Hydration

Studies on rowers and other athletes have shown that a carbohydrate and electrolyte beverage is preferred than water when it comes to hydration. Water has the unfavourable consequence of reducing plasma volume, which restricts fluid supply to sweat glands and prevents cooling. The transport of essential nutrients to active muscles and the elimination of metabolic waste from these muscles are both hindered by the reduced plasma volume. Blood glucose, which is the major fuel for the brain and a crucial source of energy for functioning muscles, is not maintained by water either. Blood glucose instability causes mental exhaustion, which, independent of the amount of fuel present in active muscles, results in physical exhaustion. (British Rowing, 2018). 

For rehydration the athlete needs to drink fluids immediately after the competition or training. Even in freezing weather, prolonged training sessions on the water result in large sweat losses, especially when done twice daily.  The goal is to sip on something whenever there is a training break, or you can use a camel-back and take frequent sips during the exercise. Sports drinks are the suggested fluid choice for extended sessions, demanding training cycles, or hot conditions since they contain carbs and electrolytes in addition to fluid. If the athlete lost weight it reflects the fluid loss (Lee et al. 2017). Therefore, one should intake 1.5 times the amount of weight loss (Castro-Sepulveda et al. 2014). Intake of 1.5 times the amount of weight loss is effective in enhancing and maintaining hydration status, compared to the previous recommended multiplication factor of 1. Our athlete lost 0.8kg of her body mass therefore she needs additional  1.2 L of water added to her RDI which is 2 L.