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As late-summer temperatures soar, you might be tempted to add an extra water bottle to your ride to stay better hydrated. But before you do, you should know a few things about how your body actually absorbs fluid.
Hydration and fluid absorption are not the same
Just drinking a ton of water doesn’t mean that you’re necessarily able to use all of it, explains Stacy Sims, PhD, founder of Osmo Nutrition. Yes, you want to drink enough, but to achieve a well-hydrated state, you actually need to absorb the fluids you’re consuming.
“Being hydrated means that you have all of your total body water compartments at a relatively even balance,” she says. “Fluid absorption is drinking something and pulling that fluid into different compartments." Otherwise, you're just giving yourself more reasons to pee.
You need more than just waterWhen considering the water in your body, think about this: While it’s true that we are primarily made up of water, none of it is plain H2O. So for your drink to be easily absorbed within the gut and to spread into the cells that need it most, it needs to have the right mix of water and electrolytes.
“You primarily need some sodium and a bit of glucose in a drink,” Sims says. “A bit of sugar in with the electrolytes gives the best absorption so that you’re able to pull that fluid across and mitigate dehydration issues.”
Drinking your calories may be hurting your ride and your gut
Just because you shouldn’t only drink plain water doesn’t mean that you should opt for calorie-laden sports drinks. These sugary beverages sit in your stomach and draw water from other spaces in the body—essentially dehydrating you in the process.“You should never be looking at your drink as a calorie source because then it’s not going to hydrate you. You’ll end up pulling water from other places to dilute it,” Sims says.
Women may need a different drink mix than men
Sims is well known for saying, “Women are not small men.” She’s based much of her research and product development on the concept, specifically when it comes to women’s needs for sports drinks.“Women can’t absorb as much fructose as men, so sports drinks containing fructose tend to contribute to GI distress and dehydration in women. It’s like dumping a bunch of carbohydrates into your body,” she says. The fructose hangs out in the intestines until you can activate it.If you’re a female cyclist shopping for a sports drink, steer clear of those that are high in fructose.
RELATED: The Best Hydration and Sports Mixes
Pregame for your ride with a pinch of salt
If you love salty food, you’ll love Sims’ next piece of advice: Drink water with a pinch of sea salt throughout the day, especially before a ride, to prep for maximum fluid absorption during your ride.During exercise, your body is busy sending blood flowing to muscles, instead of expending energy moving fluid across the intestines. However, during rest, that blood flow diversion doesn’t happen quite the same way. So there’s adequate glucose in the stomach and intestines to help transport water, as long as there is also enough sodium present.“If you drink water with a little bit of salt while not exercising, it actually facilitates the fluid being absorbed,” Sims says, “because you don’t have to pull sodium from other places into the intestines for absorption. It’s already right there.”
Over-drinking can be as bad as under-drinking
Over-drinking is a problem for riders, both in terms of hydration status and, if you’re using a sugary drink, weight gain.“New athletes who have gone through programs like Team in Training often over-drink as they try to improve performance,” Sims says. “This is because it’s been instilled in them to drink 250ml (about eight ounces) every 15 minutes, regardless of what they’re doing and who they are.”The idea that athletes should drink X amount of fluid per hour is a mistake, but unfortunately….... There’s no perfect formula for how much to drink
There is no simple calculation to determine exactly how much you need to drink on a ride. Your gender, weight, sweat rate, and fitness level are all factors, as are the conditions you’re riding in (hot, cold, wet, or dry) and the type of ride you’re doing.Drinking just the right amount is a game of trial and error, but consulting an expert, like a sports nutritionist or even your coach, may help get you closer to perfect hydration status.
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Written by Gavin Van De Walle, MS, RD on December 19, 2019 — Medically reviewed by Kathy W. Warwick, R.D., CDE, Nutrition
It’s important to rehydrate after any activity that causes heavy sweating, such as an intense workout, sauna session, or hot yoga class.
Rehydrating is also crucial for preventing the damaging effects of dehydration if you have the stomach flu or are recovering from a night of drinking.
This article discusses the signs and symptoms of dehydration and the best ways to rehydrate quickly at home.
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Every cell, tissue, and organ in your body requires water to function.
Water helps regulate body temperature, lubricate joints, transport nutrients, remove waste, and circulate blood. That means your body can’t properly perform these functions if you’re dehydrated, which happens when you lose more fluids than you take in (1).
For example, you can become dehydrated from sweating, vomiting, experiencing diarrhea, or taking diuretic medications that increase fluid loss.
Certain populations are more prone to dehydration than others, including children, older adults, and people with certain medical conditions like diabetes and kidney disease (1).
The signs and symptoms of dehydration include (1, 2):
- increased thirst
- dry mouth
- infrequent urination
- dry skin
- tiredness
- dizziness
- headache
Urine color is also a common indicator of hydration status. Generally, the paler the color, the better hydrated you are. That said, the color can change for reasons other than your hydration status, including diet, the use of certain medications, and some medical conditions (3, 4, 5).
Studies have shown that urine color is a valid indicator of hydration in children and young adults but not in older adults (5, 6, 7).
If you’re worried about your or someone else’s hydration status, here are the 5 best ways to rehydrate quickly.
While it likely comes as no surprise, drinking water is most often the best and cheapest way to stay hydrated and rehydrate.
