5 Ways Drinking Water Can Benefit Your Muscles
Feb 12, 2023
Drinking water is beneficial for our bodies in so many ways. Everything from the skin to the immune system benefits from hydration, and so do the muscles. So, if you want to improve your muscles, make sure to carry your sports water bottle to stay hydrated all the time.
5 Ways Drinking Water Can Benefit Your Muscles
Here are the 5 different ways how drinking water benefits your muscles.
1. You can energize your muscles by drinking water
Our body is made up of cells, and for proper functioning, every cell needs to maintain its fluid balance. This fluid balance is maintained when we drink water, which also maintains electrolyte amounts in the muscles.
In case of an imbalance in the fluid level, cells don't perform as they should, which can cause muscle fatigue and affect your exercise sessions. So, whenever you are going to work out, it is essential to drink water so that every cell has perfect fluid balance.
2. The recovery process becomes quicker when you are hydrated
As we work out, the proteins in our muscles break down. A short time after the workout session, muscles recover when blood supplies oxygen and all other nutrients to the muscles. However, supplying oxygen and nutrients to muscles through blood will not be efficient if the body is dehydrated. That may result in an inefficient recovery process.
In the worse case, the muscle we break down may not recover as much as it should. So, instead of strengthening and building up, muscles may start weakening. That's why water is very important for the muscle recovery process.
3. Drinking water can increase your muscles’ pain tolerance
Our muscles can tolerate more pain with proper hydration than in a dehydrated state. It is because when we are dehydrated, the sensitivity of muscles increases and intense workout sessions with the dehydrated body can lead to aches, fatigue, cramps, and even muscle injuries.
On the other hand, when we are hydrated, the workout sessions can last longer, as muscles can tolerate more pain with a proper nutrient supply. Thus, we can intensify our workout sessions and gain similar benefits afterward.
4. Drinking water makes your muscles look better with proper volume
Muscles constitute around 70 to 80 percent of water, and the appearance of muscles depends on the presence of water in them. Consider a balloon filled with water. Enough water in it will maintain a perfect shape, while a lack of water makes it look soggy and unattractive. The same thing happens with our muscles.
If you are building muscles, you must maintain proper hydration because water cells can swell up to provide the right muscle volume. If you don't have enough water, individual cells won't swell up, and no matter how intensely you work out, the muscle volume will not be as good as it should be.
5. Water can lubricate joints for optimized performance
The joints in our body are lubricated with synovial fluid, which is essential for comfortable movement. This fluid is made from water, and dehydration can cause a state in the body where this fluid is not produced. So, your muscles may not perform well with the back of the movement, and your endurance during workout sessions will decrease.
Even if your muscles are perfect, this issue with fluent joint movement will keep you from working out effectively. Ultimately it will affect muscle health, especially during heavy weightlifting and stress exercises.
Drinking water can be exceptionally beneficial for muscles.
However, drinking more water will not be easy for everyone. If you also find it difficult to maintain good hydration, here are some tips to help you maintain a healthy water intake routine.
1. Always carry your water with you.
The key to drinking more water is always carrying your water with you. When you have water always available, it will be much easier to quench your thirst whenever you feel it. So, you may get a stainless steel wide-mouth water bottle and always keep it with you. From the gym sessions to your office time, this bottle stays with you all day. This bottle always with you will ensure that you follow a healthy hydration routine.
2. Focus on healthier drinks.
You might be taking enough liquids throughout the day, but those liquids may not be healthy for your body. We often confuse unhealthy beverages and shakes with hydration because of their liquid form.
You must focus on taking as much plain water throughout the day as possible. If you don't want to go with plain water, try detox water, as it has added benefits. Get a wide-mouth water bottle coffee cap so that all the big chunks of fruits and vegetables stay inside the bottle, and you comfortably drink from it.
3. Rely on foods that have high water content.
Another way to intake more water is by consuming vegetables and fruits that have high water content. Changing 2-% of your diet with such fruits and veggies means that you are meeting your hydration requirement and having vital nutrients and minerals in your diet.
4. Always include drinks according to your personal choice.
You don’t want to be fed up soon from this hydration routine, and the only way to keep it going is by including drinks of your choice. For instance, you can take non-calory beverages or electrolyte solutions to maintain the necessary hydration and add benefits. The most important benefit of doing this is changing the flavor, which will keep the hydration routine attractive for you.
Conclusion
Around 60% of our bodies are made up of water. Blood has water in it, and so do the muscles. When we are dehydrated, the overall water content in the body decreases, which makes the body weak. If you work out to strengthen your body but don't focus on hydration, the body will not be in the best of its health. So, to improve your muscle strength, it is essential to maintain a healthy hydration routine.