When it comes to sports nutrition, hydration, and electrolytes, there’s a lot of misinformation floating around. From energy drinks to complex hydration strategies, it’s easy to get lost in a sea of conflicting advice. The truth is, understanding hydration and electrolytes is crucial for athletic performance, but it’s important to separate fact from fiction. In this article, we’ll tackle some common myths and reveal the realities that every athlete needs to know.

Myth 1: You Only Need to Drink Water to Stay Hydrated

One of the most common misconceptions is that water alone is sufficient for hydration, even during intense physical activity. While water is essential for keeping the body hydrated, it doesn’t always replenish the electrolytes lost during intense or prolonged exercise, such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium.

Reality: Electrolytes Are Key to Proper Hydration. 

When you sweat, you lose not just water but also vital electrolytes that help regulate fluid balance, muscle function, and nerve signaling. During prolonged or intense exercise, it’s crucial to replace both water and electrolytes. This is where sports drinks or electrolyte packets can come into play, especially for activities lasting more than an hour. However, for shorter workouts (1 hour or less) or training that is considered low to moderate in intensity, water is usually sufficient.

Myth 2: Sports Drinks Are Always the Best Option for Hydration

Many athletes believe that commercial sports drinks are the go-to solution for staying hydrated. While these drinks can be beneficial during prolonged, high-intensity exercise, or exercise in hot and/or humid conditions, they’re not always necessary.

Reality: Sports Drinks Aren’t Always Necessary. 

For most casual athletes or those engaging in intermittent sports like softball or golf, the added sugar and calories in sports drinks can be excessive. In fact, for short workouts or activities like walking or light jogging, plain water is enough.

It is also important to note that sport drinks or electrolyte replacements are only beneficial during activities of high intensity, long duration, or in hot humid conditions.  There are no performance benefits to consuming these products between training or competitions and may be a disadvantage by adding unnecessary sugar and sodium to the body during recovery time.

Myth 3: You Should Drink as Much as Possible to Avoid Dehydration

Some people think that drinking excessive amounts of water will prevent dehydration. While staying hydrated is important, overhydration can be harmful.

Reality: Too Much Water Can Lead to Hyponatremia. 

Hyponatremia, or water intoxication, occurs when too much water dilutes the sodium levels in your blood, leading to potentially dangerous consequences like nausea, headache, confusion, and even seizures. It’s important to drink water in balance with your body’s needs, especially when exercising in extreme conditions.

A good rule is to drink ½ of your body weight in ounces daily and add 16-32 ounces per hour of exercise. To avoid water intoxication, avoid drinking more than 48 ounces per hour or more than 5 gallons per day.

Myth 4: Hydration Doesn’t Affect Performance Until You Feel Thirsty

Thirst is often considered the body’s natural indicator that it needs fluids but waiting until you’re thirsty to hydrate can already be a sign that you’re dehydrated.

Reality: Hydration Should Be Proactive.   

By the time you feel thirsty, your body may have already lost 1-2% of its body weight in water. This can affect your performance, energy levels, and focus. It’s essential to start hydrating before, during, and after your workout. This is when the pee test may be helpful.

When using the restroom, if an athlete’s urine is dark yellow, that is a sign that they are dehydrated. It is estimated that up to 89% of athletes begin their training or competition in a state of dehydration, and once they start moving, they can’t catch up on their hydration. The goal is to always have light yellow urine to ensure a good state of hydration.

Myth 5: If you’re not sweating, you’re not working hard enough.

The amount an individual sweats is often measured as effort in team sports, especially during training drills.

Reality: Sweating is a bodily mechanism to cool down, but it doesn’t necessarily indicate how hard you’re working. 

While it’s true that high-intensity exercise often leads to increased sweat production, sweat rate isn’t solely determined by the level of effort. You could be working at a lower intensity but sweating a lot (for example, in a hot environment), or you might be working hard with little sweat due to factors like genetics, hydration levels, or a well-conditioned body that sweats more efficiently.

Sweat rate is not a direct measure of effort or energy expenditure but does impact how much an athlete should rehydrate after training or competition. It is recommended to drink 16-24 ounces of fluid for every pound of body weight lost during exercise to replace what is lost in sweat.

Conclusion: Hydration and Electrolytes Are Crucial, But Know What You Need

Proper hydration and electrolyte balance are vital to maintaining peak performance and supporting recovery, but it’s important to understand your body’s individual needs. Water is your best friend for everyday hydration, while electrolytes play a significant role in restoring balance during and after more intense or prolonged physical activity.

Instead of buying into myths, focus on what works for your body, the intensity of your workouts, and the environment you’re training in. Always listen to your body’s cues and remember that balance is key in achieving both hydration and optimal athletic performance.

Articles from Kristy Stevenson

Five Sports Nutrition Myths That Are Hurting Performance

About the Author:

Kristy Stevenson, MEd, RDN

Kristy is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with her Masters Degree in Education. She owns her own nutrition consulting business called Performance Nutrition LLC and teaches as an Adjunct Instructor at Lansing Community College.

Kristy focuses on sports nutrition, healthy eating, and weight management, and is a speaker/lecturer. To learn more about Kristy, visit her website at www.performancenutritionllc.com.

To learn more about sports nutrition, take Kristy’s online course The Fundamentals of Sports Nutrition at https://www.performancenutritionllc.com/products and use IYCA20 for a 20% discount.

The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical or nutritional advice. Individual hydration and electrolyte needs vary based on factors such as age, activity level, environment, and overall health. Athletes should consult with a registered dietitian, sports nutritionist, or healthcare professional for personalized recommendations. The IYCA and the author are not responsible for any adverse effects resulting from the application of the information presented.