Unlike many other beverages, water contains no added sugars or calories, making it ideal to drink throughout the day or specifically when you need to rehydrate, such as after a workout.
It’s worth noting that a variety of factors, including genetics, cause some people lose more sodium via their sweat than others. You might be a “salty sweater” if you get frequent muscle cramps with exercise or if your sweat stings your eyes (8).
If either of these apply to you, make sure to replace not just the fluid you lose through sweat but also the sodium, particularly after intense or long bouts of exercise in hot environments.
That said, unless you’re participating in a long, intense activity like an ultra-endurance event in a hot environment, the sodium you lose through sweat can easily be replaced through a balanced diet (9).
summaryFor most people, drinking water is sufficient to rehydrate. If you’re a salty sweater, be sure to replace both the sodium and fluid you lose through sweat, preferably through a balanced diet.
Coffee and tea contain the stimulant caffeine, which can be transiently dehydrating in excess amounts, as it acts like a diuretic (10).
However, drinking coffee and tea in moderate amounts can be as hydrating as drinking water and serve as an energizing alternative.
Caffeine becomes dehydrating only in doses around 250–300 mg, the equivalent of two to three 8-ounce (240-ml) cups of coffee, or five to eight 8-ounce (240-ml) cups of tea (11).
In a study, 50 regular coffee drinkers drank 4 cups (800 ml) of coffee containing 1.8 mg of caffeine per pound (4 mg per kg) of body weight daily. It observed no significant differences between coffee and water in regards to hydrating ability (12).
If you don’t like these beverages plain, try adding unsweetened almond milk to your coffee, or herbs and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or lemongrass to your tea.
summaryDrinking moderate amounts of coffee and tea have similar hydrating properties as water. Plus, their caffeine content may give you an energy boost.
In addition to supplying a host of nutrients, milk has excellent hydrating properties.
Milk naturally contains high concentrations of electrolytes, which help balance the amount of water in your body (13).
Research has shown that skim and low fat milk rehydrate you as well as popular sports drinks after intense exercise, all while providing protein and other important nutrients (14, 15).
The high quality protein in milk also makes it an ideal post-exercise beverage for kick-starting muscle repair and the rebuilding process (16, 17).
Just keep in mind that consuming milk after exercise may cause stomach discomfort like bloating. Plus, it’s not an appropriate option for people who are intolerant to lactose or certain milk proteins (14, 18).
Milk — namely full fat milk — might also not be a good option if you’re experiencing diarrhea or vomiting, as it could worsen these conditions (19).
summarySkim and low fat milk can be used as an effective post-workout or general rehydration beverage if you don’t have lactose intolerance or a milk protein allergy.
Comprising 80–99% water, fruits and vegetables make for a perfect hydrating snack (20).
For comparison, highly processed foods like cookies, crackers, cereals, and chips contain only 1–9% water (20).
Fruits and vegetables with the highest water content include:
- berries
- melons
- oranges
- grapes
- carrots
- lettuce
- cabbage
- spinach
Stock up on a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables and keep cubed watermelon in your fridge for easy and convenient access.
Frozen fruits and vegetables are just as nutritious as their fresh counterparts, and in some cases, they’re more nutritious.
It often takes days or even weeks before fresh fruits and vegetables make it to your plate. During that time, oxidation can cause nutrient loss. On the other hand, frozen fruits and vegetables are frozen shortly after harvesting, which retains most of their nutrients.
For example, one study showed that frozen green beans and blueberries contained more vitamin C than their fresh counterparts (21).
Try making a hydrating, nutrient-packed smoothie by combining your favorite fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables in a blender along with milk or Greek yogurt.
summaryDue to their high water content, both fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables make a perfect hydrating snack.
Oral hydration solutions are specialized formulas used to prevent and treat dehydration caused by diarrhea or vomiting.
They have also been promoted to bolster exercise recovery and prevent or treat hangovers.
These solutions are water-based and commonly contain electrolytes like sodium, chloride, and potassium, as well as sugar, typically in the form of dextrose. Some commercial solutions also contain other ingredients like prebiotics and zinc.
While these rehydration drinks help replace lost fluids and electrolytes, they can be expensive (22, 23).
Fortunately, you can make your own using these common kitchen ingredients (24):
- 34 ounces (1 liter) of water
- 6 teaspoons of sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
Combine them in a large bowl or pot and stir until the sugar and salt dissolve. You can use flavor enhancers to improve the taste if desired — just keep in mind that they may contain artificial or natural sweeteners and flavors.
summaryOral hydration solutions contain water, electrolytes, and sugar. You can make your own simple rehydration solution at home using water, salt, and sugar.
Dehydration occurs when your body loses more fluids than it takes in.
For most people, drinking water is the best way to stay hydrated and rehydrate.
Other options include coffee, tea, milk, fruits, vegetables, and oral hydration solutions.
Don’t hesitate to speak with your healthcare provider if you’re concerned about your or someone else’s hydration status.
Last medically reviewed on December 19, 2019
This article is based on scientific evidence, written by experts and fact checked by experts.
Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strive to be objective, unbiased, honest and to present both sides of the argument.
This article contains scientific references. The numbers in the parentheses (1, 2, 3) are clickable links to peer-reviewed scientific papers.