Faster recovery times are achieved through a combination of proper nutrition, adequate rest and active recovery techniques such as massage therapy and stretching. Active recovery methods such as massage therapy can help speed up the healing process by reducing inflammation caused by intense exercise while stretching helps keep joints limber and improve flexibility throughout the body.

Nutrition is key for any athlete looking to optimize their recovery rate; eating nutrient-dense foods including protein and complex carbohydrates fuels muscles after strenuous workouts. Providing the right nutrients shortly after exercise helps replenish glycogen stores so that muscles are ready for another bout of activity.

Eating foods high in anti-inflammatory properties help reduce soreness post-exercise while ingesting protein aids in muscle repair and growth.

Furthermore, hydrating properly during training sessions and afterwards helps replenish fluids lost through sweat and prevent dehydration, which can interfere with physical performance. Hydration has an important impact on Heart Rate Variability HRV. When we are dehydrated, the heart rate often increases as it compensates for the lack of water in the body by increasing the output of each beat.

Additionally, when we are dehydrated, our sympathetic nervous system SNS becomes more active and elevates stress hormones like cortisol and epinephrine which can lead to further decreases in HRV.

Therefore, adequate hydration is essential for healthy HRV since it helps keep the SNS functioning normally and reduces the risk of dehydration-related heart rhythm disturbances. Research has shown that even mild levels of dehydration can significantly reduce HRV.

Similarly, another study found that cyclists who drank ml of water 30 minutes after exercise had an increase in post-exercise cardiac vagal reactivation.

This indicates that even small amounts of water may be beneficial for maintaining healthy HRV levels and faster recovery. In addition to helping maintain healthy levels of PNS activity, hydration also impacts our cardiovascular system by improving blood flow and helping regulate blood pressure.

It helps dilate blood vessels and encourages proper distribution of oxygen throughout the body which helps stabilize our heart rate and maintain normal blood pressure levels. Proper hydration allows us to better cope with stressors both physical and mental as it improves our overall level of vitality—reducing fatigue and enhancing cognitive performance—and improves our overall quality of life by reducing health risks associated with dehydration such as headaches, dizziness, poor mood, or difficulty concentrating.

Thus, hydration plays a critical role in maintaining optimal levels of HRV since it helps regulate both our sympathetic and parasympathetic systems as well as improve cardiovascular function leading to better overall health outcomes.

Therefore proper hydration should be encouraged in order to support optimal cardiovascular functioning and is an important part of any health plan or lifestyle regimen.

It is recommended to hydrate before, during, and after intense physical exercise to reach optimal hydration levels. The exact timing and amount of hydration required may vary depending on individual factors such as body size, environmental conditions, and duration and intensity of exercise.

As a general guideline, it's recommended to drink fluid ounces of water hours before exercising, and fluid ounces every minutes during exercise to maintain proper hydration.

After exercise, it's recommended to drink fluid ounces of water for every pound of body weight lost during exercise to rehydrate.

It is important to keep in mind that the time it takes for the body to fully absorb fluids and electrolytes can vary and may take several hours, so it's essential to continue hydrating regularly throughout the day.

It's also a good idea to monitor urine color and quantity to gauge hydration levels, as clear or light-colored urine is a sign of good hydration. Hydration readiness can be highly personalized and is impacted by their state of heat acclimatization. Athletes can measure their state of heat acclimatization in several ways.

For more information about how Abbott uses cookies please see our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy. Links which take you out of Abbott worldwide websites are not under the control of Abbott, and Abbott is not responsible for the contents of any such site or any further links from such site.

Abbott is providing these links to you only as a convenience, and the inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement of the linked site by Abbott. NUTRITION NEWS. NUTRITION CARE. NUTRITION CARE ILLNESS.

