Carbohydrates, fluid, and sodium. As an athlete you are already familiar with these big three during training, but when heat and humidity increase the demand increases as well. Heat training is the new altitude training, it can increase your cardiac output and plasma volume by making your heart more efficient at pumping blood and oxygen throughout the body.
Unfortunately, the only way to get better at competing in the heat is to acclimate to the heat. Here are some key nutrition guidelines to help fuel in the fire. The hotter it is the more the thermostat has to work to maintain a comfortable temperature. This applies to our house and our bodies, and this means more fuel is needed.
Carbohydrates are the best fuel source for our body. Consume 30-60 g of carbohydrates per hour to fuel your body’s thermostat. If you already have an hourly goal within this range, consider increasing your carbohydrate goal in the heat and humidity. The hotter and/or more humid the climate means more sweat to help cool your body down; and more sweat means more sodium lost. Goals for fluid intake depend on the rate you sweat. A general guideline is to consume 12-16 ounces of fluid every thirty minutes during training in the heat. Sodium losses can also vary depending on the individual, an athlete can lose 400-1000mg of sodium per hour of exercise. Goals for carbohydrates, fluid, and sodium can be reached with an all in one hydration drink like Tailwind, Skratch, or Infinite. On training day or competition day, you can help lower your core temperature by drinking ice cold water. You can also use an ice towel over your neck or head, and if budget is not a consideration there are cooling vests specific to heat training.