If you’re sweating after a workout, you know it’s time to rehydrate.
But before you reach for your water bottle, it’s important to understand exactly what sweat is made of, because we lose more than water when we sweat: we also lose electrolytes. Replacing these key minerals can help hydrate more effectively and maintain optimal performance.
Here’s what you need to know about the science behind sweating.
Why do we sweat?
Sweat is your body’s natural cooling system. When you feel the heat, whether it’s from a hot day, a spicy meal, a stressful situation, or an intense workout, your body increases its sweat production to stay cool.
“Typically, we sweat to help regulate body temperature in hot conditions,” says Paul Falcone, MS, principal scientist at BODi. “When the water in sweat evaporates, it cools the skin.”
Your skin contains millions of sweat glandsand about a liter of sweat evaporates from your skin every day.
What does our body lose in sweat?
“Sweat is composed primarily of water and electrolytes, which are essential minerals in the body,” explains Falcone. Sweat can also contain traces of urea, uric acid, ammonia, vitamin C and other substances.
The main electrolytes we lose when we sweat are sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium. These electrolytes are used to a variety of important goals in the body and help keep your nerves, muscles, heart and brain functioning properly.
Electrolytes are so vital, Falcone adds, that their levels are tightly regulated in the body to ensure that basic processes will not be disrupted. So when you sweat during a longer workout, it’s important to replace the electrolytes you lose in addition to water.
How to replenish what is lost when we sweat
Water is essential for hydration – no surprises there.
But during a longer workout, especially if you increase the intensity, a drink like Beachbody Performance Moisturizer can help replenish both fluids and electrolytes to help you maintain a higher level of performance.*
Indeed, among all their other functions, electrolytes play a vital role in hydration drinks by helping the body absorb water more efficiently and maintain optimal fluid balance. Adding Beachbody Performance Hydrate to your water bottle can help replenish these electrolytes so you can rehydrate more effectively.
“Electrolytes help osmolality of the drink, which means the body absorbs water more easily,” explains Falcone. This focus on osmolality makes Beachbody Performance Hydrate more beneficial for hydration than water alone.
To ensure you get the ideal electrolyte balance, Beachbody Performance Moisturizer is formulated with a scientifically proven combination of electrolytes and carbohydrates to optimize hydration, improve endurance and help jump-start muscle recovery.*
“Beverages containing carbohydrates and electrolytes have been shown to support endurance in clinical studies,” says Falcone. “Carbohydrates provide fuel to working muscles, and electrolytes support several bodily processes necessary for exercise.
To get the most out of Beachbody Performance Moisturizerit is best to drink it during or after a sports session. Mix one serving with 8 ounces of water every 30 minutes of exercise to help maintain fluid balance and support performance.*
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