HEALTHY LIVING. AGING WELL. TACKLING A GLOBAL ISSUE. SCIENCE NEWS. EXPERT VIEWS. GLOBAL NUTRITION. MEDIA CENTER. PRESS RELEASES. ASSET LIBRARY. PRESS CONTACTS. MEDIA CENTER EXPERTS. Focus on Hydration for Recovery to Perform Like an Elite Athlete. To Recover Like an Elite Athlete Focus on Hydration for Recovery Sub Heading To perform at your very best, focus on hydration and nutrition for muscle recovery.

Main Image. Duration NOV. Description From day to day, elite athletes' workouts change to emphasize a variety of different strengths and skills and prevent over-training of specific muscles or joints.

How Workouts Affect Your Body "Muscle contraction creates friction and heat," explains Jennifer Williams, MPH , a nutrition scientist at Abbott. Advanced Hydration and Nutrition for Elite Performance and Recovery "What if your job was to perform athletic feats day after day?

Combine Hydration and Nutrition for Recovery Like a Pro Even if you're not a professional athlete, following a concrete hydration and recovery game plan can help you take your performance to the next level. Consider these nutrition and hydration best practices: Head in Hydrated: "A common source of dehydration during exercise is starting the workout in a hypohydrated state," Williams explains.

Overshoot: "Just replacing what's lost isn't enough, since sweating and urine losses continue in the hours post-workout," Willams explains. So, if you lose one pound [16 ounces] of sweat during a workout, rehydrate with 20 to 24 ounces of fluid.

RELATED ARTICLE. Heading How Long Does It Take to Create a Healthy Habit That Lasts? Heading Understanding Sports Nutrition for Teens. Description If you're a parent of a teen athlete, you want to see your child thrive in their sport.

Next Previous. By PointPerformance Blog Comments are Closed 16 April, 8. How does water help speed up recovery? What can I drink to help recover from an injury or surgery? How do your body expel water? What are some signs that you need to drink more water?

Some other signs include: Dark and decreased urine Foul breath Headaches Dizziness Dry mouth Dry skin How can I remember to drink water? Make it part of your routine.

When you wake up, drink two glasses. Have at least one glass with each meal. Every time you have a snack, have some water with it. Set a reminder in your calendar once an hour to drink a glass.

Keep a glass or a water bottle nearby on your desk if at work , and make sure to drink at least eight ounces within an hour.

What else can I drink? There are lots of ways to improve the taste of water.

The old rule of thumb of drinking eight glasses of water a day is just that: old. Some experts say that you need an ounce of water per pound of body weight.

Others say less is sufficient. For hydration, water is best, but fruits and vegetables that have a high percentage of water are also good for the body. Recovery and hydration are vital in maintaining healthy body functions and to keep you progressing in the gym. Remember that you must recover as hard as you train.

While we all love lifting big weights, taking time to decompress and properly fuel your body are mandatory. Learn more about how to keep your joints healthy. All Rights Reserved.

PowerDot ® Is a Registered Trademark of PowerDot, Inc. Patented — U. iPhone ® , iOS ® are registered trademarks of Apple, Inc. The Bluetooth ® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc.

Shop Now Benefits Athletic Performance Natural Pain Relief Injury Rehabilitation Reviews Education Blog White Papers.

The Importance of Recovery Between Sessions Recovery is essential in making progress and to maintain overall health. Recovery Allows Muscles to Heal and Grow During exercise, you put your body through good stress, and you create tiny tears in your muscles.

Recovery Allows Tendons and Ligaments to Repair Aside from building, strengthening, and repairing muscles, adequate recovery time allows for other soft tissues such as tendons and ligaments to repair. Recovery ensures that these chemicals are removed from the cells.

Rest Keeps Your Hormones in Check Hormones play an important role in daily body functions and impact everything from your mood to your appetite to your monthly cycle. Hydration and its Importance Another important factor in any training program is hydration.

Water Keeps Joints Lubricated When the body is adequately hydrated, the water provides nutrients for the cells and removes waste. Being dehydrated during the night may also lead to nocturnal leg cramps.

