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MYTH BUSTER
Do You Always Have to Drink During Exercise and Physical Activity?
You probably expected our answer to be yes. But the truth is, you can go walk the dog and leave your water bottle at home. There are plenty of occasions when overall sweat loss is so low that drinking during physical activity is not necessary.
Always keep in mind that hydration is important for all aspects of health, not just sports performance, so it’s always better to err on the side of staying hydrated. But when exercise duration is brief (e.g., less than 1 hour) and sweat loss is minimal, it’s okay to forego drinking for a bit. When sweat loss is not great enough to result in dehydration or degrade performance, drinking to thirst, drinking ad libitum (when you feel like it), or not drinking at all are viable options. Drinking during physical activity is only necessary when sweat loss is enough to result in a loss of 2% of body weight (1% in the heat or at altitude).
When sweat loss is enough to result in dehydration or lower performance, it’s important to choose a sports drink with the optimal blend of electrolytes. GoodSport® is formulated with a unique blend of sodium and potassium (plus 4 other electrolytes) and two types of carbs, a combination not found in any other sports drink, to provide more rapid and longer-lasting hydration, as well as to maintain blood sugar levels for longer periods of time and sustain the energy required for peak performance.
- Armstrong LE. Rehydration during endurance exercise: challenges, research, options, methods. Nutrients. 2021;13(3):1-21.
- Cheuvront SN, Kenefick RW. Personalized fluid and fuel intake for performance optimization in the heat. J Sci Med Sport. Aug 2021;24(8):735-738.
- Thomas TD, Erdman KA, Burke LM. Nutrition and athletic performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2016;48(3):543-568.• Armstrong LE. Rehydration during endurance exercise: challenges, research, options, methods. Nutrients. 2021;13(3):1-21.
- Cheuvront SN, Kenefick RW. Personalized fluid and fuel intake for performance optimization in the heat. J Sci Med Sport. 2021;24(8):735-738.
- Hess HW, Tarr ML, Baker TB, Hostler D, Schlader ZJ. Ad libitum drinking prevents dehydration during physical work in the heat when adhering to occupational heat stress recommendations. Temperature. 2022;9(3):292-302.