Study Reveals 43% of Women Start Workouts Dehydrated
If you feel more tired than expected after a workout, it might not just be the intensity. A new study shows that women often fail to replenish fluids, electrolytes, and carbohydrates during exercise.
This is a common mistake!
Most sports nutrition guidelines are based on studies of men. According to a 2021 analysis, only 6% of sports science research focused exclusively on women.
Researchers aimed to study women's unique physiological needs and analyzed data from over 500 women participating in various sports, including basketball, soccer, and hockey.
Three Main Issues
- Many start workouts dehydrated
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Dehydrated from the Start
About 43% of participants arrived at workouts with insufficient fluid levels. This can negatively impact well-being and performance.
- Insufficient sodium intake
Insufficient Sodium
Even when participants consumed enough fluids, they replenished only about 20% of the sodium lost through sweat. It is recommended to replace about 50% of lost sodium, especially among basketball players.
- Lack of carbohydrates
Lack of Carbohydrates
More than half of the participants (57%) did not consume enough carbohydrates during workouts, and exactly half did not consume any at all. For prolonged and intense activities, 30–60 g of carbohydrates per hour is recommended.
If the activity lasts less than an hour, additional carbohydrate intake is usually not necessary.
How to Know if You're Hydrated?
You don't need special tests. Just monitor the color of your urine. A light yellow shade usually indicates adequate fluid intake throughout the day.
Weigh yourself before and after intense workouts. The weight difference is primarily due to fluid loss through sweat. Individual hydration needs depend on workout duration, intensity, and how much you sweat.
