Study Finds Hydration Gaps Among Female Athletes

Many female athletes began training without enough fluid already in their bodies. In research covering more than 500 participants, 43 percent arrived dehydrated. Drinking during exercise often did not erase that early deficit. The work comes from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute and addresses a major evidence gap: women account for only 6 percent of sports-science research.

Electrolyte replacement also fell short. During activity, participants restored roughly 20 percent of the sodium lost through sweat, although the cited target was 50 percent. Basketball players lost the most sodium among the basketball, soccer and ice hockey athletes studied. Average sweat output was lower for women than men, but individual results differed considerably. Sustained heavy sweating can make sodium more important than it would be during yoga or a typical Pilates class.

Fueling showed another gap. Some 57 percent did not consume enough carbohydrates while exercising, and half consumed none. For training or competition lasting 60 minutes or longer, the article says muscles require 30 to 60 grams each hour to maintain performance. Too little carbohydrate during demanding activity was linked with earlier fatigue, reduced power and poorer decisions. Together, the findings show that preparation before exercise and individual sweat patterns can shape how well women maintain hydration, electrolytes and energy during harder sessions.