Endurance sports: Hydratis review, electrolyte solution to maintain energy
Whether you are a beginner or experienced athlete in cycling, marathon, trail running or triathlon, you have probably already found yourself in your physical and mental limits.
Endurance sports are all about pushing your limits, as the body must maintain a high level of effort over a long period. This mindset is further fueled by the desire to achieve peak performance and break personal records. Therefore, it is in the best interest of endurance athletes to pay close attention to every aspect of their preparation, race, and recovery, which includes optimizing hydration and energy intake.
In this article, we discuss the importance of hydration levels on performance and recovery, as well as the best energy drinks to cope with exertion.
During physical exertion, the body contracts its muscles to produce movement. This contraction generates heat, which results from the transformation of chemical energy into mechanical energy. The body heats up, and thermogenesis begins. To maintain its core temperature at 37 degrees Celsius, the body activates cooling mechanisms to lower the temperature. Sweating plays a key role in this process and accounts for a portion of the fluid and electrolyte losses.
The athlete is therefore constantly losing water and minerals during exercise. Their hydration needs are thus ongoing and can increase depending on the duration and intensity of the effort, the ambient temperature, humidity, and their hydration level at the start of the exercise.
Thus, athletes lose an average of 1 to 1.5 liters of water per hour, but depending on the factors mentioned above, this loss can reach up to 3 liters per hour. For example, if a 75 kg person loses 1.5 liters of water, this is equivalent to 2% of their body weight. A 2% water loss is sufficient to negatively impact performance. Furthermore, the sensation of thirst is triggered precisely when water loss approaches 2% . It is therefore essential to anticipate this dehydration* with a high-quality, appropriate sports drink to avoid episodes of fatigue. Athletes aiming to break their records cannot rely on their thirst sensation, as they are already dehydrated by the time they feel thirsty.
*Dehydration is due to an imbalance of water and minerals
Water, in addition to being the body's main component, plays a crucial role in the vast majority of biological functions. A lack of water impacts the body's proper functioning, resulting in decreased performance. Indeed, a dehydrated athlete will experience an increase in reaction time as well as a heightened perception of exertion, which will seem more intense and therefore more difficult.
The benefits of rehydration do not stop at performance and during exercise.
It is very important to restore hydration levels after exercise to maximize recovery. After exercise, the body absorbs everything it has lost like a sponge, which is why rehydration is so important. Rehydration in the hour following exercise is crucial. It helps maintain blood volume and, consequently, the oxygenation of muscle fibers, thus reducing cramps and soreness. However, water isn't the only element lost during a workout, as dehydration is accompanied by electrolyte loss (sodium, potassium, chloride, etc.) that must also be replenished.
During training, the body also loses energy reserves such as carbohydrates, which are used in muscle contraction. For optimal recovery, it is therefore necessary to replenish water, electrolytes, and carbohydrates. The advantage of energy drinks is that they compensate for these three losses simultaneously. Indeed, they contain water, electrolytes, and carbohydrates. They are therefore perfectly suited to long-duration efforts such as endurance sports, maintaining the body's hydration and energy levels while compensating for electrolyte losses. But the benefit of sports drinks goes beyond simply compensating for losses, since the combination of electrolytes, carbohydrates, and water, depending on their composition, interacts with the osmolarity of the blood plasma, thus maximizing the absorption of water and/or carbohydrates.
What are the different types of energy drinks?
Two types of energy drinks may be suitable for your needs during long outings: Isotonic drinks , which have an osmolarity identical to blood plasma, allow for better absorption of water and electrolytes while ensuring carbohydrate intake. The quality of the minerals in the drink is key because their bioavailability plays an important role in metabolism.
Hypotonic drinks have a lower osmolarity than blood plasma, stimulating hydration but slowing nutrient absorption. The choice of energy drink should be based on the environmental conditions of the activity. For example, if exercise takes place in hot weather, hydration is crucial because fluid loss can exceed 3 liters per hour. In this case, a hypotonic drink is more suitable, as it promotes hydration and electrolyte absorption rather than carbohydrate absorption. If the outside temperature is more bearable, and dehydration is less likely, an isotonic drink will be the most appropriate choice.
The Hydratis solution is ideal for athletes who can design their own energy drink:
Thanks to tablets enriched with mineral salts (sodium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, manganese) and a source of energy due to their carbohydrate content (sucrose), you can create a sports drink tailored to your needs. Simply mix:
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1 tablet in 500 ml of water to obtain a hypotonic drink.
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2 tablets in 500 ml of water to obtain an isotonic drink.
Read Run, Fit & Run's Hydratis review
Compared to salt tablets that only replenish lost electrolytes and thus only compensate for water loss, Hydratis is a true revolution for endurance athletes. These tablets are formulated to accelerate the absorption of water molecules by your body.
It works more effectively to maintain your hydration. Its high electrolyte content is another advantage for replenishing lost electrolytes and helping your body better cope with exertion. Hydratis is therefore the best ally for maintaining your hydration, with benefits that extend beyond simply maintaining your performance. Consuming your Hydratis sports drink after your race will also promote your recovery: less fatigue, less muscle soreness, and fewer cramps. Thanks to the tablets contained in airtight tubes, which are easy to carry anywhere, you have the freedom to create the energy drink best suited to your race conditions.
