Hydration is an essential, yet overlooked, component of health and fitness. Yet, estimates indicate that significant portions of adults are dehydrated.[1]
Individuals at the greatest risk of dehydration are highly active individuals (athletes), older adults, and those on certain medications (diuretics in particular).
If you’re struggling to consume enough fluids each day, here are X reasons to stay hydrated.
#1 Increased Energy
On average, the human body is ~60% water. It’s involved in countless biological processes, including energy production. Not drinking enough fluids can lead to decreased blood volume, which impacts circulation and forces your heart to work harder. These factors can make you feel tired, sluggish, and less focused.
Staying hydrated promotes better blood flow, nutrient, and oxygen delivery throughout your body, which yields greater natural energy levels and focus!
#2 Better Cognitive Function
Building off of the previous point, increased hydration doesn’t just support better oxygen and nutrient delivery to your muscles…it also benefits brain health. With a steady supply of oxygen and nutrient-rich blood to your brain, you’ll think more clearly, reduce brain fog, and have faster reaction time and decision-making.
#3 Improves Detoxification
“Detox” drinks and diets have been all the rage the past few years, usually as a way to sell you some overpriced juices, soups, or meal plans. But, the reality is that your body is naturally equipped to “detoxify” itself on a constant basis thanks to the workings of the skin, lungs, liver, kidneys, circulatory and lymphatic systems. These help to filter out pathogens and toxins from our environment and excrete them in a variety of ways (urination, breathing, perspiration, and bowel movements).
Staying properly hydrated supports optimal function of the body’s natural detoxification pathways and helps support overall health. In addition to water and electrolytes, our bodies also rely on a variety of polyphenols and antioxidants to combat free radicals, oxidative stress, and other toxins. That’s why we created 1UP Daily Cleanse -- a robust blend of plant-based extracts that promotes healthy digestion and supports the body’s detoxification systems.
#4 Supports Cardiovascular Health
Plasma is 90% water and accounts for more than 50% of total blood volume.
If you’re dehydrated, then your blood volume decreases, which makes your heart have to work harder to get the same amount of blood to organs and tissues that it needs.
Additionally, being dehydrated can cause blood vessels to constrict and become narrower, which impairs nutrient and oxygen delivery to your muscles and organs.
#5 Fewer Headaches
Brain fog, dizziness, confusion, and headaches are symptoms of mild dehydration. This is due, in part, to the fact that even being slightly dehydrated can cause the brain to contract away from the skull, which leads to headaches and migraines.
If you’re someone who regularly gets headaches, make sure to keep an eye on how much fluids you’re consuming throughout the day. You may also want to shore up your magnesium intake, as magnesium levels have been implicated in the frequency and severity of migraines.
#6 Supports Weight Loss
Water intake is an undervalued factor in managing calorie intake throughout the day. In fact, research finds that drinking water before mealtime may help individuals to consume significantly less calories.[2]
Other studies find that drinking water before meals (a “water preload”) may help individuals to lower body weight and body mass index (BMI), which improves body composition.[3]
#7 Healthy Digestion
Your body needs water to properly digest food. Conversely, not drinking enough water can lead to gas, bloating, heartburn, poor nutrient absorption, and irregular bowel movements, which can impact your quality of life.
When you commit to staying on top of your hydration, you keep things “moving smoothly” as water works with soluble fiber to keep the digestion and absorption process on track.
#8 Smoother Joint Action
Water is extremely important to healthy, pain-free joints.
Synovial fluid (“joint fluid) contains water. It cushions the ends of bones and reduces friction when you move. Being dehydrated means less synovial fluid is available to protect your joints.
This is of particular concern to gym rats and fitness enthusiasts who sweat a lot during intense workouts as excessive fluid loss can result in greater stress on your joints, increasing the risk of injury.
Risks of Dehydration
Symptoms of dehydration include:
- Cramping
- Muscle spasms
- Dizziness or feeling faint
- Dry mouth
- Rapid breathing and/or heartbeat
- Headaches
- Confusion
- Dark-colored urine
- Trouble urinating
Dehydration increases the risk of falls, urinary tract infections (UTIs), and cognitive decline.[1]
Tips to Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated doesn’t just entail drinking some water before or during your workout. It’s an all-day process that begins when you wake up and continues until you go to bed.
For example, upon waking, we drink 8-16 ounces of water. Throughout the day, we’re also sipping water, eating water-rich foods (fruits and veggies), and enjoying a whey protein shake (or two).
But, water isn’t enough to meet the hydration requirements of physically active individuals. Your body also requireselectrolytes -- charged minerals that help regulate fluid levels in the body. Electrolytes are naturally found in our diet, but high levels of activity (as well as the environment in which you exercise and live) can increase your electrolyte requirements.
To support your increased electrolyte needs, we created 1UP Hydration Plus.
We formulated 1UP Hydration Plus to help support your hydration requirements so that you can train harder, recover quicker, and get the results you want! Each serving delivers an hand-picked blend of research-backed electrolytes, hydration aids, vitamins and antioxidants so you can give your body what it needs when it needs it!
1UP Hydration Plus is stimulant-free and can be enjoyed anytime of day to support your hydration requirements as well as provide a sugar-free, refreshing alternative to high-calorie sports drinks.
References
- Taylor K, Tripathi AK. Adult Dehydration. [Updated 2025 Mar 5]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555956/
- Jeong JN. Effect of Pre-meal Water Consumption on Energy Intake and Satiety in Non-obese Young Adults. Clin Nutr Res. 2018 Oct;7(4):291-296. doi: 10.7762/cnr.2018.7.4.291. Epub 2018 Oct 31. PMID: 30406058; PMCID: PMC6209729.
- Vij VA, Joshi AS. Effect of 'water induced thermogenesis' on body weight, body mass index and body composition of overweight subjects. J Clin Diagn Res. 2013 Sep;7(9):1894-6. doi: 10.7860/JCDR/2013/5862.3344. Epub 2013 Sep 10. PMID: 24179891; PMCID: PMC3809630.
