Did you know that your body is two-thirds water? Water is the fuel that keeps your body running . Water is more than just a liquid; it's a performance food that's often underestimated. Even a large glass of water can positively influence your mental and physical performance. That's why we'll explain how much water your body needs and how to recognize a dehydration deficiency.
1. Why do we need water?
Water is essential for our survival. Your blood, cells, and organs consist primarily of pure water. This ensures that your bodily functions are maintained and your body temperature is maintained at a constant 37 degrees Celsius. Your brain also needs water to function. A lack of fluids therefore noticeably slows down your cognitive abilities and causes you to lose concentration.
But that's not all: Water also protects and moisturizes your skin, eyes, and mouth area, and keeps tissue, joints, and bones supple. It's therefore a natural anti-aging agent that keeps you young both inside and out.
Take-Home Message #1: Your body is mostly made up of water. Therefore, you should make sure you consume enough to give your all and remain at peak performance.
2. How much water should you drink?
You lose water every day through breathing, sweat, urine, and digestion. You definitely need to compensate for this fluid deficit. As a rule of thumb, you should drink at least 30 milliliters of water per kilogram of body weight daily. So, if you weigh 80 kilograms, your daily water requirement is 2.4 liters. This is only a guideline, however, as there are numerous conditions that can increase your fluid needs, for example:
physically demanding work
sporting activities
Sauna visits
heat
high humidity
salty or spicy foods
In all of these cases, you should increase your fluid intake to prevent dehydration.
Take-Home Message #2: 30 milliliters of water per kilogram of body weight is the minimum you should consume per day. Exercise, heat, and other conditions can increase your need.
3. How can you recognize a water shortage?
Evolution has given our bodies an unmistakable signal that reliably tells us when we should drink more – thirst. Some people – especially seniors and children – have a less pronounced, natural sense of thirst. They should be especially careful not to "forget" to drink. It's also easy to forget to drink on long flights, making it harder to overcome jet lag . If the body doesn't get enough water, dehydration becomes noticeable through a number of signs:
Impaired well-being: Your mental and physical performance suddenly noticeably declines. You were just full of energy, but now you suddenly feel listless, tired, and worn out—without having exerted yourself physically.
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Reduced mental performance: Thinking also becomes increasingly difficult when you're dehydrated. If you notice your attention and concentration waning, a large glass of water often works wonders as an immediate antidote.
Headaches or dizziness: For some people, dehydration causes headaches. Some also feel dizzy if they haven't drunk enough.
Dark yellow urine: The color of your urine provides a clear indication that you need to drink more: The darker the color, the less water circulating in your body. The better hydrated you are, the clearer it is.
Other symptoms: Muscle cramps, digestive problems, dry and itchy skin, and chapped lips can also indicate a lack of water.
The health consequences of a severe and prolonged dehydration are even more serious, and can even lead to delirium in the long run. People generally cannot survive three to four days without water.
Take-home message #3: Your body will signal when it needs a boost. So listen to yourself and carefully observe whether you haven't been drinking enough in the last few hours.
4. Can you drink too much?
With water, too, the dose makes the poison. Drinking too much is just as harmful as drinking too little. Endurance athletes, in particular, tend to overhydrate their bodies for fear of dehydration. However, excess water in the body dilutes the sodium content in the blood so much that the kidneys can no longer function properly. The tricky thing about this is that overhydration also increases the feeling of thirst. This creates a self-reinforcing effect.
When it comes to your daily water intake, keep in mind that your food also contains fluids. Some foods are composed of well over 90% water. Eating plenty of fruit and watery vegetables like cucumbers and tomatoes will already cover a good portion of your water needs.
5. The best tips for drinking properly in hot weather
In summer temperatures, your need for fluids is particularly high. Therefore, you should follow these hydration strategies while on vacation or on hot days in Germany:
Drink small sips, but more often. Instead of waiting until you're really thirsty and then downing a whole bottle in one gulp, drink a glass of water at regular intervals, several times an hour.
- Don't forget the minerals. You lose not only water through sweat, but also a lot of minerals. You also need to quickly replenish this mineral deficit. Electrolyte-rich sports drinks aren't a marketing gimmick; they make perfect sense during physically strenuous activities. You can easily create your own isotonic thirst quencher with water, a squeeze of lemon, and a pinch of Himalayan salt. You can also effectively replenish your mineral levels with apple spritzer or non-alcoholic beer.
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Drink lukewarm instead of ice-cold. Cold drinks may offer a welcome cooling effect. Lukewarm tap water, on the other hand, quenches your thirst more effectively. With cold drinks, your body has to adjust to the significant temperature difference, which will make you sweat even more. Try warm peppermint tea for a change. You'll be surprised how refreshing such a hot drink can be in the summer.
Avoid alcoholic beverages: You should only drink alcohol in moderation, as it has a dehydrating effect. Don't let it spoil your fun at the beer garden, though; just drink a shandy or a large glass of water with your beer more often and enjoy the summer!
Take-Home Message #4: Performance Food Water is not only natural, but also the best way to meet your daily hydration needs. Always be careful not to drink too much at once and avoid ice-cold drinks in hot weather.
