u/AthleteScientist

I’m a sports scientist at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute and I’ve worked with professional and amateur basketball players who were surprised at how much fluid they’d lost, even when playing indoors. I’ve played basketball most of my life and I didn't really think much about hydration until I started studying how the stop-and-go nature of the sport can impact fluid and electrolyte loss. Things like running up and down the court, jumping, and switching between offense and defense, etc.

The thing basketball has going for it compared to soccer or distance running are all the built-in breaks (timeouts, subs, quarter breaks, halftime). Most players treat those as rest windows, but they’re also opportunities to replenish fluid and electrolytes you've been losing in your sweat.

Electrolytes matter too, they work with the fluid you drink. Mild dehydration (>2% body mass loss) starts hurting your attention and reaction time before you feel noticeably thirsty. You lose sodium in sweat, and if you're just replacing water, you are missing out on a tool to help your body hold onto the water you drank.

I usually recommend that players take advantage of these small breaks by sipping consistently, rather than waiting until they feel thirsty. It can also help to think about replacing what you lose in sweat (including electrolytes) so your body can better hold onto the fluids you’re drinking.

Quick flag that this is my opinion and the science-based perspective of GSSI, so it shouldn't be taken as medical advice. Everyone's different, so consult a healthcare professional for personalized guidance.

I’m interested to hear how you hydrate during games and what’s worked for you. Are you taking advantage of those smaller windows, or mostly relying on halftime?

I’m a sports scientist at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute and I’ve worked with professional and amateur basketball players who were surprised at how much fluid they’d lost, even when playing indoors. I’ve played basketball most of my life and I didn't really think much about hydration until I started studying how the stop-and-go nature of the sport can impact fluid and electrolyte loss. Things like running up and down the court, jumping, and switching between offense and defense, etc.

The thing basketball has going for it compared to soccer or distance running are all the built-in breaks (timeouts, subs, quarter breaks, halftime). Most players treat those as rest windows, but they’re also opportunities to replenish fluid and electrolytes you've been losing in your sweat.

Electrolytes matter too, they work with the fluid you drink. Mild dehydration (>2% body mass loss) starts hurting your attention and reaction time before you feel noticeably thirsty. You lose sodium in sweat, and if you're just replacing water, you are missing out on a tool to help your body hold onto the water you drank.

I usually recommend that players take advantage of these small breaks by sipping consistently, rather than waiting until they feel thirsty. It can also help to think about replacing what you lose in sweat (including electrolytes) so your body can better hold onto the fluids you’re drinking.

Quick flag that this is my opinion and the science-based perspective of GSSI, so it shouldn't be taken as medical advice. Everyone's different, so consult a healthcare professional for personalized guidance.

I’m interested to hear how you hydrate during games and what’s worked for you. Are you taking advantage of those smaller windows, or mostly relying on halftime?

I’m a scientist and part of my research at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute focuses on how the gut responds as people start tackling longer runs. Of course runners with GI flares should talk to their doctor for personal guidance, but I wanted to share what we’ve seen from our athletes in hopes it could help some of you who might be experiencing the same thing.

If you’re starting to clock a long run at least once a week, there’s a good chance you’ve had a run where your stomach just wasn’t on board. A big reason this happens comes down to how your body prioritizes blood flow during exercise. When you run, more blood gets directed to your working muscles, heart, and lungs, and less goes to your digestive system. That can slow things down in your gut and lead to cramping and stitches. There’s also the physical side of it (the repeated impact that can cause jostling in your stomach and intestines).

Fueling is another big player, especially as you run longer distances. For newer runners, building up carb intake over a few weeks gives the gut time to adapt without impacting your run. It can also help to mix a combo of fluids and gels to improve carb absorption compared to relying on just one, especially as you increase mileage. And people don’t always connect that pace and fueling are linked. Running faster than your gut is ready for (especially late in a run) can make GI symptoms worse, even if your fueling plan looks solid on paper.

Overall, as your runs get longer, a bit of trial and error is totally normal before things start clicking. And if you're having that “why does my stomach feel weird” moment or you come back from a run feeling a little off, that’s usually your body adapting, not you doing anything wrong.