Fluid Strategies for Training and Competition: Race Day Next Level© Performance Nutrition Guide
By Lisa Dorfman, MS, RD, CSSD, CCMS, LMHC, FAND
@TheRunningNutritionist
Drink Up!
Since the body is roughly 60% fluid, you’ll need to replenish yourself through beverage and high-fluid food consumption (fruits and veggies) on a regular basis.
We need fluids and plenty of them. According to the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs), men need about 3.7 liters (13 cups) and women need 2.7 liters (9 cups) just to stay afloat. Those who work out for more than one hour in hot weather, or big “losers” may require up to 10 liters of fluid daily.
You know you’re a “loser” if you sweat excessively, indoors or out, even after training and showering, and if you sweat in air-conditioned spaces. “Losers” typically suffer from fatigue, late afternoon headaches, brain fog, cramping, nausea, and constipation. They also often have an “ashy” look to their skin after racing, the “salts” of their labor. More serious symptoms of heavy fluid loss include excessive body temp, elevated heart rate, total body cramping and even fainting.
Just a 1% fluid loss can make you nauseated, cause cramps, or even trigger a migraine headache. If you lose more than 1%, you are at risk for dizziness, weakness, confusion, anxiety, lethargy, weakness and even fainting.
Signs of dehydration:
Excessive thirst
Fatigue
Headache
Dry mouth
Little or no urination
Muscle weakness
Dizziness
Lightheadedness, fainting
Kidney failure
Suffice it to say, if fluid losses are not replaced, the consequences can be fatal.
Fluid Ins and Outs
Experts still debate the ins and outs of fluids, which is still the best method for assessing fluid needs. There is no general consensus on how much or what type of fluids athletes need, and under what conditions athletes require additional amounts.
Are You Hydrated?
Methods for assessing hydration status include pre- and post-workout body weights, urine color, and urine specific gravity (typically performed by a professional sports medicine expert, dietitian or physiologist). Each method has its own merits and drawbacks.
1) Pre- and Post-Workout Weights
Take your weight before and after workouts, especially when the temperatures or your training changes. Replace each pound lost with 16 to 24 ounces of fluids.
2) Urine Color
Aim for number 3 on the chart, a lemonade color. A darker shade can indicate that you are dehydrated. However, be aware that if you take a B vitamin supplement, it may cause your urine to take on a more intense yellow hue.
3) Thirst
Thirst can be your best indicator of dehydration, although some of us who may not be great judges of thirst, might choose to ignore it or are too stressed during competition to address it until it’s too late. Even if you can’t swallow during competition due to feeling nauseated or struggling with reflux, a “mouth rinse” with a sports drink can help to keep you going.
How Much Is Enough?
Health and sports organizations like the ACSM, NATA, AND and USAT&F offer the following guidelines. Remember, everyone is different, so use their recommendations as a starting point.
The RaceDay App will provide you with a list of hydration products that can meet your needs. Check out the chart at the end of the blog to find out what the research says about hydration.
Fluid Intake for Training and Competition
Before
Drink approximately 14 to 22 ounces of water or sports drink (approximately 17 ounces) two to three hours before you begin your
exercise.
During
Drink six to 12 ounces of fluid every 15 to 20 minutes, depending on exercise intensity, environmental conditions and tolerance. Drink no more than one cup (8 to 10 ounces) every 15 to 20 minutes, although individualized recommendations must be followed.
After
Drink 25% to 50% more than existing weight loss to ensure hydration, four to six hours after exercise. Drink 16 to 24 ounces of fluid for every pound of body weight lost during exercise. If you are participating in multiple workouts in the same day, then 80% of fluid loss must be replaced before the next workout.
What About Electrolytes?
Electrolytes are the minerals involved in the movement of water in and out of cells, and in nerve and muscle transmission. In other words, electrolyte depletion can be even more serious and detrimental to performance than dehydration itself! Electrolyte depletion can cause nasty leg cramps or stitches in your gut. It can also cause miscommunication between your stomach and your brain, as well as between muscles and kidneys. It’s all connected!
Sodium sweat loss varies from person to person, and replenishment needs to be customized to an athlete’s own experience, sweat rate and sweat sodium content, exercise intensity and environmental conditions.
While leaner and larger athletes seem to sweat more, leaner, fitter athletes tend to cramp up faster. Typical losses range between 900 to 2,600 mg of sodium per liter of sweat lost. Although sodium loss may vary, the average sweat rate range is 0.3 to 2.4 liters per hour, and average sodium sweat content is 1 gram per liter fluid lost.
