What are the effects of dehydration in sport?
Ever wondered what the effects of dehydration were on your body and how important it is to maintain fluid levels?
Even during day to day activities it is imperative that we keep hydrated.
As we become dehydrated, our blood thickens which means out heart has to pump harder and quicker to compensate.
Over time, the blood will become too thick, and then the kidney’s will not be able to filter the blood this can lead to permanent kidney and brain damage.
The end result can lead to circulatory collapse which then means death.
With this in mind, it is clear that not hydrating, particularly when we perform sport or are in hot conditions is exceptionally dangerous and can easily be overlooked.
Furthermore, when people try to lose weight quickly and wear jogging suits or use a sauna it is merely losing water weight, not fat and increasing the chances of a stroke and death.
In this video, we see professional rugby player Todd Clever who was the USA Eagles captain pushed to his limits.
He is running in searing heat, wearing a jogging suit and risks permanent damage.
READ: The best pre workout drinks to rehydrate
Luckily, Todd is an extremely well conditioned athlete and is able to handle what is thrown at him.
After being pushed to the limit, he loses 14lbs of water which equates to a couple of gallons.
Fortunately for Todd, his super athletic abilities means that his kidney function is 30% above that of a normal athlete or regular adult which means he is able to filter the blood.
Then, as adrenaline kicks in, his ‘fight’ reflex means he can perform to extreme abilities.
