Hydration Strategies and Their Impact on Physical Performance - A Systematic Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/JEHS.2026.91.70801Keywords
hydration, dehydration, physical performance, sport, water-electrolyte management, exercise physiologyAbstract
Adequate hydration is one of the fundamental factors necessary for maintaining physiological homeostasis and optimal physical performance. Disturbances in water-electrolyte balance may occur during physical exercise, when increased fluid loss takes place through sweating and respiratory pathways. Dehydration negatively affects thermoregulatory mechanisms, cardiovascular function and overall exercise capacity. In recent years, hydration strategies have become one of the key areas of research in exercise physiology and sports science. The aim of this systematic review is to analyze the current scientific evidence regarding hydration strategies and their impact on physical performance in athletes and physically active individuals.
References
1. Judge LW, Bellar DM, Popp JK, Craig BW, Schoeff MA, Hoover DL, et al. Hydration
to maximize performance and recovery: knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors among
collegiate track and field throwers. J Hum Kinet. 2021;79:111-122.
https://doi.org/10.2478/hukin-2021-0065
2. McCartney D, Desbrow B, Irwin C. The effect of fluid intake following dehydration
on subsequent athletic and cognitive performance: a systematic review and
meta-analysis. Sports Med Open. 2017;3:13.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-017-0079-y
3. Deshayes TA, Pancrate T, Goulet EDB. Impact of dehydration on perceived exertion
during endurance exercise: a systematic review with meta-analysis. J Exerc Sci Fit.
2022;20(3):224-235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesf.2022.03.006
4. Elliott KB, Keefe MS, Dunn RA, Palmer TB, Lepley AS, Sekiguchi Y.
Hypohydration decreases neuromuscular performance prior to and following
intermittent exercise in the heat. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2026 Jan 23.
https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000003938
5. Goodman SPJ, Moreland AT, Marino FE. The effect of active hypohydration on
cognitive function: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Physiol Behav.
2019;204:297-308. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.03.008
6. Pałka T, Rydzik Ł, Koteja PM, Piotrowska A, Bagińska M, Ambroży T, et al. Effect
of various hydration strategies on work intensity and selected physiological indices in
young male athletes during prolonged physical exercise at high ambient temperatures.
J Clin Med. 2024;13(4):982. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13040982
7. Francisco R, Armstrong LE, Silva AM. Recommendations for optimizing research
regarding the effects of dehydration on athletic performance. Sports Med.
2026;56:23-34. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-025-02310-6
8. Magee PJ, Gallagher AM, McCormack JM. High prevalence of dehydration and
inadequate nutritional knowledge among university and club level athletes. Int J Sport
Nutr Exerc Metab. 2017.
9. Irwin C, Desbrow B, Leveritt M. Effects of acute exercise, dehydration and
rehydration on cognitive function in well-trained athletes. J Sports Sci. 2018.
10. Adams JD, Sekiguchi Y, Suh HG, Seal AD, Sprong CA, Kirkland TW, et al.
Dehydration impairs cycling performance, independently of thirst. Med Sci Sports
Exerc. 2018.
11. Li S, Xiao X, Zhang X. Hydration status in older adults: current knowledge and future
challenges. Nutrients. 2023;15(11):2609. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15112609
12. Cuzzo B, Padala SA, Lappin SL. Physiology, vasopressin. In: StatPearls [Internet].
Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2026. Available from:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526069/
13. Lacey J, Corbett J, Forni L, Hooper L, Hughes F, Minto G, et al. A multidisciplinary
consensus on dehydration: definitions, diagnostic methods and clinical implications.
Ann Med. 2019;51(3-4):232-251. https://doi.org/10.1080/07853890.2019.1628352
14. Frith J. New horizons in the diagnosis and management of dehydration. Age Ageing.
2023;52(10):afad193. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afad193
15. Barley OR, Chapman DW, Blazevich AJ, Abbiss CR. Acute dehydration impairs
endurance without modulating neuromuscular function. Front Physiol. 2018;9:1562.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2018.01562
16. Pérez-Castillo IM, Williams JA, López-Chicharro J, Mihic N, Rueda R, Bouzamondo
H, et al. Compositional aspects of beverages designed to promote hydration before,
during, and after exercise: concepts revisited. Nutrients. 2023;16(1):17.
https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16010017
17. Rowlands DS, Kopetschny BH, Badenhorst CE. The hydrating effects of hypertonic,
isotonic and hypotonic sports drinks and waters on central hydration during
continuous exercise: a systematic meta-analysis and perspective. Sports Med.
2022;52(2):349-375. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-021-01558-y
18. Armstrong LE. Rehydration during endurance exercise: challenges, research, options,
methods. Nutrients. 2021;13(3):887. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13030887
19. Ly NQ, Hamstra-Wright KL, Horswill CA. Post-exercise rehydration in athletes:
effects of sodium and carbohydrate in commercial hydration beverages. Nutrients.
2023;15(22):4759. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15224759
20. Jardine WT, Aisbett B, Kelly MK, Burke LM, Ross ML, Condo D, et al. The effect of
pre-exercise hyperhydration on exercise performance, physiological outcomes and
gastrointestinal symptoms: a systematic review. Sports Med. 2023;53(11):2111-2134.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-023-01885-2
21. Périard JD, Eijsvogels TMH, Daanen HAM. Exercise under heat stress:
thermoregulation, hydration, performance implications, and mitigation strategies.
Physiol Rev. 2021;101(4):1873-1979. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00038.2020
22. Kenefick RW. Drinking strategies: planned drinking versus drinking to thirst. Sports
Med. 2018;48(Suppl 1):31-37. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-017-0844-6
23. Li H, Early KS, Zhang G, Ma P, Wang H. Personalized hydration strategy to improve
fluid balance and intermittent exercise performance in the heat. Nutrients.
2024;16(9):1341. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16091341
24. Cheuvront SN, Kenefick RW. Dehydration: physiology, assessment, and performance
effects. Compr Physiol. 2014;4(1):257-285. https://doi.org/10.1002/cphy.c130017
25. Dube A, Gouws C, Breukelman G. Effects of hypohydration and fluid balance in
athletes' cognitive performance: a systematic review. Afr Health Sci.
2022;22(1):367-376. https://doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v22i1.45
26. Maughan RJ. Investigating the associations between hydration and exercise
performance: methodology and limitations. Nutr Rev. 2012;70(Suppl 2):S128-S131.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Natalia Kałwa, Mateusz Smerdzyński, Kinga Kałuża, Michał Pater, Aleksandra Strzępek, Julia Łyżwa, Karolina Frączek, Agnieszka Janaszek, Aleksandra Majchrzyk, Agnieszka Chmurska
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
The periodical offers access to content in the Open Access system under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0
Stats
Number of views and downloads: 68
Number of citations: 0