On the flip side, fluid overloading during prolonged workouts lasting more than four hours can lead to hyponatremia (low blood sodium).
Athletes who are less conditioned or prepared often produce a saltier sweat. If blood sodium levels fall below 130 milliequivalent per liter, you can become confused, suffer seizures, or lose consciousness. To avoid this, approximately 500 to 700 mg of sodium is recommended for each liter of fluid consumed.
Potassium is another important electrolyte inside the body’s cells. Potassium works in tandem with sodium and chloride (salt) in maintaining body fluids, as well as in generating electrical impulses in the nerves, muscles and heart. While you don’t lose as much potassium as sodium in sweat (about 150 mg per liter fluid), most athletes don’t consume the four-gram-plus daily recommendation through food (five to 10 servings of fruits and veggies a day). Therefore, look for a sports drink that will provide between 80 to 125 mg of potassium. Other potassium-rich foods are bananas, kiwi, oranges, tomatoes and potatoes. All of these are also great carbohydrate boosters to fuel active muscles.
Absorption
Healthy hydration is not simply drinking the right amount of fluid or the right amount of electrolytes. You also have to make sure they get absorbed!
I often hear athletes say they ordered the best blend of products from Company ABC, or their friend suggested such and such product for their Ironman Distance race, yet sadly, the fluid choice didn’t get them to the finish line. Instead, it caused GI distress, cramps and nausea.
It’s just not that simple. The speed at which fluid is absorbed depends on several different factors, including the amount, type, temperature and osmolality (density of compounds) of the fluid consumed and the rate of gastric emptying.
Sugar is crucial since it is actively absorbed in the intestines and can “escort” and increase both sodium and water absorption. A carbohydrate-electrolyte solution enhances exercise capacity, prevents brain drain and perceived exertion by elevating blood sugar and maintaining a high rate of carbohydrate use by the muscles.
To ensure that you don’t get too few or too many carbs in your fluids, as well as the ideal concentration of carbohydrates in your sports drink, take the grams of carbohydrates or sugar in a serving, divided by the weight of a serving of the drink (usually 240 grams or the approximate weight of one cup of water).
Research suggests that a 6% carbohydrate drink, which contains about 14 to 16 grams of carbohydrates per 8 ounces (1 cup) is the ideal. Go for a chilled drink (about 60˚F), which cools the body, inspires peripheral blood flow, decreases sweat rate, speeds up gastric emptying, and is absorbed much faster when compared to warmer fluids. Iced slushy drinks have also shown to prolong running time to exhaustion and reduce rectal temperature, supporting possible sensory and psychological effects of ice slushy beverages on performance while consumed or used as a “mouth rinse”.
No doubt, depletion hits us all a little differently. Knowing your personal threshold as well as the difference between feeling energy, water or electrolyte-depleted will ensure that hydration will never be your liability.
Fluid “Extras”
There are many fluid enhancements that can be added to beverages to help improve energy, immunity, strength and endurance. Antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds such as turmeric and ginger, immune boosting vitamin C, vitamin D, herbs and protein can also be added, as well as magnesium, amino acids, beet juice and caffeine. Look for future blogs to explore other ingredients.
Magnesium
This often-overlooked mineral supports more than 300 metabolic reactions in your body. The energy, immune, hormonal and muscle contraction/relaxation functions are the most pressing for athletes. The fact that about 70% of my recreational and Olympic-level athletes and the general population are magnesium deficient is a cause for concern. Magnesium deficiency can lead to muscle spasms, increased heart rate and oxygen use, even during the easiest of workouts.
Endurance training, excessive sweating, not eating enough whole grains, beans, nut and green veggies, and drinking too much alcohol rank among the top reasons why athletes don’t get enough magnesium. Fresh greens with black beans and whole grain brown rice, a salad, a handful of almonds at snack time, or a training formula with added magnesium can help fill the gap and cover your needs of about 300 to 400 mg per day.
Branched-Chain Amino Acids
Bless the BCAA’s: leucine, isoleucine and valine, which make up 35% to 40% of our essential amino acid (EAA’s) “pool,” 14% of total muscle amino acids. During training and competition, your body gets energy by breaking down muscle, and BCAA’s “fund” the cause more than any other EAA’s.
Research suggests that BCAA’s included in your pre- and post- workout formulas may decrease exercise-induced protein breakdown and muscle enzyme release (a sign of muscle damage), as well as increase protein synthesis and muscle gains beyond normal adaptation. When taken at mealtime, whey and egg protein are excellent sources.
