146 (18STRONG): The Golfer’s Guide to Hydration

What this episode covers

Golf is hard. And there are a lot of components that contribute to making it difficult. Typically, in order to improve, we resort to working on our technique, getting in better shape, fighting off nagging injuries, or other methods that often take a long time and a lot of work. But there is a secret weapon that can have an immediate impact on your game and prevent you from breaking down at the end of your round. This week on the podcast I am talking all about hydration for golf and why it might be one of the most important, but overlooked components that could change your game. My recent trip to Gulf Shores, Alabama allowed me to play a couple of rounds of golf in the hot, humid Gulf weather. This got me thinking about staying hydrated on the course and wondering about some of the physiology of what is actually going on when we sweat and how it affects our performance. So in this episode, I break down the basics of hydration/dehydration by looking at: * What is actually happening in the body * The main substances and chemicals that contribute * What dehydration can mean for your golf game * Share some of the performance products that I use/recommend * Give you 7 tips for fighting dehydration to keep you from giving up sloppy strokes Below is the outline of notes for the show, including links to any resources mentioned during the show and other online articles/studies that were used to gather information. The Golfer’s Guide to Hydration (Outline) The body needs water for survival. (If water is the gas, electrolytes are the motor oil). It delivers good stuff like oxygen, nutrients, and hormones while removing wastes and other junk. Regulates body and cellular temps Definitions: * Hydration: the condition of having adequate fluid in the tissues of the body * Dehydration: an abnormal depletion of body fluids (the body needs more fluids than are present or being input to function normally) What’s normal hydration? * Body’s water % (can only really measure with a body fat scale using bioelectric impedence analysis, which sends electrical signals through the body) * Men 50-65% * Women 45-60% * Urine: light yellow * emptying bladder 5-8 times per day What is dehydration? 2 kinds * Loss of * Water (Hypernatremic or hypertonic) * Electrolytes (Hyponatremic or hypotonic) * Both (isonatremic or isotonic) * Levels * Mild >2% (of total bodily fluids) * Moderate >5% * Severe >10% * emergency * * Signs of Dehydration * stomach cramps * muscle cramps * spasms, * dizziness * fatigue * nausea * weakness * confusion * headaches * dry mouth * Electrolytes: minerals/substances in the body that become ions in a solution and are able to conduct electricity that help the body perform their normal functions. They work both independently and with each other doing things like moving glucose and other nutrients into your cells, and helping to remove waste products and extra water from your cells. * Sodium: 136-145 mEq/L * Potassium: 5-5.3 mEq/L * Magnesium: 1.5-2.5 mEq/L * Chloride: 97-107 mEq/L * Calcium: 5-5.5 mEq/L Why is this important? Some parts of the body rely more on the “electrical functions” * Brain * Nervous System * Muscles The brain is 85% water. Not drinking enough water means not enough blood flow. If the brain doesn’t get circulation, your ability to focus and process on the course decreases. The discs in your back are mainly water. Staying hydrated means more support for the spine.