Water
Water is the most abundant nutrient in our body and plays an important role in transmission function in every body cell and tissue. Sixty percent of our body weight is water. The fact that you can live without food for a long period of time, but live only for a few days without water is true. Under normal conditions, the body releases about one quart of water daily. Therefore, replacement to equal the losses is very important for survival. With the help of other nutrients, the body has the ability to keep its balancing mechanism constant through the process of intake and output.
Water is consumed in many different ways. Most foods contain water in its original form. An additional amount of water is produced after the process of digestion and oxidation takes place. In order to maintain normal body temperature, water as the body’s climate-control system, is released through sweat when the body temperature rises or heat is produced. The brain and kidneys manage the water balance. The hormones on the other hand, perform their roles as messengers in order to complete the process of elimination and replacement. If these losses are not replaced, dehydration occurs.
Dehydration is the most common problem of water imbalance due to water losses and deprivation. The effects of dehydration on nutrition can adversely affect ones health. Dehydration is the major cause of ones diminished ability to perform during endurance activities. Athletes are prone to dehydration because their thirst mechanism cannot keep up with a large water loss from sweating and respiration. For this reason, proper water intake becomes very important during endurance activities.
Body water is lost through the stomach, respiration, sweat, and the kidneys. The kidneys are equipped with the mechanisms that control the elimination of waste products and have the ability to control water losses both at resting state and during exercise.
Water is also lost through breathing or respiration during exercise. This is because an increased exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place at this point. So, to make up for these losses, more water is produced by chemical reactions in the body. However, this process is dependent on the duration and intensity of work, the combustion of food during exercise, and the way the body uses the nutrients.
Water also binds to muscle glycogen, which is released when muscle glycogen is broken down. Remember when carbohydrates are not eaten, the body turns to its glycogen to break it down for the energy supply? The result is a big chunk of weight is removed from your body. Therefore, when you are fasting to lose weight, you will see a rapid weight loss. This "false" weight loss accounts for most of the water that was bound with glycogen because for every gram of glycogen, there are up to 4 grams of water bound to it. So, the more you fast, the more glycogen will be broken down, and the more water will be released.
Fluid Balance
You should replace water losses immediately. You should weigh yourself before and after each exercise event. The following are guidelines for fluid replacement.
Fluid Replacement:
•
1 pound weight loss - two 8-ounce glass fluid
•3 pounds weight loss - six 8-ounce glass fluid
•5 pounds weight loss - ten 8-ounce glass fluid
•8 pounds weight loss - sixteen 8-ounce glass fluid