Water Helps Carry Nutrients to Cells Water delivers important nutrients to the cells and other organs of the body. The Heart Needs Water to Pump Blood Hydration keeps blood volume at a healthy level.

Ready to take the next step? exercise in the heat, salivary osmolality is an accurate, non-invasive method to measure ECF osmolality [ 18 ]. Saliva was collected from the oral cavity, first as a passive expectorant unstimulated [ 17 , 19 ], and then following mechanical stimulated orofacial movement chewing on a cotton swab.

All samples, both stimulated and unstimulated were then vortexed to homogenize the samples. This was done immediately after sample collection to prevent sample spoilage. In addition to daily calibrations, the osmometer was calibrated prior to each new biological sample.

All values are presented as mean SD. Body Mass Index BMI was calculated using the following equation:. Body Surface Area BSA was calculated based on the following equation [ 20 ]:. To compare heart rate, body weight BW , BMI, BSA, and tympanic temperature at baseline and peak, the measured values in each individual were averaged across the three arms of the study.

Salivary osmolality S osm was plotted against percent body mass loss; body mass loss was calculated as the difference in body mass after completion of the dehydrating exercise, from body mass at trial initiation.

This value was divided by body mass at trial initiation and expressed as a percentage. Differences in the slopes of the regression lines between the groups were calculated using one-way analysis of variance ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc correction for multiple comparisons.

The return of S osm to baseline during the Hydration Protocol was best fit by a mono-exponential one-phase decay model where,. Statistical calculations were calculated using commercially available software GraphPad Prism version 5.

All other comparisons were completed using a repeated measures 2-way ANOVA followed by a post-hoc Bonferroni analysis. No non-parametric tests were necessary, as all data were normally distributed. Female participants were significantly less in height when compared to male counterparts Considering the significant difference in height, BW However, this difference was eliminated in the calculated BMI; females had a BMI of Although baseline heart rate trended higher in females For each min bout of exercise, we recorded peak heart rate and subsequently averaged these values to arrive at a single peak heart rate.

We saw no significant impact of sex on peak heart rate, and no interaction between sex and exercise on peak heart rate. Tympanic temperature as an indicator of core temperature was also recorded throughout the exercise protocol. Despite being subjected to exercise and moderate heat stress, both female For each saliva sample unstimulated and stimulated , we determined salivary osmolality S osm and plotted S osm against the percent of body mass lost.

For display purposes, we represent the data as binned samples ± standard deviation S. Stimulated and unstimulated S osm were significantly positively correlated with percent of body mass loss for both females and males. The relationship of S osm and percent body mass loss was not different between females and males.

Salivary osmolality as a function of body mass loss. Individual measures of salivary osmolality were averaged from the three trials. No differences between Females and Males were detected, nor was there an interaction between sex and time point of data collection.

Two-way ANOVA with post-hoc Bonferroni analysis. No significant differences in baseline S osm among study groups based on fluid designation were detected, validating that participants began each arm of the three trials at a similar hydration level.

Baseline S osm was not effected by sex in the stimulated females Similar to baseline, peak S osm was not significantly impacted by either study group designation or sex in the stimulated females Moreover, there was no significant interaction between these factors on peak S osm.

However, this elevation in S osm was not affected by the sex of the participant Fig. Subsequent comparison of the mean values for each participant demonstrated that males took less time Based on the averaged values of sweat rate for each participant, females Peak S osm steadily declined and returned to baseline S osm values before completion of the saliva collection time during the rehydration phase.

The same trend of significance was seen whether S osm was taken from the stimulated or the unstimulated samples. Rate of salivary osmolality recovery during fluid hydration following dehydrating exercise protocol. Salivary osmolality was fit with a single exponential decay one-phase decay starting with peak salivary osmolality against real time.

a representative one-phase decay fit to salivary osmolality recovery during fluid hydration. Fluid was ingested in two phases indicated by the arrows. A repeated-measures two-way ANOVA determined a significant impact of fluid on rate parameters of hydration that was not impacted by sex.

