What are the signs and consequences of dehydration?

The best method for assessing hydration status is to monitor the color of your urine. Your urine should be “light like lemonade,” NOT “dark like apple juice.” The darker your urine, the more dehydrated you are. “Clear like water” isn’t desirable either, as this is a sign you’re low on electrolytes (sodium and potassium), which can negatively impact performance, and how you feel.

If you fail to stay hydrated, you may experience the following:

Headaches
Irritability
Inability to focus
Slower reaction time
Decreased speed
Decreased strength
Decreased power
Decreased coordination

How much water should I drink every day?

Hydration needs are very individualized. Factors that affect hydration needs include your age, gender, size, exercise habits, e.g., type, duration, intensity, and also the climate you exercise in. Below are general recommendations for males and females WITHOUT consideration for exercise:

Males: 125 ounces (4 liters, or roughly 1 gallon) per day
Females: 96 ounces (3 liters) per day

For every 15 minutes of exercise, you need to INCREASE fluid intake by 5 – 10 ounces.

If exercising outside in a hot climate, or living in a warm climate, consider increasing total fluid consumption by 5 – 10%. In the example above, that means increasing fluids an additional ~5 – 15 ounces per day.

Remember that some of the foods you eat, particularly fruits and vegetables, also contain water. These recommendations are based on a combination of water, milk, and other beverages and food you consume, NOT just water alone. Remember to keep sugary drinks (consumed outside of training) to a minimum.

If you’re drastically under-hydrating, start with small steps towards your goal—don’t try to skip to your daily target overnight: your bladder won’t be happy. Aim to increase your daily intake over the next 1 – 2 weeks, until you’re consistently near your daily target.

EXAMPLE

If a female exercises for 60 minutes, she needs to consume an additional 20 – 40 ounces per day, bringing her daily total to 116 – 136 ounces