How EXACTLY does hydration (or lack of it) affects your running training or exercise in general. What is the science behind it?

Question

You can feel the difference but how does it work exactly?

In: Biology

Answer 1

There is much confusion over dehydration.

your body contains three types of water. Your body maintains a careful balance between these three types. Dehydration affects ALL three types.

the three are: blood plasma, intramuscular fluid, cellular fluid.

Consider. When you eat something it enters your digestive system. In your small intestine the food is liquefied – using water from those three sources.

it is suggested that a 5% dehydration level can affect cognitive functions. For a 80kg person approx 40% (a half) will be bone. So a 5% loss of fluid equates to 2 litres. Which is a LOT. Something you WILL notice.

for general running dehydration has NO effect on you whatsoever. Just take a drink at the end.