Overall, males generated greater peak torque extension at baseline when compared to females However, the loss of peak torque reached significance only in males 9.

Impact of dehydration and hydration on lower body muscle performance. a Averaged values across experimental groups for peak torque extension Nm at Baseline and Post-Ex in Females and Males. The goal of the study was to evaluate parameters of dehydration and associated performance deficits due to dehydrating exercise, and then to determine if hydration and muscle performance recovery was dependent on fluid type.

Secondarily, we observed potential sex differences in these parameters, although the study was not explicitly powered for such comparisons. Our observations on increases in heart rate are consistent with most [ 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 ], but not all [ 25 ] studies in the literature reporting statistically similar increases in heart rate for females and males during strenuous exercise.

It has been suggested that males and females may differ in heart rate response to exercise, due in part to differences in exercise capacity, with men being able to reach higher exercise intensities, and therefore generate larger changes in heart rate during exercise [ 25 ].

It has also been suggested that a bias may exist in research personnel against pushing females as hard as males during exercise [ 25 ], and that males may put in a higher degree of effort during exercise than females [ 22 ], both of which could show confounded sex differences in peak heart rate.

Indeed, we informally observed that males tended to exercise at a higher workload than females during our exercise study.

However, our study, as well as another [ 22 ] showed similar max heart rates in females as males, despite the appearance of a difference in effort, indicating that males and females demonstrated similar exertion.

We observed a slight but statistically insignificant increase in tympanic temperature throughout the duration of the exercise protocol in men and women, with no differences between the sexes.

This lack of difference between sexes was not surprising, because although males and females differ in some specific aspects of thermoregulation sweat rate and evaporative cooling efficiency during exercise in the heat, it is thought that females and males are able to maintain body temperature with similar efficiency [ 26 ].

However, we did not expect to see an overall lack of significant increase in body temperature after exercise, since much of the literature supports the idea that exercise, heat, and dehydration impair thermoregulation [ 3 , 11 , 26 ].

More likely, acclimation to exercising in hot conditions may be the reason for this observation. Heat acclimation may provide the athlete with the benefit of expanded erythrocyte volume, and plasma volume, both of which have the potential to improve thermoregulatory ability in athletes [ 29 ].

We did not account for heat acclimation in this study, but it is reasonable to infer that some or all of the study participants had some level of heat acclimation living in Arizona, a region with a hot, dry climate throughout most of the year. Average baseline S osm was not different between males and females.

Furthermore, we confirmed a significant positive correlation between percent body mass loss through sweat dehydration and S osm for both males and females, as expected during intense exercise in the heat.

These were important observations, because they indicate that participants started at the same hydration level and executed a similar amount of exercise during each trial.

Although power output was not measured, we observed that men may have had higher average power output and tended to use greater resistance throughout the workout, consistent with findings showing higher aerobic workload capacity in men compared to women [ 30 ].

A higher power output in males could be one reason for the observed shorter time-to-dehydration than females. This difference in time-to-dehydration could also be attributed to a faster general sweat rate in males than in females, mainly due to greater body surface area and lower surface area-to-mass ratio, and greater metabolic heat production in males than in females [ 30 , 31 ].

Although females generally have a greater number and density of eccrine sweat glands than men [ 30 ], the per-gland sweat secretion rate is a larger contributing factor to overall sweat rate than the number or density of sweat glands [ 31 ].

Sweat secretion rate per gland varies inter- and intra-individually, but it is possible that this factor may be partially responsible for this observed sweat rate difference. Baseline and post-exercise values indicated that males generated greater peak torque than females, as expected, based on a higher average muscle mass in males than in females.

In our study, fluid loss due to exercise resulted in a significant muscle performance deficit that was not impacted by sex. Although current literature is fairly inconclusive, results from many studies do suggest that dehydration negatively impacts muscular strength, power, and endurance [ 32 ].

