Natural Bodybuilding Diet - The Neglected Element

Water is a frequently overlooked nutrient – despite of the fact that it is one of the most important elements of the natural bodybuilding diet. Your muscles are up to 70-percent water, and adequate hydration is essential for muscle function and growth. In fact, protein synthesis is increased when the muscles are fully hydrated. Eat plenty of foods with high water content, and drink 1/2 to 2 liters of water each day (about six to eight glasses). This is particularly important in summer when you lose significant amounts of water due to sweating.

Gaining muscle is not easy for the athlete. But it’s good to know that you can live with deficiencies of most nutrients for days or even weeks, a few days without water will kill you. There is more water in the body than any other nutrient. Up to 60 percent of a person's total body weight is water. It comprises up to 70 percent of the weight of muscle but only 25 percent of the weight of fat.

Water plays a role in digestion, assimilation, circulation and excretion. It is the major ingredient in blood plasma, which transports nutrients and gases between the cells. It is also a necessary part of many chemical reactions in the body. Water carries off the waste products of energy metabolism from the cell and provides the fluid needed to get rid of the body's wastes. These wastes include the urea that is produced during the breakdown of dietary protein. Water also lubricates the joints and gives form to the muscles.

The body produces a significant amount of water when food molecules are broken down for energy. In fact, nearly 25 percent of the total daily water requirement for a sedentary person can be provided by this metabolic mechanism. Each gram of glucose combines with 2.7 g of water to form glycogen in the muscles and liver. This water is released when the glycogen is converted into energy. One of the most important functions of water is heat regulation. Exercise generates heat, which can severely impact the functioning of the body if the temperature rises too high. When water is released through the skin and evaporates, heat is dissipated into the environment, lowering the skin temperature. This air-conditioning function can use up a great deal of water depending on the intensity and duration of exercise and the environmental conditions of relative humidity and air temperature. While a limited amount of water can be lost without affecting sports performance (up to 2 percent of body weight), a loss of only 3 percent can reduce endurance. Even greater losses can impact muscular strength. When the water loss exceeds 6 percent of bodyweight, life-threatening symptoms such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke can occur.

Dehydration causes the blood volume to go down, forcing the heart to work harder. It also interferes with numerous body functions, including protein synthesis in muscle. Dehydration can actually be speeded up by high-protein diets, since water is diverted to the kidneys to get rid of the excess urea produced by these diets. One way to avoid dehydration is to keep protein intake moderate while consuming water at regular intervals throughout your training sessions. This is especially important in hot weather and during endurance activities like long-distance marathons.

When gaining muscle, make sure you get enough water every day, particularly during workouts. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables that are high in water content, and drink 1/2 to 2 liters of water each day (about six to eight glasses). While weight training, have a few sips of water between sets, even if you're not thirsty. Thirst is not a very sensitive indicator of water need.

Avoid sugary sodas and other sucrose-based drinks, including those fruit-juice blends that are only partially juice. Sports drinks made from glucose polymers and fructose are better, but natural fruit juices are best. However, juices have no fiber and are relatively high in calories, so they should only make up a small portion of the diet, especially when you are on a reduced-calorie diet to lower your bodyweight. In these situations your body would rather feel the sensation of fullness that comes from solid food. You're better off eating the fruit with its greater nutrient value than the juice made from it. In fact, the best thing to drink is plain water.