It might be a good idea to gulp down some water before you read this.
hayden crosby | rawr University of Idaho student Candis Drew drinks a lot of water to stay hydrated as she works out at the Student Recreation Center.
Your blood is 70 percent water and almost every system in your body requires water to function. The reputed eight glasses per day isn’t always enough.
Peg Hamlett, fitness and wellness director for University of Idaho Campus Recreation, said the familiar 64-ounces guideline is outdated.
“‘Eight ounces is so old,” she said. “We never would say that to somebody because it came out of the 1950s.”
Hamlett said a person’s water requirements depend on their activities, metabolism and other factors. It is key to think about water maintenance, not a set amount.
“You want to (replace) water as you lose water, and you want to drink your water before you become thirsty,” she said.
Candi Heimgartner, department of biological sciences instructor, said people lose most of their water during exercise and urination. She said those who exercise often or strenuously and those who consume energy drinks deal with the most significant hydration issues. People who exercise a lot don’t always appreciate how much water they lose in sweat. The substances in energy drinks can both dehydrate you and unbalance the water concentrations in blood and tissues, thus making it harder to distribute your body’s available water, she said.
Heimgartner said she tests students for water content, and she’s seen a positive hydration trend among students during the last several years.
“I’ve primarily found that 90 to 95 percent of students are not dehydrated,” she said.
Abby McElligott is a senior in exercise science and health and works at the Student Recreation Center. She said she’s been a dancer since she was 3 years old and her instructors ingrained the importance of water into her early on.
“It’s incredibly important,” she said. “I teach several classes here and in the Memorial Gym, and it’s actually something that I stress at the beginning of each class (to) make sure you bring a water bottle (or) if you ever need to leave and get water, please do so.”
She said it’s crucial to drink water before, during and after exercise. The eight-8-ounce-glasses-per-day rule is a good guideline, she said, but she recommends an additional 7 ounces before, 5 to 10 during and 7 or more after a workout. McElligot said many people utilize other beverages and supplements in place of water.
“(I’ve seen it) especially with the male lifters who have their protein shakes and Gatorade instead of carrying around water, and I’m sure that they assume that it’s like an equivalent because it’s a liquid,” she said.
McElligott said there’s nothing wrong with those supplements, but she suggests people drink water throughout the workout and imbibe the other beverage afterward.
Hamlett said fruit juice, Gatorade and soda are not adequate substitutes for water because your body works harder to break down the excessive sugars and acids.
She suggests tricks to staying hydrated, such as using “triggers” like text messages or e-mail notifications to remind you to stop and take a sip. She said everyone needs a water bottle, and another way to maintain good hydration is to personalize your container.
“(You) should find what you drink out of best,” Hamlett said. “I always keep a big glass on my desk because I will drink twice as much water out of a glass than a bottle that I have to open up … Choose something that works for you, not just because it’s a good-looking, hip bottle.”
Heimgartner said several bodily processes can indicate dehydration. Urine should be clear, and little or no urination accompanied by a dark yellow color points to low water content. Signs of more significant dehydration include cramping and muscle weakness, dizziness and hazy cognition processes. She said the brain runs on sodium and potassium, which need a solution of water in which to move, and a deficiency of either nutrient hinders the brain’s capacity for electrical impulses.
Hamlett said other ways to tell whether you’re dehydrated involve how chapped your lips are or whether you can pinch your skin and freely separate it from the muscle.
“Most people who go around here are usually slightly dehydrated,” she said.
Heimgartner said short of the lungs, water is essential throughout your body.
“There are 11 body systems — with the exception of the lungs themselves, every other system needs it,” she said.
Matt Maw can be reached at arg-arts.uidaho.edu