Determining Hydration Level

Hydration is an important part of being a healthy, productive athlete. As we enter into preseason where athletes may have 5-6 hours of practices, fitness tests, runs- you need to be sure you are staying hydrated which can be challenging. Here are a few tips to help:

1. Clear/pale lemonade colored urine= HYDRATED

2. Dark apple juice colored urine= DEHYDRATED

3. Dark, cloudy urine= SEVERELY DEHYDRATED= NOTIFY ATC

4. Average amt. of water consumption should be 64 oz which means during preseason it is more. Stay on top of it by keeping Nalgene or water bottle with you at all times.

5. Caffeine, soda, energy drinks will dehydrate you!!!! STAY AWAY FROM THEM!!!!

6. Water and sports drinks such as Gatorade are what you should be drinking- these are the best for replenishing what you have lost

7. Weigh yourself prior to practices- you should not loose more than 2% of your body weight during activity

Signs of Dehydration include:
nausea
dry mouth
muscle cramps
thirst
fatigue
weakness
headache
irritability
decreased performance

If you are having a problem staying hydrated- talk to your ATC who can help you. If you notice any signs of dehydration or notice a teammate having problems, notify someone immediately.