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News Industry Pre-Game Hydration Guidelines For Athletes


Industry

8th November 2022

Pre-Game Hydration Guidelines For Athletes

As an athlete, you already know hydration is essential. And while it’s said that water is the recommended pre-game hydration drink, we’re here to dispel that myth. You see, as your body draws on its glycogen stores (glucose) for energy, it creates a fatigue risk. That risk increases when playing at high speed.

Your body needs carbohydrates from glucose, which can only be found in an isotonic drink. Hence why sports nutritionists highly recommend them over water. iPRO Sport Edition is a healthy isotonic drink containing just 2.6 grams of sugar per 100ml. Its sugar source is dextrose - chemically identical to glucose that the body draws upon for energy.

Why do athletes suffer from fatigue?

Fatigue is a symptom of dehydration and occurs when your body is struggling to diffuse heat because blood is being directed away from the skin. To cool down, your body releases sweat which contains salt and protein. In an average game, athletes could lose up to 3 litres of sweat and 15 grams of salt. That’s a rocky road for any athlete’s performance to take.

But just like training strategies are tailored to each athlete, so should your hydration intake. Everyone has a different sweat rate, therefore needing different levels of hydration. A good starting point is to calculate your sweat rate and adjust how much you drink. For optimal hydration, drink in the hours before the game – giving your body enough time to absorb.

What Are the General Hydration Guidelines?

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, athletes should start drinking small amounts of water at least 4 hours before. The International Society Of Sports Nutrition expands on this, suggesting athletes drink 500 ml the night before the game, another 500 ml when they wake up, and approximately 400 to 600 ml 30 minutes before the game.

Why Choose Informed Sport Hydration?

iPRO Sport Edition holds a globally recognised Informed Sport certification. That means each batch has been tested for banned substances before being released to the market, reinforcing its reputation as the perfect pre-game drink. Need proof? Some of the most recognised clubs in the UK, including Osprey’s and Crystal Palace FC, choose fully-recyclable iPRO Sport Edition as their preferred hydration drink.

Hydrate your team with the industry’s best at iPRO.Direct for less than £1 a bottle!