Hydration

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Athletes need appropriate amount of hydration to perform at their maximum potential so being hydrated and drinking water is very crucial. Water is one of the most important nutrients. Without it you can become dehydrated. There is no real specific amount or amount of water you should drink per day. It just depends on your body's needs, but many nutritionists recommend 6-8 glasses of water per day. Dehydration can cause inadequate performance, weakness, muscle cramps and can also lead too much more serious conditions like organ failure and heat stroke. During exercise it's very easy to become even the slightest bit dehydrated. When you sweat, you get rid of a lot of water in your body. Your body uses that water to keep you hydrated and energized, but once it all goes away you need to refill your body once again. If you don't refill your body, you can become dehydrated.

Hydration can be met by more than just drinking water alone. Sports drinks aren't any better for you than water is, but they do help a lot more if you are working out for more than 1-1½ hours. Sports drinks have carbohydrates in them, which give you more energy to perform at your best.

            Although you can drink other drinks other than water, caffeine is the kind of drink you want to stay away from. It's not considerably bad for you, but too much can make you feel anxious, nervous, or tense. Sometimes it can make you have a hard time sleeping too, which blocks you from performing at your maximum potential. For some sports, it's okay to drink a little caffeine for some extra umph!

"Proper Hydration for Athletes." About.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Dec. 2010.
     <http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/nutrition/a/aa011599a.htm>.