Tennis and cycling are two of my favorite sports. Here in South Florida, I can enjoy both year-round. But in the summer heat and humidity – which can last for five or six months here – it’s vital to stay hydrated.
Sweat is your body’s way to keep cool when you’re active. As the water evaporates off your skin, it takes some body heat with it.
But if you’re very active – or it’s very hot – sweating does more than cool you off. It can rob your cells of moisture. And dehydration leaves your skin looking and feeling rougher and older.
That’s why it’s so important to moisturize from both the outside and the inside. Water is great for staying hydrated under average conditions. But it may not be enough if you’re working very hard.
Your sweat also removes electrolytes – electrically charged minerals your body needs to control many critical functions.
For example, you need potassium is a key electrolyte that transfers nutrients into your cells – and waste out. Magnesium is crucial to more than 300 processes… including maintaining a healthy heartbeat. And manganese is a component of MnSOD – a critical protective antioxidant.
That’s why “sports drinks” are so popular. The makers add electrolytes. But most also add refined sugars, chemicals, artificial colors and other unhealthy ingredients.
When I have a tough workout – or when the weather’s especially hot – I turn to nature’s most perfect hydrator: coconut water.
Coconut milk is the off-white liquid inside mature coconuts. But before a coconut matures, it contains coconut water, which is clearer and lighter. And it also has a very healthy mix of vitamins and minerals.
Just eight ounces of coconut water delivers about 10% of your daily requirement of vitamin C. Plus, it has a good mix of B vitamins, which are key for energy production and stress recovery.
When it comes to electrolytes, coconut water is hard to beat. It’s high in potassium, magnesium and manganese. It also packs decent amounts of seven other important minerals.
In fact, coconut water has such a good balance of electrolytes, field hospitals have used it in place of IV saline to rehydrate sick patients.1
It is non-acidic, low in calories and highly absorbable. Studies also show it’s easier on your stomach and less filling than even plain water2… which could help you re-hydrate more effectively.
When you’re fully hydrated, your skin feels softer and smoother. And you’ll look better, too.
For short periods of activity, you should be able to stay well-hydrated with plain water. But for intense or prolonged activity – or if it’s particularly warm – you may need to replace lost electrolytes. And coconut water is the best way I know of to do it.
To keep yourself well-hydrated, drink about eight ounces of fluid shortly before exercise. Then drink about eight ounces for every 15 minutes of activity. If you’re working or playing hard, you may need to drink even more to stay hydrated.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
1. Petroianu, G.A., et al, “Green coconut water for intravenous use: Trace and minor element content,” J. Trace Elem. Exp. Med. 2004; 17: 273–282.
2. Saat, M., et al, “Rehydration after exercise with fresh young coconut water, carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage and plain water,” J Physiol Anthropol Appl Human Sci. Mar 2002; 21(2): 93-104.