Did you know you’re more likely to lose momentum when you forget to hydrate? As an athlete, your hydration levels are your competitive edge. So, you need to know how to master them, starting with understanding when to drink and how much. In this article, we cover different ways dehydration impacts your performance and how you can conquer it.

Dehydration weakens your muscles

Dehydration robs the muscles of electrolytes (otherwise known as salts), which can lead to problematic muscle cramps. Muscles are roughly 15-20% water, so a fluid imbalance weakens their strength and consequentially impairs your performance. A 2021 study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found those who drank electrolyte drinks were less prone to muscle weakness than those who drank water.

Dehydration affects your concentration

Did you know dehydration makes the brain work harder? A recent study found those who experience a fluid loss of 2% of their body weight or more experience a decline in mental activity. This affects your cognitive skills like problem-solving, coordination, and concentration. Even the most subtle cases of dehydration can impact your ability to complete basic tasks, highlighting the importance of staying hydrated during a game.

Dehydration slows your recovery

Muscle protein synthesis is how your muscles grow stronger. When your muscles lose lubrication, the muscle protein synthesis stops, and your recovery slows down. Dehydration also decreases blood volume, so the heart has to work harder to pump oxygen and blood around the body. In 2012, an experiment discovered those who drank an isotonic drink showed faster heart rate recovery, meaning their body recovered earlier.

Dehydration triggers an energy drop

Fatigue ensues when your body struggles to diffuse heat and directs blood away from the skin. You lose essential salts and protein as your body releases sweat to cool down. You may be familiar with magnesium, an important salt for energy production. Potassium is another which is known to support muscle function. A lack of magnesium and potassium can decrease signals from the brain that stimulate contractions, leading to an energy drop.

Dehydration increases injury risk

Synovial fluid is a thick liquid that lubricates your joints to keep them moving. When you're dehydrated, less synovial fluid is available to protect the joints from injury. As an athlete, you’re most at risk of damaging your joints during training, where continuous and repetitive movements put pressure on the joint surface.

How to leverage your hydration levels

During a game, your body will use glycogen stored in your cells. This poses a problem when playing at high-speed since you’ll burn through your glycogen stores fairly quickly. Fuelling up in the hours before and during the game with carbohydrates has been shown to enhance performance since glycogen comes from carbohydrates. That’s why sports nutritionists recommend isotonic drinks over water.

The isotonic drink of choice

iPRO Sport Edition is a 6% carbohydrate isotonic drink. It contains a slow-releasing starch-based carbohydrate called maltodextrin, which fuels high-intensity exercise. Supercharged with added electrolytes, iPRO Sport Edition replenished vital salts such as sodium. Thirst-quenchingly fruity and rich in vitamins, iPRO Sport Edition is a leading drink in healthy hydration. Some of the most recognised clubs in the UK, including Osprey’s and Crystal Palace FC, choose fully-recyclable iPRO Sport Edition as their preferred hydration drink.

Hydrate with the industry’s best at iPRO.Direct for less than £1 a bottle!