Importance of Hydration During Fall Sports

CLICK HERE to download soundbites, b-roll, script and web article.

For download password, contact ccnewsservice@ccf.org.

CLEVELAND - Many high school football teams are hitting the field for two-a-days. 

And in the summer heat, the risk for dehydration is very real. 

That’s why Marie Schaefer, MD, sports medicine specialist at Cleveland Clinic, said it’s so important to make sure athletes, no matter the sport, are staying hydrated. 

“Hydration is a big part of your performance. You need to be well hydrated in order to perform your best. It helps to keep all your other body systems in check, and make sure that anytime you’re working out, all of the muscle breakdown can get properly flushed throughout your body, make sure your brain is properly functioning, keeps you at a good, healthy heart rate to really maximize your performance,” said Dr. Schaefer.

Dr. Schaefer said symptoms of dehydration can include extreme thirst, dry mouth, headache, fatigue, dizziness, racing heart, loss of appetite, dark colored urine, cramps, and flushed skin. 

In more severe cases, it can lead to heat-related illnesses like heatstroke, kidney issues, shock, coma and even death. 

To help avoid dehydration during practice, Dr. Schaefer said athletes should be drinking four to six ounces of water every 15 to 20 minutes. 

They can also use that time to assess how they’re feeling. 

And if needed, take a longer break to cool off. 

She adds that you don’t want to chug a bunch of water at once because it could upset your stomach and cause you to vomit. 

So, what about sports drinks? 

"If you are practicing more than an hour at a time, that's where electrolyte replenishing through sports drinks can be really beneficial because as you think about it, when you are practicing, you're not only losing water, but you're also losing electrolytes through sweat, and after an hour or so it's very important to start replenishing those,” she said. “So, sports drinks are a really good source of electrolytes. Sometimes if that's not available, utilizing water and some type of salty snack can be helpful as well.”

Dr. Schaefer also recommends skipping caffeine and energy drinks before practice as that can speed up dehydration.