The Hydration Needs of an Athlete Athletes, usually experience a
great deal of sweating. Sweat is how the body cools itself. If
you are dehydrated, your body is trying to sweat and cannot due
to a lack of water. This can lead to heat exhaustion and heat
cramps can occur. Heat cramps are muscular cramps that are very
painful and last for one to three minutes. Athletes must avoid
dehydration at all costs. It is recommended that for every pound
lost during exercise due to sweating three cups of water be
consumed to replace the fluids. Should you drink a sports drink
such as Gatorade, Powerade, or All Sport when training? These
drinks provide sugar and sodium replacements that are said to
increase performance. For exercise that is less than sixty
minutes in duration, you should replace the fluid lost from
sweat with water. Carbohydrate and electrolyte stores are not
usually depleted in this length of time. Anything beyond sixty
minutes, carbohydrate and electrolyte replacement does become
important and these drin