However, there is relatively little research comparing potential dehydration-induced decline in muscle strength between men and women, and results of such studies vary. The results of the current study do not necessarily support the notion that dehydration negatively impacts muscle strength, as the effects of dehydration were not isolated from the effects of exercise and muscle fatigue in this study.

Interesting findings from previous work suggest that consumption of deep-ocean mineral water following a dehydrating exercise protocol improves aerobic performance and muscle strength [ 13 , 14 ].

In this more comprehensive study, we found that male and female participants demonstrated elevated rates of hydration recovery, and that peak torque of a leg extension may also be improved when fluid was replenished with deep-ocean mineral water compared to other fluids.

Therefore, improved acute hydration may be one factor by which deep-ocean mineral water improves exercise performance, as has been shown. Although we did not study the precise mechanism underlying enhanced fluid recovery with deep-ocean mineral water, it is likely that the unique mineral composition of deep-ocean mineral water contributes to this characteristic See Table 1 for a nutrient comparison of fluids.

A study by Hou et al. However, Kona Deep® contains far less Mg than the deep-ocean mineral water used in the Hou study, and therefore, we cannot necessarily predict that the modest difference in Mg between the three fluids in our study was a major contributor to the observed effects on muscle performance.

Additionally, we have no evidence to support a connection between Mg and hydration recovery. Another possible mineral contributor is boron. Both Kona Deep® and the water used in the Hou study contain significant amounts of this trace mineral.

Hou reports that boron attenuates the rise in plasma lactate, potentially delaying fatigue, and prevents Mg loss. As with Mg, however, we have no evidence to support a connection between boron and hydration recovery.

Interestingly, composition of the intake fluid impacts intestinal water flux more so than osmolality [ 34 ]. Carbohydrate-electrolyte sports drinks, such as Gatorade®, are proposed to increase intestinal water absorption due to the presence of glucose, which assists sodium transport into the intestinal cells via the sodium-glucose cotransporter, thereby influencing water flux by promoting an osmotic gradient [ 35 , 36 ].

However, we observed no greater acute hydration rate with Gatorade® compared to the other fluids. This may be due to the influence of gastric emptying rates, as fluids containing carbohydrates may decrease gastric emptying rate compared to non-carbohydrate-containing fluids [ 36 , 37 ].

Notably, slower gastric emptying rates may also decrease intestinal absorption rates [ 35 ], thereby slowing overall fluid uptake and assimilation into the body fluid compartments. Several limitations of the study have been mentioned throughout the paper.

We relied on the use of salivary osmolality as the sole marker of hydration throughout the study. Previous work shows that salivary osmolality is highly valuable for serial measures of hydration during intense physical activity in the heat [ 18 ]. More importantly, we needed multiple data points to best model instantaneous changes in osmolality throughout the dehydration and rehydration periods.

Due to the continuous nature of the exercise protocol, serial urine collections were not practical for this study. Some limitations do exist for the use of S osm as a marker of hydration, including an initial sharp drop in osmolality caused by oral rinse and variability between participants [ 3 , 15 , 17 , 18 , 19 ].

Furthermore, baseline, peak or the rate of increase in S osm across the 3 trials was similar for each participant, indicating S osm was an appropriate method for comparing rehydration fluids within each participant.

Participants were separated by sex based on secondary analysis of study parameters. Because the study was not powered for sex differences, analysis of peak torque would require further studies specifically powered for sex as a primary outcome.

Similarly, dietary restrictions were suggested and not strictly enforced and cannot be ruled out as a potential contributor to any sex differences. Finally, the American College of Sports Medicine ACSM recommends 1. In our study, participants replaced fluid lost in a ratio.

During development of the protocol in pilot studies, participants were not able to ingest fluid amounts suggested by the ACSM recommendations. In addition, participants did not urinate during rehydration, and all subjects completed the final saliva collection and muscle strength measurement at their full baseline body mass.

Future studies will be designed to address these limitations as well as the underlying mechanisms by which deep-ocean mineral water elicited enhanced hydration effects, including the contribution of specific nutrients specific to deep-ocean mineral water.

