Coaches Hydration

[mrsmiddle]

I have an odd question. I have always been told by my own coaches, and other fitness specialists, that ice water is bad for you to drink while you are working out. One of my coaches has started bringing ice for our girls to put in their water bottles. She said she has never heard that before. Anyone have any opinions or information on this either way?

 

[raenndrops]

Believe it or not, cold water is absorbed faster by your body than water at room temperature or water that is at body temperature. For that reason, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends that water and other drinks be chilled when used during exercise.

Research has shown that cold water passes through the stomach faster and is therefore sent to the intestines for quicker absorption. During and after exercise, you want to rapidly replace fluids lost due to sweat, so cold water and cold sports drinks are preferred to room temperature drinks.

Another reason for drinking cold drinks is that most people find that they taste better, making you more likely to drink more and to drink more often. That helps prevent dehydration.

Sources:

Convertino, Victor A. Ph.D., FACSM (Chair), Lawrence E. Armstrong, Ph.D., et. al.. "American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand: Exercise and Fluid Replacement." Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 28(1996): i-vii.

Lewis G. Maharam, MD.FACSM (chair),Tamara Hew DPM, Arthur Siegel MD, Marv Adner, MD, Bruce Adams, MD and Pedro Pujol, MD, FACSM. "IMMDA’s Revised Fluid Recommendations for Runners and Walkers." IMMDA. 6 May 2006.

 

[Redford]

Not convinced over here. I read through the articles (not th book obviously as I don't own the book) and didn't even find anything concerning the temperature of the drink. If I missed it, direct me to it please.

Scientifically I do not understand why icecold water should be processed faster. It is my understanding that blood vessels contract in reaction to cold in order to conserve heat. How does that help processing the water? Don't you interfere with your bodies temperature balance? Doesn't it affect your blood circulation? Doesn't it keep your body from getting out the heat at first and then force him to heat up in order to get rid of the temperature imbalance which would result in more sweating? Don't you risk stomache aches, especially when it's not just cold but icy?
I have no clue, please explain!

 

[raenndrops]

Not convinced over here. I read through the articles (not th book obviously as I don't own the book) and didn't even find anything concerning the temperature of the drink. If I missed it, direct me to it please.

Scientifically I do not understand why icecold water should be processed faster. It is my understanding that blood vessels contract in reaction to cold in order to conserve heat. How does that help processing the water? Don't you interfere with your bodies temperature balance? Doesn't it affect your blood circulation? Doesn't it keep your body from getting out the heat at first and then force him to heat up in order to get rid of the temperature imbalance which would result in more sweating? Don't you risk stomache aches, especially when it's not just cold but icy?
I have no clue, please explain!

In the first article, they talk about fluid replacement during exercise. They discuss temperature in that section.
Easy explanation...
When you exercise, the body heats up... "The most serious effect of dehydration resulting from the failure to replace fluids during exerciseis impaired heat dissipation, which can elevate body core temperature to dangerously high levels."

The colder water:
1) tastes better, so you are more likely to drink enough to help
2) actually starts heating up as soon as it comes into contact with your body through conduction
3) even if a coach is putting ice cubes into the water bottles, it doesn't mean that the water will remain ice cold for long
4) They are not suggesting chugging a gallon of ice cold water, so the stomach ache thing should not be an issue
5) It doesn't constrict your blood vessels because by the time it gets to the blood stream, it is already at body temperature

 

[Redford]

Sorry for double posting. I succesfully avoided washing the dishes, read through a few studies and I'm gonna answer a few of my own questions. I will not quote scientifically correct, pardon me, too tired for that.

Our body regulates its temperature through hydration. Body temperature will rise during excersise, hydration helps to balance it. A cold fluid indeed seems to do that more effectivly (why??) plus the normal increase of sweating after drinking is lower since we seem to physiologycally react to the fluids temperature as soon as we sense it. BUT the voluntary intake of cold fluid (speaking below 10°) is much lower. (1)There is no significant difference in the hydration status between the same amount of water of different temperatures.(2)

Still missing a few explanations and the stomache ache aspect. Also keep in mind that these are studies and studies can be wrong due to a bazillion external influences and tend to be rewritten every 5 years.

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Edit: AND you basically answered the rest of my quastions, thank you very much. So we're talking ice cubes to keep water cool and not to really ice it?

 

[raenndrops]

Sorry for double posting. I succesfully avoided washing the dishes, read through a few studies and I'm gonna answer a few of my own questions. I will not quote scientifically correct, pardon me, too tired for that.

Our body regulates its temperature through hydration. Body temperature will rise during excersise, hydration helps to balance it. A cold fluid indeed seems to do that more effectivly (why??) plus the normal increase of sweating after drinking is lower since we seem to physiologycally react to the fluids temperature as soon as we sense it. BUT the voluntary intake of cold fluid (speaking below 10°) is much lower. (1)There is no significant difference in the hydration status between the same amount of water of different temperatures.(2)

Still missing a few explanations and the stomache ache aspect. Also keep in mind that these are studies and studies can be wrong due to a bazillion external influences and tend to be rewritten every 5 years.

1
2


Edit: AND you basically answered the rest of my quastions, thank you very much. So we're talking ice cubes to keep water cool and not to really ice it?

yes, ice just to cool the water... not ice it.

 

[Redford]

Why then is drinking hot liquids so common in warm countries? Only tradition?

 

[raenndrops]

Why then is drinking hot liquids so common in warm countries? Only tradition?

Probably. That would be my guess, but I don't drink hot liquids.

 

[Sari]

My flatmate swears drinking hot tea in summer is a good idea, something about acclimatizing his body (the inside) to the heat (the outside). I'm still not convinced.

I don't need scientific evidence either. Unless someone reacts badly to cold OR warm drinks, I say to each their own. In most cases, it's probably not going to make a difference. Especially not if we're talking about two or three ice cubes in a water bottle!

 

[Robert]

Hey,

I'm having the same questions at the moment. In training i recommend just water.
My thought about ice water: depending on the country and temperature in the gym, is a no go.

Ice water may stimulate the amount of water the gymnast drink, but may also (depending on how much they drink) decrease the body temperature. When the body temperature drops, the influence on the performance gets bigger. so in my point of view, it takes down a (part) of the Warming up effects.
after all, it's making a difference between one or two ice cubes, and leaving the bottle in the fridge for a hour of three..

 

[flanny2112]

Just a thought (no scientific evidence), the tea thing could be explained because some countries don't have good drinking water, therefore if you boil water and make tea, it gets rid of some of the bacteria....

As for the ice cubes... personally I like cold or at least cool water and our gym stays really hot in the summer. We don't have Air Conditioning and when it is 85-90 degrees with 80-90% humidity, our water gets really warm really fast, especially if you are in the gym for more than an hour. So ice cubes don't necessarily need to make the water freezing temp, but just keep it from getting really warm. Just my opinion though.