As summer approaches concerns over hydration become ever more prevalent. Most athletes and fitness enthusiasts understand the importance of maintaining hydration. What most do not know however, is that the “type” of hydration is most important. During the hot summer months the risk of dehydration can cause fatigue, electrolyte imbalances, cramping and over heating. In it’s most server state, dehydration can cause serious illness and even death.

Just as important as dehydration, over drinking water can also be a cause of concern. Overdrinking water during either rest or exercise will unavoidably result in a temporary drop in plasma sodium concentration. Excessive drinking can also dramatically increase the risk of a condition called hyponatremia.

Hyponatremia is a disorder in fluid-electrolyte balance that results in abnormally low plasma sodium concentration. Hyponatremia can be caused by dozens of different factors, but in athletes excessive drinking is often, but not always, the common denominator. To prevent over hydration use sports drinks (i.e. Gatorade and Propel) which will encourage you to drink enough to stay hydrated while providing the electrolytes, glucose and antioxidants to help replace what is lost during exercise and competition.

Performance fatigue can be caused by a multitude of factors including; dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, over heating and low blood sugar. Using sport drinks which contain electrolytes and sugar can dramatically improve your performance and recovery rate.