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Are you drinking enough water in the winter?
October 2021
Tram Le
BS in Dietetics Student, Idaho State
Athletes, are you staying hydrated enough during cold weather? Remembering to stay hydrated during the summer is very easy. Training in hot weather makes the body sweat a lot, your thirst sensation increases and makes you want to drink water. But not during the winter, although your sweat is less noticeable and your thirst sensation can decrease, you still lose water all day long through evaporation, aspiration, and frequent urination (It's called cold-induced diuresis phenomenon).
A study was done looking at the hydration status of Canadian women soccer players during their training in cold weather. The result shows that, for a 90-minute training session, 63% of the players drank less than 250 ml of water throughout the session. This small difference does not seem to be significant, but even in a state of mild dehydration can make it more difficult for the heart to get oxygen-rich blood to the cells and affect performance. The recommendation of fluid intake is:
- About 15.5 cups (124 oz) of fluid a day for men
- About 11.5 cups (91 oz) of fluid a day for women
Anyway, this also depends on an individuals’ body size and training intensity. The fluid intake on training days and non-training days are different; sweat loss during exercise is an indicator of hydration status. So, monitor your hydration status and adjust your fluid intake to meet your needs. Don’t forget to check your urination frequency and urine color for hydration status in cold weather.
When the weather outside is frightful, being hydrated is so delightful!
