We all know that hydration is important, especially before and after a workout, but what you drink and how much you drink can be a difference maker for everyone from the intense triathlete to the casual runner going for a mid-afternoon jog. How do you know how much water you should drink, and could a sports drink provide the proper hydration for your workout?
Everybody is different and has different hydration requirements, and no two workouts are the same, so there is no exact amount of water that keeps every athlete properly hydrated. We have, however, come up with a few rough guidelines that can lead to healthier workout hydration:
- Drink approximately 20 ounces of water two to three hours prior to a workout
- Drink eight ounces 30 minutes before exercise
- Drink approximately 10 ounces of water every 10 to 20 minutes during your workout
- Drink eight ounces of water no later than 30 minutes after your workout
Thirst may be the most easily recognizable sign of dehydration, but it's not the only one. Muscle cramps can be a sign that you haven't hydrated properly, and if you feel weakness in your limbs or you tire much faster than usual, you might be seeing the first signs of dehydration. Your heart rate and pulse can also be an indicator of improper hydration. If you experience a slightly elevated pulse and heart rate, dehydration could be affecting your performance.
Pay attention to your body to know if you are drinking too much or too little during your workout. If you feel excessively thirsty, you may not be drinking enough. If you're drinking just to drink, then there is a chance you could be drinking too much water during your workout. Excessive fluids can drag your workout down by allowing fatigue to set in sooner, cause light-headedness or lead to a dangerous drop in sodium levels in your body. We'll go into that in a little more depth later.
The important thing to remember is that you shouldn't just drink out of habit. We've given you some rough guidelines, but remember to drink when you're thirsty and when your body needs replenishment.
There are many athletes who think that there's no such thing as too much water, but there are dangers in overhydrating. Drinking too much water during a workout can lead to a condition known as hyponatremia. Hyponatremia occurs when sodium levels in the blood drop to dangerously low levels.
Symptoms of hyponatremia include:
- Nausea
- Confusion
- Headaches
- Muscle fatigue
- Weakness
TapouT beverages contain 240mg of sodium to help combat the potential for low sodium levels during and after workouts.
Strenuous exercise can deplete the body of much more than water. Electrolytes like potassium, magnesium, calcium and chloride can be lost as you workout. Your workout might get a boost from a pre-workout drink designed to put minerals and essential vitamins such as B12, B6, A and many more that can help you get the most from your workout than water. Water doesn't naturally contain these electrolytes, minerals and vitamins so a specially formulated performance drink can give you that pre-workout boost, mid-workout hydration and help you recover and replenish faster and better than drinking water alone.
TapouT is a workout drink that is specifically formulated to keep you hydrated and give you an edge before, during and after your workouts. It contains four essential electrolytes and eight vitamins your body needs to boost and recover from exercise.
Electrolytes:
- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Chloride
- Calcium
Vitamins:
- A
- C
- E
- B2
- B3
- B5
- B6
- B12
This mixture of fluids, vitamins, electrolytes and minerals focuses on three levels of physical support: hydration, activation and recovery. TapouT is specifically formulated to improve absorption and cellular health and function. Targeting all aspects of your workout gives TapouT an edge over water and other workout performance and recovery drinks.
Not only is TapouT the only major sports performance beverage to contain all four electrolytes and eight vitamins, but it also contains less sugar than most post-workout beverages. While your body does need a certain amount of sugar, dumping extra sugar into your body while hydrating before, during or after a workout can put needless carbohydrates back into your body and negate some of the gains from your exercise routine.
Water is great, but if you're looking for a way to hydrate that contains electrolytes, minerals, essential vitamins and the sodium to fight off hyponatremia, TapouT beats water and other commonly used workout beverages.
TapouT has less sugar than your standard workout beverage and comes in our delicious Citrus Kick flavor. Our Cherry Lemonade Blast is a tasty and effective low-calorie option for athletes looking to gain a performance edge during or after working out without the calories of a standard post-workout drink.