What does hydration really have to do with muscle cramps, and is drinking more always the answer? Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Merrill Kelly shares his experience managing cramps throughout his career, while sports nutrition expert Dezi Abeyta breaks down what the research says about hydration, cramping, and athletic performance.
Hear Merrill’s perspective and discover why a smart hydration strategy involves more than simply drinking more water.
Hydration Fundamentals
Hydration affects more than thirst. Getting enough fluid helps your body regulate temperature, supports recovery and helps you perform at your best. You don’t have to be severely dehydrated for performance to suffer. Losing around 2% of your body weight through sweat can make exercise feel harder and affect performance, especially during long or hot workouts. But more isn’t always better. Drinking too much fluid can dangerously lower sodium levels in the blood. The goal is to replace the fluids you lose, not drink so much that you gain weight during exercise.
Start Hydrated
A hydration plan starts well before the whistle blows. Drink regularly throughout the day and arrive at practice or competition well hydrated rather than trying to catch up right before activity. Fluid needs vary based on body size and other factors, so individualizing your hydration plan can help you determine what’s right for you.
Calculate Your Fluid Needs
Hydrate During Activity
How much you need to drink depends on how much you sweat. Body size, exercise intensity, heat, humidity and even equipment can all affect fluid loss. For many adult athletes, 14–27 ounces per hour is a useful starting range. Youth athletes ages 9–12 may need approximately 3–8 ounces every 20 minutes, while teens exercising vigorously may need more, especially when sweating heavily.
And don’t let cold weather fool you. Hockey players and other cold-weather athletes still sweat, especially under heavy equipment, and need to hydrate before, during and after activity.
Fun fact: A typical ice hockey goalie loses about 50 to 100 ounces, or 3 to 6 pounds of water weight of fluid during a game or intense practice!
Want to personalize your plan? Know your sweat rate.
Weigh yourself before and after a typical practice. After accounting for what you drank, about one pound of body weight lost equals roughly 16 ounces of fluid. Tracking your own losses can help you determine how much you need instead of relying on a one-size-fits-all recommendation.
Calculate Your Fluid Loss With This Online Tool
What Happens When You’re Dehydrated?
As you lose fluid through sweat, your body has to work harder to keep blood circulating and keep you cool. That can lead to:
- Feeling tired sooner
- Reduced endurance and performance
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Increased difficulty staying cool
A loss of around 2% body weight through fluid is commonly referred to as a point where performance may begin to suffer, although every athlete and situation is different.
Do Electrolytes Matter?
Yes, but you don’t need an electrolyte drink for every workout.
Sweat contains water and electrolytes, especially sodium. For shorter or less intense activity, water and regular meals are often enough.
Electrolytes become more important during long or intense exercise, hot conditions, heavy sweating or multiple practices or games in one day.
For longer activity, a beverage containing both carbohydrates and electrolytes can serve two purposes: hydration and fuel.
Rehydrate After Exercise
Hydration doesn’t end when practice does.
If you’ve lost a significant amount of fluid and need to recover quickly, aim to drink about 20–24 ounces for every pound of body weight lost. That little bit extra helps account for fluid your body will continue to lose after exercise. Don’t forget about food, either. Fluids and foods containing sodium can help replace what’s been lost through sweat and help your body hold onto the fluid you drink. If you have plenty of time before your next practice or competition, normal meals and drinking throughout the day can usually help restore hydration.
What Counts as Hydration?
Water is a great choice, but it’s not the only one. Milk, smoothies, sports drinks and even water-rich foods like fruits, vegetables and soups all contribute to hydration.
Before and during activity: Water is often all you need. For longer, harder, or hotter workouts – or when you’re sweating heavily – a drink with carbohydrates and electrolytes may be helpful.
After activity: Think beyond replacing water. Recovery drinks can provide fluid along with nutrients that help replenish energy and support muscle recovery.
Milk + Hydration
Milk is about 87% water and naturally provides electrolytes, including sodium, potassium and magnesium. Research has shown that milk can help the body retain more of the fluid consumed compared with water and some traditional sports drinks, making it a great option for rehydration after exercise.
What About Chocolate Milk?
Chocolate milk takes recovery a step further. In addition to the hydrating benefits of milk, it provides carbohydrates to help replenish energy stores and high-quality protein to support muscle repair and rebuilding.
That combination makes chocolate milk a convenient choice when you need to rehydrate, refuel and recover after a tough workout, practice, or game.