Kona Deep® deep-ocean mineral water improved acute rehydration rate after a dehydrating exercise in both males and females, compared to spring water and Gatorade®. However, it remains unclear whether the hydration-enhancing effect of deep-ocean mineral water impacts performance recovery as demonstrated previously [ 13 , 14 , 15 ].

Future studies will be targeted at uncovering the mechanisms behind the hydration-enhancing properties of deep-ocean mineral water, further characterizing sex differences in these relationships, and correlating additional measures of hydration, such as serum osmolality, with that of S osm.

Bhave G, Neilson EG. Body fluid dynamics: back to the future. J Am Soc Nephrol. Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar. Bourque CW. Central mechanisms of osmosensation and systemic osmoregulation.

Nat Rev Neurosci. Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar. Cheuvront SN, Carter R 3rd, Sawka MN. Fluid balance and endurance exercise performance.

Curr Sports Med Rep. Article PubMed Google Scholar. Shibasaki M, Wilson TE, Crandall CG. Neural control and mechanisms of eccrine sweating during heat stress and exercise.

J Appl Physiol Article Google Scholar. Lara B, Salinero JJ, Areces F, Ruiz-Vicente D, Gallo-Salazar C, Abian-Vicen J, Del Coso J. Sweat sodium loss influences serum sodium concentration in a marathon. Scand J Med Sci Sports. Sawka MNWCB, Pandolf KB.

Thermoregulatory responses to acute exercise-heat stress and heat acclimatization. In: Fregly MJBCM, editor. Handbook of physiology. New York: Oxford University Press; Be sure you're undressed and have an empty bladder for the most accurate results.

During training, each pound of weight loss equals 16 fluid ounces of sweat lost, plus fluids consumed mid-workout. It seems like elite athletes live in a world that's separate from the rest of us — one without gravity and that moves in fast forward — but the routines they use to power through each workout can also work for you.

If you're thinking of starting a new fitness routine or trying to elevate your nutrition, talk to your doctor about the safest ways to get started. How Long Does It Take to Create a Healthy Habit That Lasts? Understanding Sports Nutrition for Teens. If you're a parent of a teen athlete, you want to see your child thrive in their sport.

But knowing what and how much to feed your young athlete can be challenging. You know nutrition is an important part of an active lifestyle, but which foods best support energy levels and help to improve sports performance?

Understanding the three main components of nutrition for athletes — pre-workout fueling, hydration and post-workout recovery — is a good place to start.

Advanced hydration option formulated for athletes with 5 key electrolytes. All Rights Reserved. Please read the Legal Notice for further details.. Terms and conditions apply. Unless otherwise specified, all product and services names appearing in this Internet site are trademarks owned by or licensed to Abbott, its subsidiaries or affiliates.

No use of any Abbott trademark, tradename, or trade dress in the site may be made without the prior written authorization of Abbott, except to identify the product or services of the company.

At this time, we are experiencing problems with broken links on our site. As an interim solution, for full site functionality you must enable functional and advertising cookies. If you continue to opt-out of these cookies, some content on our site may not be viewable.

We use functional cookies to analyze your use of the site, improve performance and provide a better customer experience. We use advertising cookies to allow us, through certain data assigned and obtained from the user's device, to store or share with third parties information related to user's browsing activity in our website, in order to create an advertising profile and place relevant advertising in our website or those third parties websites.

For more information about how Abbott uses cookies please see our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy. Links which take you out of Abbott worldwide websites are not under the control of Abbott, and Abbott is not responsible for the contents of any such site or any further links from such site.

Abbott is providing these links to you only as a convenience, and the inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement of the linked site by Abbott.

NUTRITION NEWS. NUTRITION CARE. NUTRITION CARE ILLNESS. HEALTHY LIVING. AGING WELL. TACKLING A GLOBAL ISSUE. SCIENCE NEWS. EXPERT VIEWS.