Water is also considered a macronutrient. It does not provide calories or nutrients but acts as a carrier, distributing nutrients to cells and removing waste products though urine and is required by the body in large amounts. The largest portion of our body weight is water (two-thirds, or anywhere from 60%-85% depending on your information source), and the body needs you to consume more grams of water per day, than any other nutrient. Water is involved in every bodily function including blood circulation, digestion and absorption and it plays a major role in body temperature regulation and blood pressure while it is essential to metabolism. For these reasons hydration is important. We replenish water stores through the foods and liquids we consume. While there is no standard, specified amount of water an individual should consume each day and authorities will recommend different quantities, all experts will agree that staying well hydrated is extremely important to our overall health. We encourage clients to monitor and be mindful of their hydration levels and to drink more water than they think or feel they need to.

Assessing for Hydration

The easiest way for a person to assess for hydration is to monitor the color of their urine.   The lighter the color, the more hydrated the person is, the darker the color, the greater the degree of dehydration.

Hydrated	Dehydrated
It’s important to note that some vitamins will cause the urine to appear bright yellow. This temporary color change is not a sign of dehydration or cause for concern.	If the urine is dark brown the client should immediately seek medical attention. This may be a sign of blood in the urine. In athletes this is a potential indicator of rhabdomyolysis – a deadly condition..

Thirst is another indicator of hydration, though not considered dependable. The sensation of thirst occurs only when a person is already in a state of mild dehydration.

Dehydration

Dehydration is the harmful loss of water in the body. Our bodies lose water through sweating as our mechanism to regulate temperature, through excretion and even through breathing. When too much water is lost and not replenished it leads to a cascade of ill effects including strain on the heart, lungs and circulatory system forcing the heart to work harder in order to pump blood through the body. Mild dehydration levels, the loss of approximately 2% of body weight in water will begin to affect athletic performance and aerobic capacity. A loss of 4% can result in nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. Losses of 8% or more can result in dizziness, weakness, confusion and other serious complications.

Overhydration or Water Toxicity

Overhydration or Water Toxicity is an excess of water in the body. Caused by low electrolytes (mainly sodium) this is a condition called Hyponatremia. Hyponatremia will sometimes happen to long distance endurance athletes, who lose large amounts of salt through sweating while replenishing with just plain water. During intense training, the salt content in the body is reduced through sweating while urine output also decreases; this leads to an imbalance of salt and water which causes problems with the heart, brain and muscle functions. The symptoms of overhydration are similar to those of dehydration and include dizziness, nausea and bloating. Being mindful of water intake while training is important.

Electrolytes

Electrolytes are mineral salts, sodium, chloride, potassium and magnesium that dissolve in the body and include. These salts help regulate fluid in the body. Electrolytes increase thirst, which is beneficial before, during and post training sessions in order to keep an athlete hydrated. Drinking diluted electrolytes while training will aid in maintaining adequate fluid levels in the body, helping avoid dehydration or overhydration.