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3 Causes of Dehydration

Fitday Editor

If you work out regularly, dehydration is something that you need to be concerned about. Dehydration occurs when your body does not get enough water. Water is very important to your body for a number of reasons. It helps maintain your internal temperature. If your body does not get enough water, you can literally overheat your body and cause yourself to become ill, pass out or worse. When you work out, your body turns the water that you have into sweat in order to lower the temperature and keep you cool. In addition to keeping you cool, perspiring also helps remove toxins from your body. Water also helps transport the oxygen that your body needs to your muscles. In order to avoid cramping, you need to have enough water in your system to keep your muscles working properly. There are a number of causes of dehydration. Here are three of the most common:

Not Drinking Enough Water Before Working Out

Every time that you exercise, you need to have enough water in your system to sustain your body. You may be under the impression that this means drinking a lot of water just prior to exercising. However, this does not do your body any good, because it takes several hours for your body to build up a supply of water. If you are going to work out on any given day, you should drink plenty of water two to three hours before your workout. If you fail to do this, your body will be dehydrated shortly after you start working out because it will not have the necessary supply of water. Don't wait until you feel dehydrated. Rather, drink water consistently throughout the day to make sure that there is plenty of it in your body at all times.

Not Drinking Cold Water During a Workout

Even if you drink water before a workout, you can still get dehydrated if you do not continue to drink water. During a workout, you should continue to drink cold water in order to stay hydrated. Cold water is particularly good for you because it can work more quickly to cool down your body. Try to take in water throughout your workout rather than drinking it all at one time in order to avoid cramping and dehydration.

Not Drinking Water After a Workout

Once you finish exercising, the water level in your body is typically very low. In order to help your body to recover, you need to take more in to avoid dehydration later. If you've ever experienced cramping in your muscles during the night after working out, it's because you are dehydrated. Not getting enough water into your system after exercising is another cause for dehydration.

Drinking More Water

Even if you don't work out regularly, your body needs about 60 to 70 ounces of water to stay hydrated everyday. Exercising increases the amount that you need to take in to avoid dehydration. If you want to make the most of your workouts, start drinking more to keep your body functioning properly. It is one of the keys to getting into shape and maintaining a healthy diet.

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