Beet Juice
Studies suggest that natural sources of inorganic nitrate found in beetroot juice and powders may enhance performance when consumed immediately before, during and after long-duration, endurance exercise. They do so by increasing vasodilation (blood flow) and muscular sugar uptake and reducing blood pressure and the oxygen toll of everyday workouts. Nitrate levels peak within three hours and remain elevated for six to nine hours before returning to baseline, which is ideal for athletes training or competing in multi-day or endurance events like the Ironman triathlon, adventure races, or ultramarathon running. While there is a possibility that uncontrolled high doses of nitrate salts from processed meats (such as hot dogs) may be harmful to health, nitrate salts found in spinach, lettuce, and celery are most likely to promote health.
Caffeine
Not only can a cup of java give you an energy boost, but research suggests this fluid also improves strength and endurance, reduces rates of perceived effort, and improves hydration and recovery. Some of the ergogenic benefits include improving cognitive performance, mobilizing fat, sparing glycogen from muscles during exercise, increasing intestinal absorption and oxidation of ingested carbohydrates to speed the rate of glycogen resynthesis during recovery, and best of all, reducing perceived exertion and pain of training.
For most healthy adults who have a normal tolerance of caffeine, studies suggest that a dose of 1.5 to 3 mg of caffeine per pound body weight (3.3 to 6.6 mg per kilogram) is enough to have an energy-enhancing effect. This is the equivalent of a 10-ounce cup of java for a 150 lb. athlete.
Know your threshold because more is not always better. At worst, too much caffeine can cause headaches, shakiness, GI irritation, reflux and bleeding, heart palpitations, increased urination, insomnia, and withdrawal, and may certainly limit performance in sport, health, and life.
RaceDay Next Level© Performance Nutrition Chart*
Fluid for Training and Competition
1-3 liters/hour
Condition/timing Fluid (oz) Sodium Chloride Potassium Magnesium Calcium
Pre 16 oz night
Before
16oz awake
16oz 20-30 m/
before
During 5-8oz/20 min 300-700mg/l 710-2840 160-390mg 0-36mg 0-120
1-2.5 hr 14-28oz/hr 500-700mg/l
Salty sweaters 460-1840mg/l
Post 150% lost in sweat
Extras:
Caffeine pre-3-6mg/kg 30-90 min prior
During 1.5mg/kg 2.9mg/kg hour over 2 hours*
Beetroot Juice 300-600mg or 500 ml beetroot juice within 90 minutes onset of race
(Nitrates)
Tart Cherry juice 8-12oz 2 x daily, 4-5 days prior and 2-3 days after
Green Tea Extract 270-1200mg/day
Medical Disclaimer. The Service, Content and other services and information presented by the RaceDay Next level Performance Nutrition Guide is for educational purposes only and is in no way intended to diagnose, cure, or treat any medical or other health condition. The Service, including any Content therein, does not constitute medical advice and is not intended to be and should not be used in place of the advice of your physician. Before starting any diet or fitness program, consult your physician to determine if such program is right for your needs. Do not start a diet or fitness program through the Service if your physician or healthcare provider advises against it. This is particularly true if you (or your family) have a history of high blood pressure or heart disease, or if you have ever experienced chest pain when exercising or have experienced chest pain in the past month when not engaged in physical activity, smoke, have high cholesterol, are obese, or have a bone or joint problem that could be made worse by a change in physical activity. Do not start this program if your physician or health care provider advises against it. If you experience faintness, dizziness, pain or shortness of breath at any time while exercising you should stop immediately.
References
American College of Sports Medicine. Exercise and Fluid Replacement. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise: February 2007 - Volume 39 - Issue 2 - p 377-390
Baker L, Sweating Rate and Sweat Sodium Concentration in Athletes: A Review of Methodology and Intra/Interindividual Variability. Sports Med (2017) 47 (Suppl 1):S111–S128.
Belval, L. et al. Practical Hydration Solutions for Sports. Nutrients 2019, 11, 1550.
Dorfman, Lisa. Krause's Food & The Nutrition Care Process, 15th Edition, Chapter 22, Nutrition for Exercise and Sports Performance. (W.B. Saunders, 2019)
Dorfman, Lisa Legally Lean: Sports Nutrition Strategies for Optimal Health & Performance, Momentum Media (2015)
Driskell, J. and Wolinsky, I. Editors. Sports Nutrition Energy Metabolism and Exercise, 2nd Edition, 2008.
