On proper hydration methods for running in the summer heat
With the hot weather, that seems to be a permanent fixture lately, runners are advised to stay hydrated when running. Recommendations from medical sources prescribe 12 cups a day for men and 9.5 cups a day for women. This includes all liquids. Coffee, tea, juice, milk, and various other forms of water can be used in obtaining the required amount of fluid.
The amount is an average estimate and lifestyle can affect that recommended amount. If the temperature is hot (such as it is here in Texas recently), if you add a lot of salt to your food, drink a lot of caffeine, consume alcohol (need more water), or are older in age, then the average amount may be different.
After looking into the hydration requirements for water the one thing that seemed to stand out is how businesses and companies are willing to develop various form of water to hydrate the runner. This is over and above the Gatorade and Powerade and other energy replacement drinks. In Bottom Line Health newsletter there was an article that states that eating your water is healthier than drinking your water. Water that you get from foods is more hydrating than “liquid” water. The gel like form of water is about 10 percent more viscous than liquid water. Found inside all living cells, gel water moistens tissues better than liquid water and contains more electrolytes which enhances bodily functions. The article said that you still need liquid water but some foods can help supply the necessary recommendations for hydration.
The article mentioned four steps to get more gel water from plants. 1: Drink two green, veggie based smoothies a day (8 ounces each), 2: Eat hydrating vegetables; 3: Use natural salt (Celtic or Himalayan salt), and 4: Move moisture with micromovements (getting water from the stomach to essential organs can be achieved by moving – even small movements help). The article listed the percentages of water in various plants that help make choices easier. Cucumbers have 96 percent; Romaine lettuce has 95.6 percent; celery has 95.4 percent; radish has 95.3 percent and zucchini has 95 percent. Watermelon and strawberries are roughly 91 percent, grapefruit and cantaloupe are about 90 percent, kiwi and apples and pears are about 84 percent water. This information helps with your choice of vegetables and fruits you want to make your smoothies with.
Reading about hydration in the Nutrition Action newsletter I found that there are a number of hydrating fluids that promote getting enough healthy waters to aid the runner. There is ‘protein water’ that has added whey protein isolate to the bottle. A research study testing the claims for protein water found that runners were no better hydrated after drinking protein water than plain water. “Raw water” is ‘spring fed’ water from the last Ice Age and comes from Maine but is only available in California. The recommendation states that ‘raw water’ isn’t worth the price or the risk.
Deep Ocean water originates from a deep ocean current. A study comparing deep ocean water with spring water and a sports drink found some facts missing in the study and came to the conclusion that Kona Deep is ‘basically just water’. Alkaline water is water with a pH above 7 (on a 0 – 14 pH scale). It claims to neutralize acid in the blood stream. The recommendation states that your body is perfectly capable of regulating your blood’s pH without an assist from alkaline water. Hydrogen water adds molecules of hydrogen to the water. It claims to boost endurance and reduce fatigue but studies show that there is no good evidence to back up the claims for hydrogen water.
One of the more popular drinks is electrolyte water. The claim is that electrolyte water allows the runner to keep more of the water in the body instead of excreting it. It may be beneficial if you have been doing intense exercise for more than an hour. The article mentioned that Propel drink at least replaces what you lose in sweat, but Whole Foods 365 adds the electrolytes more for taste than benefits. The last drink mentioned was coconut water. Coconut water is good for replacing the level of potassium in the body after a workout. The problem is that the body loses far less potassium than sodium in sweat. But, if you are potassium deficient it can help in that respect. The recommendation from the studies is you don’t need coconut water – or its 45 calories of naturally occurring sugar – after a workout. Most of it can be replaced with plain old water and a sandwich.
The articles did not mention my favorite drink for hydration after a workout, or even before a run. My drink of choice was a glass of iced tea with some sugar in it for sweetness. Between the caffeine in the tea and the energy from the sugar I was ready to go. I even used this blend of drink on long bike rides and seemed to do as well as the riders and electrolyte drinks. Everybody has their favorite drink and this is just a little information on what is available for a runner to try. Drink up and go for a run in the hot summer.
