Does Drinking Water Help Build Muscle Mass?
If fitness is important to you, then you are likely performing resistance training
and eating healthy foods to strengthen your muscles.
However many people neglect the importance of simple water,
when it comes to growing stronger and healthier muscles.
Mineral water in particular has many benefits for the body,
especially when it comes to replenishing muscle tissue and gaining muscle mass.
In today's video we will explore the 12 benefits of drinking water for your muscles,
and the negative effects if you do not drink enough.
1. Energy Water is very important when it comes to hydrating
the body, especially before exercising. If you do not consume enough water, electrolytes will not be
absorbed into the cells which results in weakness, a lack of strength and control. Drinking the right
amount of water keeps your muscles energised, allowing you to perform at a higher level.
2. Performance Over 50% of people drink less water than
the body needs, which contributes to dehydration. If the muscles have 3% less water than they need,
you will feel very weak, especially during anaerobic exercises such as weight lifting and
sprinting. Getting enough water however promotes blood flow to your muscles for better performance.
3. Joint Lubrication Water is also a key part of synovial fluid,
which helps to lubricate your joints for ease of movement. If you do not drink enough water,
even for a short time there will be less fluid available to protect your joints.
If you exercise in this state, you add stress to the joints which can damage them.
4. Muscle Pain Drinking adequate amounts
of water helps to increase your tolerance to muscle pain. When you do not drink enough water,
perception and sensitivity to pain is much higher. Drinking enough water to meet your
needs helps you to have more intense and longer workouts for faster muscle growth.
5. Recovery When your muscles are sore after exercise,
they need to recover before they can grow. Dehydration can make your recovery time slower,
because water is needed to help replenish the muscles.
6. Detoxification As the human body is made up of around 60%
water, it is used to flush toxins out of the body and keep your liver, kidneys and pancreas healthy.
Drinking sports drinks, energy drinks and caffeine has the opposite effect
and puts stress on your metabolism.
7. Muscle Loss Scientific studies show that dehydration
causes your muscle proteins to break down at a faster rate. This can lead to faster muscle
loss between periods of exercise. So it's vitally important to stay hydrated and drink enough water.
8. Excessive Drinking If you drink too much water
you dilute your electrolyte minerals which means that you also have to replenish
them. For this reason we recommend drinking a good quality volcanic source mineral water each day,
as this contains many trace minerals that help to hydrate your muscles. Adding a pinch of Himalayan
pink sea salt to your water, can also boost your muscle growth and exercise performance.
9. Nutrient Absorption If you do not consume enough water,
your body will struggle to digest and absorb important nutrients
that are needed for muscle growth. Water helps your body to break down foods
so that you can absorb these nutrients. It also softens your stool to prevent constipation.
10. Kidney Health The kidneys are unable to
work properly if you do not consume enough water. Water helps to flush the kidneys
and eliminate toxins from the body. If you are dehydrated,
nitrogen levels in the kidneys become elevated which is dangerous for your overall health.
11. Fat Metabolism One of the livers functions it to break
down fat deposits to make energy, especially when working out. When you are dehydrated the liver
stops burning fat because the remaining fluid must be used to help the kidneys carry out their job.
Drinking water during workouts helps your body to turn into a fat burning machine.
12. Sodium/Potassium Pump Every cell in your body needs sodium and potassium
working together to bring in nutrients, minerals and amino acids. Most people get enough salt,
however are deficient in potassium. You can take a daily supplement of potassium citrate, and consume
large leafy green salads to help feed your cells with potassium. This will increase muscle growth.
How Much Water Do I Need
The amount of water you need to drink varies from person to person, depending upon your
weight and many other factors. The best way to check is by looking at the color of your urine.
If it is a pale yellow to clear then you are hydrated,
however if it is darker you may need to drink more water.
Drink When You're Thirsty
There is a common myth that you have to drink gallons of water each day,
however drinking too much waters down your electrolytes and salt.
This is called hyponatremia, a condition where sodium levels become dangerously low,
because you are flushing them out of the body by drinking too much water.
Adding a half a teaspoon of pink Himalayan salt to your water
is a great way to help balance these electrolytes.
Best Types of Water
There are all kinds of different water's on the market. We recommend avoiding tap water
as it contains fluoride and chlorides which can have a negative effect on your health.
We highly recommend consuming mineral water which is from a volcanic
source. You can consume both still and carbonated water.
Also, ensure that the plastic bottles are BPA free.
Alternatively you can use glass bottled water.
Summary
Drinking water most definitely helps your body to build muscle, as it is involved with protein
synthesis, protecting the muscles from loss and moving nutrients in and out of the cells.
If you wish to learn more about nutrition and muscle building, please select our "Muscle Health"
playlist at the end of today's video.
Thank you very much for listening, a like is always appreciated and remember to subscribe
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