Importance of Hydration for Peak Performance

We spoke with Myra Trivellas, MD, a sports medicine surgeon affiliated with Hoag Orthopedic Institute, about the importance of hydration to help athletes achieve peak performance. Here are some of her tips for ensuring you stay hydrated to fuel your body:

1. It’s important for athletes to have a good balance of water and electrolytes
2. Water is one of the best sources of hydration. For shorter workouts under one hour, water is really all you need to perform at peak performance.
3. Electrolytes that are good for your body are sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. Finding a good electrolyte mix is important for peak performance.
4. A lot of the electrolyte mixes on the market are high in sugar content so be careful, because you do not need one with high sugar content. Some sugar is good for you to absorb the nutrients in the electrolyte mix, but not a lot.
5. Some good alternatives with natural electrolytes are coconut water, bananas which are high in potassium, watermelon or any citrus fruits you like.