Dehydration can have a significant impact on physical and mental performance. It can lead to reduced performance, headaches, fatigue, and muscle cramps. Our muscles are 75 % water. Water is essential to help transport glucose and oxygen to the muscles.
So how much water should I drink? A good rule of thumb for most people to ensure adequate hydration is to consume 8 fluid ounces of water every hour for the first 10 hours after you wake up (80 ounces total). Fluid requirements are greater earlier in the day.
Do I need to drink more water if I exercise? Yes, you will need to consume more water if you are exercising. A good way to calculate this is to take your body weight in pounds, divide that by 30 and that will give you the number of ounces to consume every 15 to 20 minutes on average while exercising. For example, if you weight 150 lbs. you would consume 5 ounces of water every 15 to 20 minutes during exercise.
How can I tell if I'm dehydrated? The easiest way to tell is to check the color of your urine. You want clear or mostly clear urine.
