Hydration Tips: Before, During and After Exercise

Here's why you may need both carbohydrates and electrolytes to stay hydrated and help optimize athletic performance.

Staying hydrated while exercising is on the top of many athletes’ list for top-notch performance. Wondering about the best approach? A review article published in Nutrients from the Abbott - Real Madrid Innovation Lab, co-authored by Abbott’s scientists and members of the Real Madrid medical team, looked at the optimal strategy to achieve hydration before, during and after exercise and uncovered there is a key player that may surprise you.

Carbohydrates… for Hydration?

When it comes to fueling your body for exercise, you may think in terms of electrolytes for hydration and carbohydrates for energy. And for good reason. Electrolytes are minerals, such as sodium, potassium and calcium, found in foods and drinks and help regulate the body’s fluid balance. When you sweat a lot during intense exercise, you lose electrolytes. It’s easy to lose more fluid than you’re taking in, putting you at risk for dehydration, and plain water will simply not restore the electrolytes you’re losing.  

What you may not realize is that carbohydrates also play an important role in fluid balance. Small amounts of carbohydrates help the body absorb fluid quickly to maintain hydration during endurance activities. So, if you’re looking for the best way to keep your body hydrated for peak performance, you should consider both electrolytes and carbohydrates. Read on for what you need to know before, during and after exercise.

Before Exercise

Going into a workout properly hydrated is important for athletic performance, but it can be a struggle even for elite athletes. A systematic review of 24 studies reported that 66% of professional soccer players start exercise in a dehydrated state, resulting in decreases in exercise performance.

Experts suggest the best way to start an intense exercise session well-hydrated is to use a sodium-loading strategy, such as drinking a carbohydrate electrolyte drink prior to a workout to help improve fluid retention throughout the workout. This pre-hydration strategy can be valuable for slowing down the dehydration process during rigorous or lengthy exercise, especially when performed in the heat.

Consider options like Pedialyte® Sport before your workout, which has three times the electrolytes and one-quarter of the sugar of the leading sports drink. A salty carbohydrate food like pretzels, along with plenty of fluids, is another option to keep you hydrated.

During Exercise

During a moderate-intensity workout that is 60 minutes or less, such as brisk walking, jogging, yoga, cycling or strength training, water should be an adequate source of hydration. But for high-intensity workouts – such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT), sprints, exercise lasting longer than 60 minutes, or exercising in hot and humid environments – a carbohydrate electrolyte drink may be necessary. Carbohydrate electrolyte drinks can help restore fluid balance, minimize electrolyte loss and provide some carbohydrates for energy during a tough workout.

After Exercise

Following some workouts, plain water and food intake is sufficient to restore fluid and electrolyte losses. Athletes should focus on consuming fluids and protein post-workout along with foods containing electrolytes. However, if fast rehydration recovery is desired or required for another upcoming workout, standard meals and water will likely not cut it. In these instances, rehydrating with an electrolyte beverage can help restore fluid balance.

Hydrate to Help Improve Performance

Dehydration is a tough opponent when it comes to delivering your best. Understanding that both carbohydrates and electrolytes can have an important role to play is the first step to a more effective hydration strategy. By making sure you start each workout in a hydrated state, drinking fluids with electrolytes and carbohydrates during long-duration or intense workouts, and recovering with water and food or a drink such as Pedialyte® Sport after a workout, you’ll be making all the right moves.