Auth said early symptoms of dehydration include thirst and dark urine. If fluid is not restored to the body, headaches, dizziness, sickness and overheating can occur. Jon Roth, a UF psychology graduate student, studies fluid balance and feeding behaviors. He said students should compensate for fluid loss by taking measures to prevent dehydration from occurring. He said when students sweat from exercise or the heat, they are losing necessary electrolytes.
Electrolytes keep balance in the body's cells.
To restore the balance, students should drink water and sports drinks such as Gatorade, which is high in electrolytes. Auth suggested drinking at least 64 ounces of water a day and even more when exercising. She also recommended not exercising outside in the middle of the day. This is an adequate judge of fluid loss. In addition, Auth suggested drinking 4 to 8 ounces of water for every 15 to 20 minutes of exercise.