I'm always amazed at how many people seem to know the answer to this question yet in practice they fail. Everybody I've talked to seems to know that 8-12 glasses of water a day is the recommended standard. But if I ask them how many glasses of water have you consumed today? The answer is usually none. Or the other standard answer at a corporate environment "does coffee count?"
While 8-12 glasses of water is great for the average sedentary person, many of us are fitness conscious or on the pursuit of some type of bodybuilding physique. With that in mind, I think the new standard for us should be 1-2 gallons of water a day.
As a bodybuilder, you are putting much more nutrients, food, supplements, and other stuff into your body. What your body does not use, it must rid itself of by any means necessary. Usually it does this via water. So drinking plenty of water becomes a necessity. Increasing protein puts a strain on your body and drinking lots of water can keep things "moving." Creatine monohydrate supplementation requires a lot of water. Creatine is all about cell volumization. Making sure your cells are completely hydrated helps with the volumization process. NO2, a hemodilator, requires water. Many other supplements require water as a transport and a flushing method.
The side effects of drinking too little water are an excess buildup of certain chemicals. Creatine can leave behind some buildup that overtime, becomes a bit hard to pass. Putting such a strain on the body is also self-defeating. But don't get me wrong, it's not just about Creatine and NO2. It's about making sure you are hydrated.
Being properly hydrated has it's benefits other then just the flushing methods and cell volumization discussed above. Your state of alertness is affected by your hydration levels. Performance in the gym by a hydrated body is enhanced. Your body is roughly 70% water. It makes sense to hydrate it. Drinking water is not just for hot days. It's for intense workouts in the gym. In fact, being hydrated has that perpetual pump that is so sought after.
There can be too much of a good thing. Drinking water to excess leads to water intoxication, referred to as hyponatremia. As you consume water, blood plasma increases and dilutes the salt content of the blood. While this is happening, you lose more salt by sweating. Consequently the amount of salt available to the body tissues decreases and over time, the loss interferes with brain, heart and muscle functions. Water intoxication is more commonly found in endurance athletes.
Drink plenty of water per day, but just keep in mind, there can be too much of a good thing. Being properly hydrated is necessary for optimum performance in the gym and for keeping your body performing well.
Marc David is a bodybuilder, writer, and author of the the e-book "The Beginner's Guide to Fitness and Bodybuilding" (BGFB): What Every Beginner Should Know but Probably Doesn't. Marc has written over 20 articles and has been featured in several health and fitness websites. Marc's opinionated and informative articles on bodybuilding, weight loss and training are featured regularly on: http://www.freedomfly.net
To subscribe to Marc's free b-weekly e-zine, visit the Freedomfly website here: http://www.freedomfly.net
Headlines:Nearly a quarter of American adults just got diagnosed with... Read More
Your magnificent machine is, in fact, a symbiotic collection of... Read More
Heart disease remains the number one cause of death in... Read More
Fat burning compatible foods seem to be a popular topic... Read More
PROTEIN DEFICIENT? CHANCES ARE YOU ARE!Did you know that 9... Read More
Health is the thing. And no matter how many ways... Read More
The American Heart Association recommends that you eat a variety... Read More
What is health? Everyone wants this thing called health, and... Read More
You are a mineral bodyEvery part of you is made... Read More
Do you know anyone who can't consume milk or milk-based... Read More
If you do not take time to stand back at... Read More
Come on, guys and gals. Those Trix are for kids.And... Read More
Could it be possible that our beloved chocolate may actually... Read More
Food addiction isn't a problem. Pretending like you can't live... Read More
Zingiber officinale has been held in the highest regard by... Read More
You can start today - right now, even - on... Read More
Today we're shifting our focus from wealth to health. First... Read More
Unhealthy eating is a harmful problem in America, and contrary... Read More
The Human Body is in a constant flux with the... Read More
The first place that we cut corners when we are... Read More
If you or someone you know suffers from rheumatoid arthritis,... Read More
Omega-3 appear to reduce the risk of heart attack. A... Read More
In parts 1-4 of this series of articles titled "Take... Read More
How well do you know about vitamin K? This vitamin... Read More
In order to eat fewer calories than you need, you... Read More
insured cleaning company Wilmette ..Arthritis - if you suffer from this illness, I don't... Read More
There seems to be fairly poor tracking by any formal... Read More
Do you allow pleasure from food? Are your senses throughly... Read More
Many people complain that organic foods are more costly than... Read More
Your fiber intake is a critical factor in weight loss... Read More
A lot of people I've talked with about health supplements... Read More
Americans are literally running out of time. Achieving a work-life... Read More
Many people use sugar as medicine. Sugar tends to change... Read More
Water is the most abundant substance in the human body.... Read More
Instead of Butter: Use top quality, cold pressed, extra virgin... Read More
In parts 1-4 of this series of articles titled "Take... Read More
Just as our country is currently engaged in a war... Read More
Today, more than ever, consumers over the age of 50... Read More
People who consume too much alcohol have good chance of... Read More
"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed.... Read More
Diets don't work. If they did the U.S. of A.... Read More
I know that the headline is a oldie, but it... Read More
I'd like to explain an important concept that most online... Read More
There's no doubt--carbohydrates have taken center stage in public discourse... Read More
Incorporating these fat loss tips will improve your nutrition program.... Read More
Oats (botanical name Avena sativa)An oat is a grass that... Read More
Because all of us have been brought up eating junk... Read More
White-spotted or yellow splotched teeth may reveal more than needed... Read More
Secretly we all want just a few things in life,... Read More
For most people, the concept of capsulized food? usually conjures... Read More
Nutrition |