How Much Body Fluid Needs When Sports

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Water is the largest and most important component of the body in maintaining the function of various human organs. In childhood, 75% of a person's body is composed of water, which decreases with age up to only 45% in old age. This makes the sufficiency of body fluids to be very important to note, especially when heavy activities such as sports.

Human fluid requirement

Under normal circumstances, according to WHO publications an adult male needs at least 2.5-2.6 liters of liquid or equivalent to 8 cups of water each day. While adult women need about 2.3 liters or 7 glasses of water each day, so that all the organs can function properly and you are free from dehydration and body weakness.

This estimate does not necessarily include the individual body profiles of each individual and the daily activities performed. A person who only works at home certainly has a different fluid requirement with someone whose daily job is farming, or even an athlete who undergoes high intensity exercise as a routine.

Losing fluids especially during exercise can occur through a variety of mechanisms, but the main one is through sweat. According to WHO publications, on active individuals, sweat production rates can reach 3-4 liters per hour.

This speed is certainly varied and influenced by various factors such as exercise intensity and duration, age, gender, air temperature, humidity, clothing, and metabolism of each individual. Needs of total fluids that are needed also vary, ranging from 2 liters per day to 16 liters in conditions that are quite extreme.

In a study studying the fluid requirement of a group of military personnel, the results obtained were based on calculating the fluid requirement of a person undergoing moderate to high intensity activity in a day.

The study was conducted on members of the military who practiced at hot temperatures using combat uniforms. As a result, in light intensity activity, they require 500-1000 ml of liquid per hour, at a moderate intensity requiring as much as 700-1000 ml per hour, and heavy intensity activity requires as much as 700 ml-more than 1 liter per hour.

Someone who exercises with such a heavy intensity athlete is a group whose hydration status greatly affects their performance. They may experience serious health problems if they are not noticed, similar to members of the military.

Especially for athletes, it is recommended to follow the fluid replacement guidelines in accordance with the calculation of reduced body mass. Assuming, 1 kg of lost mass equals 1 liter of liquid.

Prepare for loss of body fluids during exercise

For those of you who like to exercise, prepare for loss of body fluids while exercising would be a step that is not foreign. But here is a quick guide how to prepare for body fluids loss when you exercise:

• Drink 400-600 ml of water 1-2 hours before starting exercising to prepare for fluid loss.
• Drink another 200-300 ml of water 15 minutes before starting the sport.
• During exercise, drink 200 ml of water every 15 minutes to replace lost fluids during exercise.
• If after your weight loss exercise, replace any 0.5 kg lost with 500-600 ml of water.

In addition to how much fluid you should meet during exercise, note also the type of fluid used to replace the loss. The best replacement fluid to avoid dehydration is white water.

You do not need to consume energy drinks, isotonic drinks, or high sugar drinks during exercise. Drinking water alone is enough to replace the lost fluid, with the note taken in accordance with the required amount.

Avoid also drinking cold water immediately when you feel thirsty, especially during sports. Because the body temperature will fool the body's thirst sensor, so the thirst subsided, but you still need body fluids.

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