Fink, H and Mikesky, A. Practical Applications in Sports Nutrition, Sixth Edition, 2021
Getzin, A.R.; Milner, C.; Harkins, M. Fueling the Triathlete: Evidence-Based Practical Advice for Athletes of All Levels. Curr. Sports Med. Rep. 2017, 16, 240–246.
Greenberg, Jayne, Calkins, Nichole, Spinosa, Lisa. Designing and Teaching Fitness Education Courses. Dorfman, L. Chapter 5, Nutrition, Wellness and Consumer Issues, pp97-130. Human Kinetics, Illinois, 2022
Jeukendrup, A.E.; Jentjens, R.L.P.G.; Moseley, L. Nutritional Considerations in Triathlon. Sports Med. 2005, 35, 163–181.
Kerksick, C. et al. ISSN exercise & sports nutrition review update: research & recommendations. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2018 Aug 1;15(1):38.
Maughan, R. et al. IOC consensus statement: dietary supplements and the high-performance athlete. Br J Sports Med 2018;52:439–455.
Thomas, D.T.; Erdman, K.A.; Burke, L.M. Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance. J. Acad. Nutr. Diet. 2016, 116, 501–528.
Tiller, N. et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: nutritional considerations for single-stage ultra-marathon training and racing. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2019 Nov 7;16(1):50.
Vitale, K. and Getzin, A. Nutrition and Supplement Update for the Endurance Athlete: Review and Recommendations. Nutrients 2019, 11, 1289.
Professional Sports Nutrition Organizations:
Australian Institute of Sport. https://www.ais.gov.au/nutrition
Collegiate, Professional Sports Dietitians Association (CPSDA) What’s In Your Sweat? Sherman, Taylor, RD and Siekaniec, Claire, RD.
Copyright 2021. All Rights Reserved. Next Level© Performance Nutrition Guide
Meet Lisa Dorfman, MS, RD, CSSD, CCMS, LMHC, FAND
@TheRunningNutritionist
Known internationally as The Running Nutritionist®, Lisa is an award-winning leader to industry, academia, the public & press for more than 3 decades. Lisa has built a global integrative culinary sports nutrition & performance private practice & corporate consulting business working with Olympian athletes, and prestigious luxury resorts such as Ritz Carlton, Sandals & Norwegian Cruise Lines. Lisa designs, writes, and speaks about delicious dishes, menus and diets and travels worldwide sharing the “gospel” of good food, fresh tastes, and plant-based cuisine. Her passion for food, fitness, emotional balance and for life is contagious.
A ’19 President’s Council National Excellence in Practice Award Recipient, Lisa is a Licensed Nutritionist/ Registered Dietitian, Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, Board Certified Professional Counselor, Certified Chef, Certified USAT&F & USA Triathlon Coach, Certified Reiki Practitioner, Certified Horticulturist & Fellow of The Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics. She served as the ’08 US Sailing Olympic Team Nutritionist for Beijing Olympics & Nutrition Expert for the Zumba Plate® program. She currently serves as a contractor for KBR as a High-Performance Nutritionist for Special Ops for the US Military at SOCOM South.
As a chef, she has been inspired by her colleagues and collaborations with some of the top chefs at spas, hotels, restaurants, as instructor at Johnson and Wales University & Miami Culinary Institute; as an intern at Culinary Vegetable Institute/Chef’s Garden. She founded the company CHI Energy Bites™ @CHIenerybitesofficial an organic, vegan, gluten free, superfood infused purpose driven pre- and post-workout snack to help athletes fuel optimally and recover completely after training and competition. She is an inducted member of prestigious organizations such as Les Dames d ‘Escoffier, Board Director of American Culinary Foundation Miami, and the James Beard Foundation. Lisa serves as Chef Alliance Director for Slow Food Miami and consults as Chef Ambassador for Fullei Fresh® Sprouts & Culinary Wellness Consultant for Chic Bahamas Weddings .
The author of 8 books, Lisa has appeared on 20/20, Dateline, Good Morning America Health, FOX News, CNN, MSNBC and ESPN & has been featured in numerous publications including: USA Today, Newsweek, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Men’s Fitness, Outside & Runners World magazines. In her spare time, Lisa has competed in more than 35 marathons (PR 2:52:32), Ironman USA Lake Placid, and hundreds of running and multisport races from track to ultradistances. She was a member of TeamUSA for the ’04 World Long Distance Duathlon Championships. Lisa is a wife and mother of 3, and pet mama to her dog Cookie.