For Athletes · Runners · Combat Sports

Your performance
has a leak.
It's not your training.

You're putting in the hours. But if you're only drinking water, your body is flushing the electrolytes that power every contraction, every sprint, every thought. Here's the science — straight, no spin.

Find my hydration → Recognise your symptoms
What dehydration actually costs you
−2%
body weight lost in sweat = noticeable strength decline
−10%
cognitive function at just 1–2% dehydration
−20%
endurance capacity at 3% body weight loss
Sources: Maughan AJCN 2016 · Armstrong et al. · ACSM Position Stand
The uncomfortable truth about water
Plain water is retained at only 58%. Your body needs electrolytes to hold onto what you drink. Without them, you urinate most of it out — and your plasma sodium drops with every sip.
Read the paper: Maughan 2016 ↗
Do you recognise yourself?

6 signs your electrolytes are the problem

Most athletes blame fitness. The real culprit is almost always hydration. Each of these has a clear, science-backed explanation.

See all 6 →
⚡
Muscle cramps mid-session
Sodium and potassium loss collapses the electrical signal that controls muscle contraction.
Why this happens →
📉
Energy crash before you're done
As plasma volume drops with sodium loss, your heart pumps harder to move less oxygen.
Why this happens →
🧠
Brain fog after training
At just 1–2% body weight loss, cognitive function drops 10%. You're not tired — you're dehydrated.
Why this happens →
💧
Thirst water never fixes
Plain water dilutes plasma sodium. Your kidneys expel it before it helps. You stay thirsty.
Why this happens →
🔄
Slow recovery between sessions
Without magnesium, the Na/K-ATPase pump can't run. Your muscles can't repair. Sleep quality drops.
Why this happens →
🌡️
Feeling destroyed by Indian heat
82% of Indian outdoor workers already exceed WBGT limits. Heat demands 2–3× normal electrolyte intake.
Why this happens →
The core issue

Water is not hydration. It's just wet.

Hydration is your body holding onto fluid. That requires electrolytes — specifically sodium — to trigger the mechanisms that actually retain water in your blood and cells.

Plain water
58%
retained by the body. The rest is urinated out within 2 hours — with plasma sodium declining at −2.48 mmol/L/hr.
Maughan AJCN 2016 ↗
vs
Electrolyte drink
74–77%
retained. Sodium triggers ADH release and SGLT1 cotransport — your body's two primary water-retention mechanisms working together.
Vrijens & Rehrer 1999 ↗
📌
What this means for your session
A 90-minute run at moderate intensity can deplete 900–1400mg of sodium through sweat. If you replace that with plain water, your plasma sodium drops, your kidneys flush the water back out, and you end the session worse than when you started — even if you "drank enough."
Personalised

What's the right hydration for you?

A runner's needs are different from a boxer's. Indian summer heat changes everything. Answer 6 questions — get a protocol built for your body and your situation.

Find my hydration →
Takes 90 seconds. Evidence-based output. No signup required.
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