When it comes to exercise, hydration plays a massive role in performance and recovery.
In order to perform at our best, both in periods of vigorous exercise and day-to-day activity, it’s essential that we aim to keep a steady supply of electrolytes in our bodies. One of the best ways we can achieve this is by maintaining fluid balance within the body during exercise and physical exertion.
So, when is the best time to replenish our electrolytes during periods of exercise – before or after? When exercising, playing sports or gearing up for a competition, the answer is both.
Exercise is one of the quickest ways to lose vital electrolytes. Electrolytes are the minerals found in water and body fluids that help regulate muscle contraction, retain fluid, and maintain energy. When we lose too many, our physical performance can suffer.
Before exercise, we want to make sure we always warm up our bodies, both physically and chemically. We call this preloading. Before any kind of physical exertion, it’s important to fuel our bodies with a dose of hydration to give it the boost it needs to take off.
During the preloading phase, it’s a important to consume a good amount of water and electrolytes about an hour beforehand. This allows the fluid, and in turn, the electrolytes, to make its way through to all areas of the body, giving the body the best opportunity to perform at its peak. It also promotes muscle contraction, particularly of the heart, allowing blood to circulate through to the extremities of the body.
During exercise, we lose a large amount of fluid as a result of heavy breathing and sweating. As electrolytes travel in fluid, this means we also lose a large amount of our electrolyte supply, leaving us, more often than not, deficient after exercise.
After any bout of exercise or high intensity exertion, replenishing lost fluids is priority number one. While simply consuming water will aid this process, a concentrated electrolyte drink is the best way to immediately replace electrolytes, maintain fluid balance, and aid the physical recovery of the body.
Electrolyte drink powders have many benefits to recovery, including replenishing lost minerals and aiding muscle recovery and contraction. The Daily is the perfect post exercise solution to quick recovery. One sachet may help replace lost electrolytes and also may provide a boost in energy levels, so you can continue with your day without setbacks.
If you’re exercising at high intensities, it might be a good idea to start incorporating electrolyte preloading and replenishing practices into your routine to make the most of your workout and performance.
You can check out the Vitadrop range of electrolyte drinks here.
