to replenish water after exercise.

Some people mistakenly believe that they can drink coffee or tea to refresh themselves during exercise. In fact, this is wrong. Coffee, tea, etc. contain caffeine, which is a diuretic and will accelerate the loss of water in the body. As for some people who like to supplement carbonated drinks during exercise, it is not recommended. Carbonated drinks often contain bubbles, which can easily cause gastrointestinal discomfort during exercise, so they are not suitable for drinking during exercise or sweating.

Properly replenish sugar and electrolytes during exercise to avoid discomfort after sweating

As for why we need to replenish electrolytes and sugars in addition to water during exercise? Nutritionist Lin Ruojun said that during exercise, the amount of sweat per hour can be as high as 2 to 4 liters. When sweating profusely, electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium will be lost. Drinking only water can easily lead to electrolyte imbalance. It is recommended to supplement sugar and electrolytes appropriately to avoid discomfort after sweating.

Sugar is the only energy source for the brain and can maintain mental and physical strength during exercise. Glucose can provide energy quickly, and sucrose can provide energy steadily. As for the benefits of replenishing electrolytes during exercise, it is because a lot of electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium are lost when sweating. Moderate supplementation during exercise can help increase sodium, potassium, and magnesium, which can help physical recovery and assist energy metabolism, as well as supplement vitamins B1 and B12, which helps improve athletic ability.

Nutritionist Lin Ruojun recommends consuming a moderate amount of carbohydrates to replenish calories during exercise, because carbohydrates contain glucose and sucrose, as well as electrolytes such as sodium, magnesium, and potassium, and supplementary drinks such as vitamins B1 and B12. These can replenish the necessary water and nutrients, help improve the feeling during exercise, and help create better exercise results.