Staying hydrated is extremelyimportant for an active athlete.
It is excellent that you want to make staying hydrated as easy and healthful for your body as possible. In this case though, you are in luck – health and preference coincide!
In a happy coincidence of what feels good and what has good for you, it is actually cold water that is advised when exercising vigorously.
During intense physical activity, the body’s core temperature rises above the normal 98.6.F (37.C). Drinking cool water lowers the body’s temperature and helps it settle back to its normal range.
Studies have also shown that cold water 41.F (5.C) is absorbed more rapidly from the stomach than warm, abating dehydration and allowing you to play harder and enjoy your game of soccer even more.
Sweating also assists to lower the body’s temperature, but through sweating we lose a lot of water, so it is important to keep drinking.
The body is smart and often craves what it needs. That does not mean you should have an ice cream sundae every time you get a hankering, but in this case, cold water is what you want and cold water is what your body uses best.
That said, when the only water around is warm, or when some prefer it warm, that is ok too. the main point is – listen to your body, stay hydrated, and have fun!
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