![]() But there's no need for the rest of us to drink sports drinks to stay hydrated. "Sports drinks designed to target these physiological mechanisms slow the transition of liquid across the small intestine where it's reabsorbed into body," says Owen Jeffries, a lecturer in sport and exercise physiology at Newcastle University.Īthletes lose high amounts of sweat over prolonged periods of time, so it's important for them to replace the electrolytes they lose. That said, evidence suggests sports drinks containing electrolytes – which include sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium – can be better at hydrating us than water. This means the first thing that happens is that water passes into the intestines to digest it – taking it away from other parts of the body which might need it. Coconut water is also effective, as it contains salt, potassium and carbohydrates. Milk naturally contains salt and lactose, a sugar, which we need in small amounts to help stimulate water absorption in the gut, Maughan says. "Replacing lost fluid just with plain water means the body has too much water and not enough salt, so to even things out, it will get rid of water by producing urine," Maughan says.įor this reason, milk can actually be more effective than drinking water. How long can you survive without water?. ![]() If we consume too much of either, the body will take steps to even things out using osmosis, which is the process of passing water through cell membranes. When we sweat, we lose water and salt, so we need to replace both. The obvious answer is that the active person will need to drink more fluid than the sedentary one – but there's more to it than that. "The needs of a physically active person with an outdoor job on a hot day may be different from the person who lives in an air-conditioned house, who drives an air-conditioned car to an air-conditioned office," says Ron Maughan, professor at St Andrews University's School of Medicine. It seems water is sufficient for most people most of the time, but the best way to rehydrate depends on who and where you are, and what you're doing. Water is the healthiest drink we can reach for – no sugar, no calories – but is it always the best way to rehydrate on hot days? To sustain this amount of water in our bodies, we're advised to drink six to eight glasses of fluid per day. Water makes up more than half of our body weight.
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