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One of the most powerful performance enhancing supplements runs freely from your tap. Water, plain and simple, can have a profound impact on muscle strength, muscle endurance, heart rate and fatigue. It's not just high performance athletes that can benefit from being properly hydrated. The occasional exerciser will also notice reduced fatigue and may even choose to exercise longer. A study from the Journal of Sports Science found that dehydrated exercisers worked out for 25 percent less time than hydrated exercisers. They also experienced more cramping, decreased concentration and more headaches when dehydrated. For many exercisers it is hard to believe that such a simple substance can have such a profound impact on their workout. Some believe that improved performance can only come in a fancy bottle with designer ingredients. This is not the case when exercising for 60 to 90 minutes. For a short workout all you need is a smart pre-workout snack and some cool, clear water.

The body is made up of 65-75 percent water. One of the highest concentrations of water is in our bloodstream. When we get dehydrated there is an immediate drop in our blood volume. The body responds by constricting blood vessels to maintain our blood pressure. Constricted blood vessels means less blood to hands, feet, arms, legs ect. Less blood flow means less oxygen and therefore our muscles get tired sooner. It is amazing how many unconscious reactions are happening inside our body at any one time! Heart rate will also increase as blood volumes drops. That explains why you may feel more out of breath and tired when you are dehydrated. A loss of just 2 pounds of fluid during a workout can add an extra 8 beats per minute to your heart rate. Over an hour workout that means your heart had 480 extra beats. That's enough to explain wanting to quit early. One way to find out how much fluid you have lost during a workout is to weigh yourself before and after you exercise. Weight lost during a workout is fluid, not body fat. A net loss in body fat happens over days, not hours. If you loose more than 2 pounds of fluid during a workout you may have lost as much as 10 percent of your performance. With workout time at a premium in our busy lives, who can afford to give up ten percent? To maximize your workout and feel energized, follow these simple guidelines. Drink a base of 8-12 cups of fluid during the day whether exercising or not. If you get into this habit, it will make staying hydrated during exercise much easier. Fluids consumed during the day can include any non-alcoholic beverage such as juice, milk, water, pop, coffee and tea. In the hour before exercise, aim to consume 250-500ml of water to "prime" your stomach. This may help alleviate any "sloshing" or stomach cramping when you begin drinking during your workout. While exercising, drink 500ml to 1 litre per hour of exercise. As mentioned above, the first 60 to 90 minutes can be plain and simple water. After 90 minutes of exercise you can benefit from switching to a dilute sweetened beverage such as a sport drink. Long distance runners and endurance exercisers need the extra sugars after 90 minutes to keep them going. After exercise, drink to replace any lost fluids. For every pound lost during a workout you should consume 500-750ml of extra fluid to re-hydrate. Many exercisers can easily loose 3-4 pounds during a hard workout even in a cool environment. Therefore the best strategy is to prevent dehydration and drink enough to maintain your weight during exercise. Stay hydrated and get the most out of your workout.

Heidi Smith is a Registered Dietitian from the Health and Performance Centre. She is the author of the book “Nutrition for the Long Run - A nutrition handbook for runners, walkers and active individuals”. Her column runs every Thursday

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