Podcast 181: Sports Scientist Andy Blow on Sweat, Salt & Hydration

Our guest this week on the WHOOP Podcast discusses how to give your body what it needs to perform.

WHOOP VP of Performance Kristen Holmes sits down with Andy Blow, a world-renowned expert in sweat, dehydration, and cramping. Andy is the founder of Precision Fuel and Hydration, and is a sports scientist who spent part of his career working for the Benetton and Renault Formula 1 teams. Andy was an elite-level triathlete himself, finishing in the top 10 of Ironman and IM 70.3 races and also winning an Xterra World title. Andy explains how our body functions when we sweat, the critical role sodium plays in hydration, plus what electrolytes are and how to best go about replenishing them. He also shares how to avoid over-hydrating and why some of the common signs you might look for to judge your hydration levels might be leading you astray. We have new ways to interact with the WHOOP Podcast! You can email us – Podcast@whoop.com – or you can call our new listener line (508-443-4952) and leave a question or comment, and your question might be answered on a future episode.  

Andy Blow Hydration Podcast Episode chapters:

4:31 - Andy’s journey to sports science 8:56 - Variability in sweat and salt loss from person to person 10:08 - What our bodies do while sweating 11:50 - Perceived effort and thirst 13:53 - Planning out hydration 16:20 - Prehydrating 21:46 - Keto diets and hydration 24:27 - Caffeine’s role in hydration 30:09 - Alcohol 33:14 - Electrolytes 37:22 - Hydrating while fasting 42:05 - Carbs and fueling Related: Benefits of Hydration and Tips to Stay Hydrated Referenced research: Dr. Sandra Godek on fluid consumption and sweating in NFL and college football players Precision Fuel and Hydration athlete hydration case studies Precision Fuel and Hydration blog and knowledge hub https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBBE1jXRGg8 Connect with Andy: Twitter Instagram Website