It is well evidenced that dehydration is able to cause a serious deterioration in physical performance. As little as 5 % dehydration can negatively affect physical fitness levels, and further declines can cause not only poor performance, but serious risk of death. However, dehydration can also cause serious performance deficits in mental ability. In one study, exercising in heat in combination with water restriction caused mild dehydration in a group of subjects. Subsequently, the subjects were exposed to a number of mental performance tests including arithmetic, short-term memory tests and visuomotor tracking. At just 2 % dehydration, there was a significant reduction in all mental function, suggesting that adequate hydration is a requisite for mental ability. Considering that 2 % dehydration is easily achievable under the conditions of normal living and daily tasks even in temperate climates, this suggests that many individuals may be mentally impaired due to dehydration.
Eat Well, Stay Healthy, Protect Yourself
RdB
