Water and performance
For a human being to reach optimum performance, he must receive appropriate and regular hydration. All sportsmen know that the level of hydration of the body directly affects physical performance. It is considered that tiredness appears once the mass of water in the body falls to 1% below its normal value and that this decreases performance by 2%.
|
Type of activity |
Water losses due to sweating |
|---|---|
|
Reduced at normal temperature |
0.3 litres per hour |
|
Moderate at normal temperature |
1 litre per hour |
|
Intense at normal temperature |
1.5 litres per hour |
|
Intense in heat |
More than 2 litres per hour |
In addition, recent scientific work has shown that hydration has an effect on intellectual performance. Certain tests shown that the loss of 2% of the water in our body causes a reduction in our cognitive performance (e.g. reaction time and short-term memory). These results obviously differ according to the environment, the age and the state of health of the individuals concerned. It is known that old people progressively lose the sensation of thirst and are more exposed than others to the effects of insufficient intake of water.
