Dehydration and Sport performance Part 1

The relationship between an athlete's dehydration and their physical performance can occur voluntarily or involuntarily. Dehydration refers to the loss of body water during a state in which the body transitions from hyperhydration to dehydration.
There are two types of dehydration depending on how it is caused
-Voluntary dehydration , when used intentionally by the athlete in an attempt to find some perceived sporting advantage (e.g. to compete in a lower weight class) using techniques such as saunas, steam, diuretics or exercise-induced sweating without fluid ingestion.
- On the other hand, we are talking about involuntary dehydration, as a consequence of a greater loss of fluids due to sweating compared to the amount of fluids taken during the training or competition in which the subject participates.
Regardless of how it is caused, dehydration can affect a variety of physiological processes and this, in turn, can hinder an athlete's performance. Dehydration increases physiological stress because the greater the water deficit in the body, the greater the increase in physiological stress for exercise.
A state of dehydration greater than 2% of body weight reduces performance, and to the extent that the rate of weight loss becomes more apparent due to lack of fluid intake, the decline in exercise performance may be even greater.
It is important to emphasize that endurance capacity is much more affected when there is dehydration in a hot environment than in a cold environment, suggesting that a reduction in thermoregulatory function is a determinant of the performance decline associated with water deficit in the body.
Heat cramps
Cramps are basically a form of hyperactivity in the motor unit that provokes painful involuntary muscle contractions. Heat cramps are those cramps associated with sweat loss and are a subtle difference to exercise-related cramps because they are defined when they are resolved by sodium replacement.

People who have this type of cramp tend to sweat profusely and in turn have an increased concentration of sodium in their sweat. When heat cramps are present, the body temperature does not necessarily rise. Their prevention involves two factors:

1. Intake of fluids with an adequate amount of sodium.
2. Increasing daily salt intake before heat stress is encountered (eg, extra salt at main meals).
The lack of ability to restore these minerals at the appropriate frequency determines pain and muscle spasms, usually in the abdomen and extremities.

Sweat is mainly water (about 99%), some important electrolytes and other nutrients can be found in varying amounts. Sweat is hypertonic compared to body fluids. This means that the concentration of electrolytes is less in sweat than in body fluids.
Special consideration should be given to those athletes who lose large amounts of sweat as they may need to increase their dietary intake of certain electrolytes as their losses will be greater during exercise. Prolonged sweating can reduce the concentration of sodium and chlorine by between 5-7% and potassium by about 1%, so if this is not compensated daily, it can cause a deficiency of these ions.
The American College of Sports Medicine also suggests that caffeine consumption in appropriate doses may help maintain exercise performance and likely will not alter hydration status during exercise.

Check PART 2! https://fit365bg.com/blog-post/dehidratacia-i-sportna-forma-cast-2