The benefits of staying hydrated and drinking water are countless. The human body needs a lot of water to function properly which is why a person can only survive for a few days without water. Drinking adequate amounts of water allows you to cleanse out toxins from your body, but did you know that water intake can even affect your body composition?
Even though staying hydrated is just as necessary as adequate rest and quality food, it is often overlooked by people. Drinking adequate amounts of water can be the difference between accomplishing body composition goals and seeing no change in results. A little trivia, water almost accounts for two-thirds of our body weight!
Total Body Water (TBW) which refers to the amount of water in your body can be affected by several factors such as age, gender, fitness levels etc.
Dehydration occurs when you lose more water and fluids than you intake. Dehydration can include symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, dry mouth and constipation. It can even have long term impacts on your health such as high blood pressure and migraines.
How Does Dehydration Affect Muscle Mass?
According to research, cells losing water and volume can not only slow down protein production but also increase protein breakdown. Studies have also shown that blood flow to exercising muscles also decreases with dehydration.
Furthermore, inadequate hydration will also affect your strength and power during your workout sessions which can leave you more susceptible to injuries. Since dehydration affects muscle endurance and power, you will push for less reps in your workout sessions which decreases the overall gains from your workout.
How Does Dehydration Affect Fat Loss?
Research has indicated that hydration should be the cornerstone of any weight-loss diet plan. Drinking enough water is necessary to burn off fat from food and drinks we consume as well as from stored fat. Additionally, since water is required for a healthy functioning of the body, dehydration slows down all chemical reactions which affect the rate at which you burn calories.
In order to reach your body composition goals, it’s important to stay hydrated at all times. Keep a reminder at work if you have a habit of forgetting to drink water. However, make sure that you don’t overhydrate, as that has its own negative effects as well.