nuun hydration
nuun is the official on course hydration for this year’s The Trail Running Series. So why not read more
from nuun’s chief Nutritionist, Vishal Patel, on the benefits of nuun and why you should be consuming
this product pre, during and post event.
By: Vishal Patel, Chief Nutritionist…
We all know that some of the keys to hydration are: water and electrolytes. But do we really know how
each of these nutrients work together to make sure you’re staying healthy and hydrated? Fluid and
electrolytes levels in the body are constantly changing, you lose water and electrolytes in more ways
than you think. For instance, not many people realize that through respiration (breathing via moist air
being exhaled) you actually lose quite a bit of fluids (over a day’s period, even more if exercising).
Through the simple act of breathing, your body can exhale an average of 20 grams of water vapour,
which translates to about 400ml of fluid loss (note: these are averages, and individual results may
vary). Therefore, staying hydrated not only involves drinking water, but it also involves, consuming
balanced electrolytes through fluids and food, and monitoring your hydration status.
The first key piece of electrolyte balance we will focus on is fluids, because without fluids you
essentially take hydration out of the question. Generally, when exercising, you want to replace
upwards of half of what your losing through sweat with a small buffer. That will allow your body to
replenish key losses, without overdoing it. And when you are not exercising, daily hydration needs to
be top focus. Males need to consume upwards to 3.5 liters per day, and women should aim for up to
3.0 liters of fluids per day. (Note: these numbers should be seen as a guideline, as each individual is
different and hydration needs can vary daily.) That intake can come from both fluids and food: fruits
and vegetables have a higher water percentage, so eat up!
Now, when your fluid balance is off (losing way more than you’re taking in, or just not drinking
enough) dehydration can occur – which
in severe cases can cause serious
health issues. So make sure you’re
consuming enough water throughout the
day, and when exercising pay attention
to replenishing what you’ve lost (during)
slowly during the recovery process.
Easiest way to make sure you’re drinking
enough is by monitoring your urine
colour - aim for a pale yellow colour.
We know electrolyte balance is an area
that can get kind of confusing, mainly for
the general nature of electrolytes. More
specifically what are they and how
do they react to other natural processes
the body goes through?
What are electrolytes?
Electrolytes are tiny particles that carry electrical charges. They serve many roles to help the body
maintain proper function. When you sweat, electrolytes play key roles in keeping water balanced both
inside & outside of cells so that your muscles and organs can continue to serve you properly. One
main function of electrolytes (internally) is how they help regulate the sodium/potassium pump (na/k)
which help maintain several physiologically functions, such as cell signalling/communication, cell
volume, and transport, amongst others.
Now maintaining proper electrolyte balance at rest and during exercise is very different. Typically,
when at rest, focusing on balanced, nutrient-dense food (lean & plant-based protein, fruits and
vegetables) will help make sure you’re consuming the right amount of electrolytes.
When exercising, or immediately before and during the recovery process, you need to focus on
electrolytes more to get the most out of your water. The electrolytes you want to focus on during
exercise are sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium. And although the typical diet is rich in salt
(sodium chloride), you still need to consume sodium during exercise for a couple of reasons. It helps
retain fluids (pulling water towards your cells), and it binds with glucose to help increase the rate of
fluid delivery and absorption.
if you focus on consuming a sport drink or beverage rich in one electrolyte and not others, you risk
spiking up serum levels of those electrolytes (while decreasing others) that can cause many issues.
One example is beverages rich in potassium with little to no sodium. This can increase the level of
potassium free-flowing in your blood so high that it becomes toxic, a condition known
as hyperkalemia. And on the opposite end of the spectrum, if you consume fluids without any
electrolytes or very low electrolytes, you risk diluting your stores, especially sodium (known
as hyponatremia). These conditions can severely impact exercise performance, and how your body
normally functions.
Both hyperkalemia and hyponatremia are cause for serious concern. And both can occur when
electrolyte balance is off. It’s important to consume sport drink with a complete, balanced electrolyte
profile.
In general, it is recommended to aim for (per 470ml):
sodium: 350-500 mg
potassium: 100-220 mg
magnesium: 20-30 mg
calcium: 15-20 mg